For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota C-HR have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Chevrolet Equinox doesn't offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota C-HR are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Equinox doesn't offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

The Toyota C-HR has a standard driver's side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Equinox doesn't offer knee airbags.

The C-HR has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle's blind spots where the side view mirrors don't reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Equinox's blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the C-HR has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Equinox.

The C-HR's driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Equinox doesn't offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the C-HR and the Equinox have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota C-HR is safer than the Chevrolet Equinox:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota C-HR is safer than the Chevrolet Equinox:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the C-HR is 2.1% to 4.2% less likely to roll over than the Equinox.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its headlight's “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the C-HR its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 116 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Equinox is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

The C-HR's corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Equinox's (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the C-HR for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Equinox.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 12th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports' January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Chevrolet is ranked 17th.

The C-HR has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Equinox doesn't offer a CVT.

The C-HR stops shorter than the Equinox:

The C-HR's tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Equinox LS/LT's standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the C-HR has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Equinox LS/LT.

The C-HR has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the C-HR flat and controlled during cornering. The Equinox's suspension doesn't offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The C-HR Limited handles at .81 G's, while the Equinox LT AWD pulls only .77 G's of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the C-HR's turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the Equinox's (34.2 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The C-HR's turning circle is 7.4 feet tighter than the Equinox RS' (34.2 feet vs. 41.6 feet).

The C-HR is 10.5 inches shorter than the Equinox, making the C-HR easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front step up height for the C-HR is 1.2 inches lower than the Equinox (16” vs. 17.2”). The C-HR's rear step up height is 1 inches lower than the Equinox's (16.5” vs. 17.5”).

The C-HR's front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Equinox's passenger windows don't close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the C-HR the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Equinox can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The C-HR has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Equinox doesn't offer a locking fuel door.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don't exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The C-HR's available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Equinox's headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the C-HR Limited has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Equinox doesn't offer cornering lights.

The C-HR has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won't have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Equinox and isn't available on the Equinox LS.

The C-HR's standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Equinox LS doesn't offer automatic air conditioning.

The C-HR will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the C-HR will retain 56.66% to 57.4% of its original price after five years, while the Equinox only retains 42.36% to 47.88%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota C-HR will be $6648 to $8377 less than for the Chevrolet Equinox.