Comments by "Stephen Hendricks" (@stephenhendricks103) on "2019 Chevrolet Equinox | CarGurus Test Drive Review" video.

No question about that but I'd argue that the Santa Fe is in a larger size category. At 188" long, it's in a "tweener" category between "compact" and "midsize" SUV's. As an owner of the near identical KIA Sorento I'm a fan of that "Goldilocks" size that includes the Santa Fe, the Ford Edge, the Subaru Outback, and the Sorento, among others.
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All true. But the Achilles Heel of the CX-5 is that its interior room is not only less than the Equinox; it's less than virtually every other vehicle in the compact SUV category. The CR-V and the Subaru Forester, for example, provide at least 25% more overall cargo space than the CX-5, vehicles that are barely larger than the Mazda. The 59.6 cubic feet of total cargo space is only about 6 cubic feet more than a VW Golf, a vehicle that's 15"(!) shorter than the Mazda.
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Perhaps the designers of the Equinox were transferred from their previous projects designing the Camaro.
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@MikeDPerkins Of course, that's true. And in this category I suspect most owners won't spend a lot of time utilizing the entire cargo space any of the vehicles offer. But when you need it, you need it. And while TOTAL cargo volume may not be a #1 priority, the space behind the second row is likely to be more important. On that score the CX-5 has 31 cubic feet, trailing both the Forester (35 cf) and the relatively cavernous CR-V (39 cf.) The last is a 25% difference between the CX-5 and the CR-V. Nor is cargo space the only metric to consider. The overall passenger volume of the CX-5 is 103 cf. The CR-V provides 106 cf and the Forester, which prioritizes passenger space, has 112 cubic feet. In a compact SUV that's likely to be noticeable, especially considering the Forester's taller greenhouse, larger windows, a panoramic sunroof and a more "open" overall feeling. It's certainly true that interior space is not the only thing to consider in an SUV. And to be fair the CX-5 does far better versus its competition than the humungous (199") CX-9 fares against its rivals. For example, the CX-9 has less passenger space (134 cf) than a 10" shorter KIA Sorento (153 cf). Looking for a "cozy" midsize SUV, look no further than the CX-9 Again, I think the CX-5 has a number of important virtues but interior space isn't one of them. And in the compact SUV market segment where space for cargo and passengers is a priority compared to compact sedans it's important to most consumers.
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And now it's obvious why reviews of the vehicles Chevy hopes are competitors of the Equinox don't bother to mention it. Appealing size and cargo capacity but it stops there.
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@MikeDPerkins Thanks, Mike. I appreciate the comment.
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@normt5463 Yes, it is. In fact, I think the "tweener" size (188" - 191") is an especially interesting category of crossovers.
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@MikeDPerkins Obviously that depends on one's priorities and what you're comparing the CX-5 to. I happen to like the CX-5. I think it's probably the best application of Mazda's 2.5L turbo engine. But it's definitely most appealing to those for whom the "U(tility)" in SUV isn't a high priority.
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