Every 2027 Chevrolet Equinox will be equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission, according to GM's vehicle order guide. At present, front-wheel-drive Equinox models use a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while all-wheel-drive versions already come with the eight-speed automatic.
This aligns with a previous announcement from Ohio representative Elgin Rogers (D-Toledo), who disclosed GM's $39 million investment in its Toledo Propulsion Systems plant. Rogers stated the funds would "increase capacity and introduce a new transmission variant to support production of the Chevrolet Equinox and other GM vehicles." The Equinox's platform sibling, the GMC Terrain, will also receive the same CVT-to-automatic swap on front-wheel-drive trims.
Apart from the transmission change, the 2027 Equinox is expected to carry over largely unchanged from the current model. A report on GM Inside News indicates the Cacti Green exterior paint is being retired in favor of a new Autumn Harvest Metallic option. The RS trim's Santorini Blue interior stitching will also be swapped for Torch Red.
This shift is part of a broader industry movement away from CVTs. Nissan — long one of the technology's strongest proponents — recently replaced the CVT in its redesigned 2025 Murano with a conventional nine-speed automatic, despite the Murano having launched with a CVT way back in 2003. For historical context, the first CVT offered in a U.S. production vehicle was the 1989 Subaru Justy GL; Subaru remains one of the few brands still committed to the technology.
CVTs arrived with considerable promise: smoother acceleration, better fuel efficiency, and simpler mechanical architecture that theoretically lowered production costs and reduced long-term maintenance needs. In practice, however, most CVTs were undermined by a distinctive mid-throttle drone as the engine held a constant rpm under acceleration. The sensation also felt unfamiliar to drivers conditioned to the sequential gear steps of a conventional automatic — a disconnect that many found difficult to overlook.