AWD turbodiesel Equinox, Terrain dropped for 2020

Citing low demand,

General Motors

is dropping the AWD

diesel

options off the

Chevrolet Equinox

and

GMC Terrain

roster.

Chevrolet

spokesman Kevin Kelly

confirmed to CarsDirect

that for 2020, the diesel versions of these SUVs will only be offered with front-wheel-drive.

CarsDirect

notes that with the

AWD diesel Equinox

and

Terrain

gone, the only AWD diesel option in this class is the

Mazda CX-5 Skyactiv diesel

, which is significantly more expensive: As the AWD diesel

CX-5

is only available in a fully loaded Signature specification, the $42,045 price tag is almost $10k heftier than the cheapest comparable

Equinox

, the AWD 1.6-liter diesel LT which starts from $32,495.

The

2019 GMC Terrain

AWD SLE costs $34,795 in comparision, which works out to being around $7,200 cheaper than the

Mazda

. The higher trim levels for the Equinox and Terrain are Premier and SLT, respectively. Some reasoning behind the AWD diesel

GM

SUV’s low uptake is their own price difference to base FWD gasoline models: you can get a 1.5-liter Equinox for

less than §25,000 listed

.

While the 2.2-liter Mazda has plenty more power at 168 hp and 290 lb-ft, compared to 137hp and 240 lb-ft in the 1.6-liter GM SUVs, the Equinox and Terrain are notably more frugal – they are rated 32mpg combined, while the Mazda can manage 28 mpg. With better

fuel economy

and a significantly lower list price, the General Motors twins are at least more wallet-friendly when it comes to numbers, and as the vehicles will cease to be built in that configuration there’s likely to be some cash on the hood on ones in stock.