Chevrolet Equinox vs GMC Acadia: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Chevrolet Equinox typically lists for $26,973 against $48,994 for the GMC Acadia (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Chevrolet Equinox takes fuel economy (25 MPG combined vs 21 MPG); the GMC Acadia leads on NCAP safety (5.0★ vs 4.5★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the LS at $21,998 vs the SLE at $28,191; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Chevrolet Equinox LS ($21,998) faces the GMC Acadia SLE ($28,191); the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) (29.1% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the ELEVATION (32.3% of GMC Acadia listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($33,509) faces the ELEVATION ($44,457). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Chevrolet Equinox | GMC Acadia | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| LSCheapest | $21,998 | 6.0% | SLECheapest | $28,191 | 13.7% |
| LT (1LT)Most popular | $22,980 | 29.1% | SLT | $28,197 | 16.6% |
| RS (3LT) | $24,995 | 3.0% | UPLEVEL | $35,699 | 4.3% |
| PREMIER (1LZ) | $25,500 | 3.4% | AT4 | $38,535 | 12.0% |
| 1LT | $26,991 | 27.7% | DENALI | $43,974 | 19.8% |
| 2LT | $30,839 | 7.3% | ELEVATIONMost popularPriciest | $44,457 | 32.3% |
| RS | $32,031 | 10.5% | DENALI ULTIMATE | $62,459 | 1.3% |
| ACTIVEPriciest | $33,509 | 3.2% | — | ||
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Chevrolet Equinox prices · GMC Acadia prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Chevrolet Equinox typical | GMC Acadia typical | Difference | Chevrolet Equinox MPG | GMC Acadia MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $31,348 | $48,994 | GMC Acadia +$17,646 | 26–27 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2025 | $26,973 | $39,115 | GMC Acadia +$12,142 | 26–27 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2024 | $23,590 | $39,413 | GMC Acadia +$15,823 | 26–28 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2023 | $22,072 | $29,998 | GMC Acadia +$7,926 | 26–28 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2022 | $19,895 | $25,998 | GMC Acadia +$6,103 | 27–28 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2021 | $17,716 | $23,995 | GMC Acadia +$6,279 | 27–28 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2020 | $16,899 | $21,198 | GMC Acadia +$4,299 | 24–28 MPG | 21–24 MPG |
| 2019 | $15,149 | $18,362 | GMC Acadia +$3,213 | 24–32 MPG | 20–23 MPG |
| 2018 | $13,449 | $15,990 | GMC Acadia +$2,541 | 24–32 MPG | 20–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $10,495 | $13,840 | GMC Acadia +$3,345 | 18–25 MPG | 17–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $9,495 | $10,404 | GMC Acadia +$909 | 18–26 MPG | 17–18 MPG |
| 2015 | $8,488 | $9,911 | GMC Acadia +$1,423 | 19–26 MPG | 19 MPG |
| 2014 | $7,995 | $8,495 | GMC Acadia +$500 | 19–26 MPG | 18–19 MPG |
| 2013 | $7,000 | $7,768 | GMC Acadia +$768 | 19–26 MPG | 18–19 MPG |
| 2012 | $6,995 | $6,995 | even | 19–26 MPG | 19 MPG |
| 2011 | $6,499 | $6,795 | GMC Acadia +$296 | 19–26 MPG | 19 MPG |
| 2010 | $5,995 | $5,893 | Chevrolet Equinox +$102 | 20–26 MPG | 19 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (July 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Acadia?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Chevrolet Equinox is cheaper: it typically lists for $26,973 versus $48,994 for the GMC Acadia (national medians, July 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Acadia?
The Chevrolet Equinox: its typical rated version returns 25 MPG combined versus 21 MPG for the GMC Acadia (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Acadia?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the GMC Acadia averages 5.0 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.5 for the Chevrolet Equinox. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Acadia?
NHTSA lists an average of 2.3 recalls per model year for the Chevrolet Equinox and 3.2 for the GMC Acadia — an edge for the Chevrolet Equinox. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Chevrolet Equinox LS typically lists for $21,998 vs $28,191 for a GMC Acadia SLE; the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) ($22,980, 29.1% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the ELEVATION ($44,457, 32.3% of GMC Acadia listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($33,509) faces the ELEVATION ($44,457). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/chevrolet/equinox/vs/gmc/acadia.
Dig deeper
Chevrolet Equinox — live listings & specs GMC Acadia — live listings & specs Chevrolet Equinox prices by year GMC Acadia prices by year Chevrolet Equinox MPG by year GMC Acadia MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.