You’re looking at the 2024 Chevy Equinox EV and wondering: is this thing actually reliable, or are you signing up to beta‑test GM’s electric future? With any first‑model‑year EV, especially on a brand‑new platform, reliability is the question, and **2024 Chevy Equinox EV reliability** is under a particular microscope because of GM’s history with software stumbles on other Ultium models.
Quick take
2024 Chevy Equinox EV reliability overview
It helps to separate the Equinox EV into three buckets: the **Ultium hardware** (battery, motors, drive units), the **traditional car stuff** (body, chassis, interior), and the **software stack** that ties it all together. The first two look promising so far. The third is where most of the drama lives.
Equinox EV reliability at a glance
Where it’s strong, where it’s still a science experiment
Battery & motors
Early signs: good. No widespread Ultium pack failures or motor issues reported yet for the Equinox EV specifically, and GM backs the pack with a long warranty.
Build quality
Better than the Blazer EV launch. Owners frequently report tight build, quiet cabins, and few squeaks/rattles for a first‑year GM EV.
Software & electronics
Work in progress. Over‑the‑air updates fix bugs, but also sometimes create new ones. Expect the occasional warning light or infotainment quirk.
First‑year reality check
Ultium platform and warranty basics
Underneath the slick compact‑SUV sheetmetal, the 2024 Equinox EV rides on GM’s **Ultium** architecture, the same basic battery and motor family used in the Cadillac Lyriq, GMC Hummer EV and Chevy Blazer EV. That matters because most of what we know about long‑term reliability so far comes from those siblings.
Key warranty coverage on the Equinox EV
Battery and motor failures are rare events and usually happen early or not at all. For most drivers, the bigger day‑to‑day reliability story is **software stability** (does the car boot, connect, charge, and drive without drama?) and how quickly GM ships fixes when it doesn’t.
Early owner reports: what drivers are actually seeing
Because the 2024 Equinox EV only started hitting driveways in mid‑2024, we don’t yet have decade‑long histories. What we do have are **thousands of real‑world miles** from early adopters, many of whom are much more online than your average car buyer.
- Plenty of owners report **5,000–20,000 miles with no issues**, just normal charging and scheduled service.
- A smaller but very vocal minority describe **software‑related downtime**: stuck in the shop while modules are reflashed or replaced.
- Everyday annoyances, lack of Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, camera glitches, windshield glare, come up more than catastrophic failures.
- Compared with the Blazer EV’s rocky first months, Equinox EV owners generally describe it as **“solid when it works, rough around the digital edges.”**
How to read early‑owner forums
Recalls and known issues on the Equinox EV
No modern EV escapes childhood illnesses, and the Equinox EV is already on NHTSA’s radar. That doesn’t make it a bad car; it just means you should know **which recalls apply to the 2024 model year** and confirm they’ve been fixed before you buy.
Key Equinox EV recall themes so far
Exact recall IDs will vary by build date and region; always run the VIN on NHTSA before buying.
| Issue type | Model years mostly affected | What happens | Typical fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propulsion software defect | Largely 2025+, but some 2024 builds checked | Risk of reduced or sudden loss of power while driving | Dealer or over‑the‑air (OTA) software update to vehicle control modules |
| Pedestrian alert sound system | Primarily 2025–2026 calibration | Exterior sound too quiet at low speeds; fails to meet federal noise rules | Software update to raise sound output at low speeds |
| Minor UI / driver‑assist bugs | 2024 onward, intermittent | Camera, Super Cruise or warning‑light glitches | Module reflash, updated software, or sensor replacement |
Most fixes are software updates, but they still matter for safety and day‑to‑day confidence.
Make recalls your first stop
Software gremlins vs. mechanical reliability
What tends to go wrong
- Warning lights and error messages that vanish as mysteriously as they appeared.
- Infotainment freezing, laggy Google Built‑In apps, or lost 5G connection after an update.
- Occasional charging‑related messages that resolve after a drive cycle or software patch.
What generally doesn’t (so far)
- No wave of Ultium battery failures specific to Equinox EV has surfaced.
- Drive motors and reduction gears are proving robust in sibling models with more miles.
- Suspension, steering, and braking hardware look conventionally solid and easy to service.
From a reliability standpoint, the Equinox EV’s body and powertrain are actually the least scary pieces. The emotional drama is in the **lines of code**: Google Built‑In, Super Cruise, driver‑assist systems, and the charging and battery‑management logic talking to each other without having a panic attack.
The upside of software problems
Battery health and long‑term durability
We don’t yet have ten‑year degradation curves for the Equinox EV’s specific Ultium pack, but we can make informed guesses from other modern EVs and GM’s own experience. With normal use, you should expect the **usual slow loss of range**, not a cliff.
- Daily charging to **around 80–90%**, not 100%, is easier on any lithium‑ion pack.
- Frequent **150 kW DC fast charging** warms the battery and can accelerate wear, but occasional road‑trip use is expected.
- GM’s thermal management is designed to keep Ultium packs in their comfort zone, which is good news for long‑term reliability.
- An EV that sits at 0% or 100% for long stretches is less happy than one that lives in the middle of the charge gauge.
How Recharged checks battery health
How Equinox EV reliability compares to rivals
Cross‑shopping the Equinox EV? Reliability is where the Chevy lands in the **upper‑middle of a flawed class**. Neither disaster nor paragon, it sits between the rock‑solid and the clinically unstable.
Reliability snapshot: Equinox EV vs. popular rivals
Subjective, based on early owner reports, recalls and brand track records as of early 2026.
| Model | Platform maturity | Early reliability vibe | Biggest concern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevy Equinox EV | New Ultium compact SUV | Mostly solid, software‑quirky | Control‑module and infotainment bugs |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | More mature E‑GMP platform | Strong but some 12V & charging issues | DC fast‑charge hardware, early recalls |
| Tesla Model Y | Very mature but constantly changing | Drivetrain stout, build quality mixed | Panel fit, wind noise, phantom braking |
| VW ID.4 | Maturing MEB platform | Improving but still glitchy | Infotainment slowness, software updates |
| Ford Mustang Mach‑E | Mid‑cycle | Better than early years | High‑voltage battery contactors on some builds |
Use this as directional guidance, not a sacred text, software can change fast.
Where the Equinox EV shines
Used 2024 Equinox EV reliability checklist
If you’re eyeing a 2024 Equinox EV in the used market, especially now that early leases are about to come home, your job is to figure out whether you’re buying **someone else’s experiment** or a sorted, boringly dependable commuter.
Reliability checks before you buy a used Equinox EV
1. Pull full recall & service history
Ask the seller for a dealer service printout and run the VIN through NHTSA. Confirm any software or pedestrian‑sound recalls were completed, and whether the car has been in repeatedly for the same issue.
2. Scan for repeated warning‑light drama
A single past warning message that never returned is one thing. A history of repeated **“service vehicle soon”** or charging‑system alerts is a red flag, especially if the dealer never found a root cause.
3. Test DC fast charging and home charging
On a test drive, plug into both a Level 2 charger and, if possible, a DC fast‑charger. Make sure charging starts quickly, reaches expected speeds, and doesn’t throw random error messages on the first try.
4. Live with the infotainment for 15 minutes
Sit in the car and abuse the 17.7‑inch screen. Switch apps, map, audio, driver‑assist settings. You’re testing for freezes, lag, and weird reboots, this stuff gets more annoying the longer you own the car.
5. Inspect cameras and driver‑assist features
Walk around the car and verify the surround‑view cameras, blind‑spot warnings, adaptive cruise, and (if equipped) Super Cruise. Glitchy image processing modules have sidelined some GM EVs for weeks.
6. Get a battery‑health report
Whether through a dealer or a marketplace like <strong>Recharged</strong>, insist on real battery diagnostics. A healthy Ultium pack should still support **near‑rated range** for a low‑miles 2024.
Mind the warranty transfer
So…is the 2024 Equinox EV a good reliability bet?
If your baseline is a 15‑year‑old Corolla that only sees a shop for oil and tires, no modern EV will feel “reliable” in the same monk‑like way. But judged against its actual peers, the **2024 Chevy Equinox EV reliability story is cautiously positive**: solid hardware, thumbs‑up from many owners, and software learning to behave in public.
Good fit if…
- You want an affordable compact EV SUV with **long range and modern safety tech**.
- You’re okay visiting the dealer occasionally for software updates and TSBs.
- You value GM’s dealer network and prefer a mainstream badge over an upstart.
Think twice if…
- You’re deeply allergic to warning lights, even if they’re harmless.
- You want plug‑and‑play **smartphone mirroring** (no native CarPlay/Android Auto).
- You’re the person friends call to complain about tech; you don’t want to be your own help desk.
If you’re shopping used and you pick the right example, clean history, up‑to‑date software, documented battery health, the 2024 Equinox EV can be a smart, relatively low‑drama way into Ultium ownership. Buying through a platform like Recharged adds another layer of protection: every vehicle gets a **Recharged Score Report**, battery diagnostics, and expert EV support, so you’re not guessing about the most expensive part of the car.
