The 2026 Chevrolet Equinox leads with a practical headline: 29.8 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row for everyday five-seat driving, expanding to a maximum of 63.5 cubic feet when the 60/40 split-folding rear bench drops flat. That is a useful range for a compact SUV, enough for a full week of errands with the family aboard, and enough to swallow a weekend's worth of gear when the rear seats are folded down. Cargo capacity does not change across LT, RS, and ACTIV, so the trim decision comes down to features, drivetrain, and style rather than how much you can carry.

For the family and weekend-utility buyer, the Equinox is sized to work as a daily driver: a two-row, five-passenger cabin with 104.3 cubic feet of passenger volume, a near-flat folded load floor, and an available hands-free power liftgate that is standard on RS and ACTIV. This page is the full interior-and-cargo breakdown, volume by configuration, dimensions by row, what really fits, and the family-focused features, built and stocked by George Nunnally Chevrolet in Bentonville. For the full engine, MPG, and exterior-dimension figures, see the Equinox Specs & Dimensions guide.

Cargo Space

Cargo Volume and Configurations

The Equinox keeps cargo planning simple, two numbers cover it, and they are the same on every gas trim:

Configuration	Cargo Volume	What it's for
Behind the 2nd row (seats up)	29.8 cu ft	All five seats up: daily errands, groceries, school runs
Rear seats folded (max)	63.5 cu ft	Two seats up, larger weekend loads, gear hauls, store runs
Split (one side folded)	Between the two	Carry a passenger and long items (skis, lumber, a single bike) at once

For a compact SUV, this is a sensible, mid-pack cargo hold, roomy enough for a small family, while several rivals carry a bit more behind the second row. The 60/40 split is what puts that space to work: fold one side and you can still seat a rear passenger next to long cargo.

Cabin Room

Interior Dimensions by Row

The redesigned cabin gives both rows real space, 40.9 inches of front legroom and nearly 40 inches in back, enough that adults are comfortable in the second row, not just kids. Total passenger volume is 104.3 cubic feet across two rows.

Measurement	Front row	Second row
Headroom	40.0"	39.2"
Legroom	40.9"	39.9"
Shoulder room	57.7"	55.8"
Hip room	54.2"	51.7"

Passenger volume 104.3 cu ft, two rows. The Equinox Specs page summarizes these figures and links back to this deep-dive.

Seating

Seating Configurations and Flexibility

The 2026 Equinox is a two-row, five-passenger SUV, two seats up front, a three-place bench in back. There is no third row on the gas Equinox; buyers who need a third row step up to a larger Chevrolet such as the Traverse. Within its two rows, the flexibility comes from the rear bench:

• 60/40 split-folding rear bench, fold the 40 side for skis, a single bike, or lumber while a passenger rides on the 60 side; fold both for the full 63.5 cu ft.
• Near-flat folded floor, the seatbacks drop close to level with the cargo floor, so longer items slide forward without catching on a step.
• Child-seat ready, standard on every Equinox: LATCH lower anchors and tethers in the rear outboard seats, plus rear-door child safety locks, so the second row works for car seats and boosters out of the box.

Loading & Access

Cargo Features and Accessibility

• Power liftgate, available, standard on RS & ACTIV. The hands-free AutoSense liftgate (open with a foot motion under the bumper) is standard on RS and ACTIV and offered on LT; a base LT does not include it unless equipped.
• Near-flat load floor with the 60/40 seats folded, making it easier to load coolers, totes, and flat-pack boxes.
• Covered storage under the rear cargo floor for keeping smaller items and valuables out of sight.
• Wide rear opening at a manageable load height, useful when you are lifting strollers, pet crates, or grocery hauls in and out, especially in a tight or single-bay garage.

What Fits

What Fits in the 2026 Equinox?

Cubic feet are hard to picture, so here is what those two numbers translate to in real loads. Sizes are typical ranges, measure your own gear before a tight fit.

Load	Behind 2nd row (29.8 cu ft)	Seats folded (63.5 cu ft)
Grocery bags	˜ 8–12 bags	A full cart-plus, easily
Luggage	˜ 2–3 large cases + a carry-on or two	Luggage for a family road trip
Golf bags	1–2 sets (one may sit diagonally)	Several sets plus a pull cart
Stroller + diaper bag	Yes, with room to spare	Stroller, pack-n-play, and gear
Bicycles	1 with the front wheel off / seats split	1–2 with front wheels removed
Camping / lake gear	A weekend for two	Tents, coolers, chairs for the whole crew
4x8 plywood / drywall	No	No, full 4x8 sheets do not lie flat in a compact SUV; have them cut down or delivered

The honest read: for NWA families the Equinox is a daily-driver SUV that flexes into a weekend hauler, not a contractor's cargo van. The 29.8 cu ft you live with day to day handles errands, strollers, sports bags, and pet supplies with five seats up; the 63.5 cu ft maximum is there for the bigger hauls with the rear seats folded down. In Northwest Arkansas that flexibility covers the weekend lake-and-trail runs without sizing up to a bigger SUV. Just know that long, rigid loads, full sheet goods, long ladders, are past its limits. Browse current trims and colors in the Equinox inventory, or compare the lineup in the Trim Levels guide.

For Families

Family-Focused Features

• Climate & comfort, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are standard from LT up; dual-zone automatic climate control is available across the lineup so front passengers can set their own temperature. A panoramic sunroof is offered across the lineup.
• Charging for everyone, multiple USB-C ports including rear-seat ports keep kids' tablets and phones charged on longer drives; wireless charging is available across the lineup.
• Child safety, standard on every Equinox: LATCH lower anchors and top tethers in the rear outboard seats, plus rear-door child safety locks on every Equinox.
• Driver-assist standard, Chevy Safety Assist is standard on every trim (automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, forward collision alert, lane keep assist, following-distance indicator, and IntelliBeam auto high beams). Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alert are standard on RS and ACTIV, and available on LT.

Local Fit

Use Cases for Northwest Arkansas Families

Cargo space reads differently depending on what you actually haul, and in Northwest Arkansas that tends to be recreation gear as much as errands. The 63.5 cu ft maximum and near-flat folded floor are what you want for a weekend of lake gear, trailhead packs, and cooler-and-chairs hauls into the Ozarks; the 29.8 cu ft behind the second row covers the weekday school-and-grocery routine with the kids still aboard. The available hands-free liftgate pays off when your hands are full and you are loading at a gravel trailhead or backing into an older single-bay garage with little room to swing a tailgate.

Through Ozark freeze-thaw winters and ridge-grade driving, the two-row layout and folding flexibility keep the Equinox useful year-round without sizing up to a vehicle that is harder to park. See it in person at George Nunnally Chevrolet, the Equinox lineup is stocked and ready to load.

Questions

Cargo and Interior FAQs

MSRP excludes destination freight charge, tax, title, license, dealer fees, and optional equipment. Dealer sets final price. Cargo and interior figures are manufacturer estimates; confirm fit on a matching vehicle for tight loads.