Last year, Chevrolet ratcheted up its game by debuting a redesigned Equinox to better compete with the popular Toyota RAV-4 and Honda CRV.

Boasting crisper and sportier handling and some scaled down proportions, the Equinox is a good-looking and good-driving mid-size SUV for families to consider.

I really like the inside of the Equinox.

The Equinox has a quiet and stylish cabin filled with premium textiles and accent materials. I was impressed with the dashboard’s elegant, swooping design.

I really think the Equinox’s interior looks more luxe than that of most competitors.

The rear seat can be slid backward offering up a bounty of rear legroom and they recline.

There are lots of storage opportunities within the cabin, with the highlight being a huge bin that sits beneath the front row’s center armrest.

My test vehicle came with the flip-up video screens on the back of the front seats that were greatly appreciated by my kids and indoctrinated my youngest to the world of mobile movie watching during our test -driving week.

Every 2011 Equinox comes standard with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 182 hp and 172 pound-feet of torque. I had this engine in my test vehicle and I thought the Equinox was well-powered.

You can opt for an upgraded 3.0-liter V6 that’s good for 264 hp and 222 lb-ft of torque. Both engines come standard with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional.

One of the best parts about the Equinox is that it’s reasonably priced.

The basic Equinox, the LS, starts out at $23,000. The top of the line LTZ starts out at $28,500.

I test drove the almost-top-of-the-line, 2LT and the base price was $25,970. It kept the base level engine, but added on some extras like the entertainment system, leather seats and power liftgate, boosting the sticker price to $29,305.