The Holden Equinox, billed as the SUV you buy when you’ve got nothing to prove, is adding a diesel engine to its line-up in a bid to win buyers.

THE HOLDEN EQUINOX is now available with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel making 100kW and 320Nm of torque, and is available in either front-wheel or all-wheel drive and adds about $3k to the price on the equivalent petrol variant. Fuel consumption is a claimed combined 5.6L/100km. This is the third engine in the line-up.

“The new 1.6-litre turbo diesel engine boasts leading efficiency while remaining so smooth and refined, you forget you’re driving a diesel,” said Holden’s Executive Director – Marketing, Kristian Aquilina.

“The turbo diesel joins the 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre turbo petrol engines currently sold in the range, meaning we’ve got an Equinox to suit every taste, and with our extended seven-year warranty [only available until June], now is a great time to buy.”

Practical Motoring has its hand up to try the diesel engine in both the new Commodore and the Equinox. We’ve already tested the LS+ and here’s what we said: “Holden is trying, that’s obvious. But there’s only so much its engineering team can do to fix what’s clearly a lacklustre chassis and the interior trim is drab to say the least.  The active safety features on the LS+, particularly the safety alert driver’s seat are excellent and the price is pretty good. But, as a competitor in this segment, unfortunately, the Equinox with its 1.5L engine is a back marker”.