Chevy Lease Return in Bastrop: What Happens When Your Lease Ends

The Equinox is Chevrolet's best-selling SUV, and the 2027 model year brings a short list of changes that punch above their weight. No new sheet metal this year, but the updates under the surface address two of the most common complaints buyers had about the fourth-generation model. Here is what is new for 2027, what it costs, and how it stacks up against the 2026 models on our lot in Bastrop right now. The CVT Is Gone This is the big one. For the 2025 and 2026 model years, front-wheel drive Equinox models used a continuously variable transmission while all-wheel drive models got a traditional eight-speed automatic. For 2027, the CVT is retired and the eight-speed automatic is standard across every configuration. That also simplifies the shopping process. You no longer have to check which transmission comes attached to the drivetrain you want, because the answer is the same on every trim and every configuration on the lot. Plenty of shoppers cross a CVT off their list on principle, fairly or not. If that was your hesitation, the 2027 Equinox removes it entirely. Front-Wheel Drive Towing Nearly Doubles The transmission change brings a real capability benefit. Front-wheel drive Equinox models previously topped out at 800 pounds of towing, which is among the lowest ratings in the compact SUV segment. For 2027, FWD models move up to 1,500 pounds, matching the all-wheel drive rating. Fifteen hundred pounds covers a small utility trailer, a pair of jet skis on a light trailer, or a load of mulch and fencing from a Bastrop supply run. It is not a towing vehicle, but it is now genuinely useful instead of nearly useless. 2027 Equinox Pricing Chevrolet's pricing for the 2027 Equinox starts at $30,995 for LT front-wheel drive and $32,995 for LT all-wheel drive. The Activ and RS trims are both $35,895 with front-wheel drive and $37,895 with all-wheel drive. All figures include the $1,995 destination charge. Compared to 2026, that is a $200 increase on LT and $300 on Activ and RS. Modest, especially given the transmission upgrade that came with it. Worth noting that all-wheel drive carries a $2,000 premium at every trim level, which is the same walk as last year. If you are choosing between a higher trim with front-wheel drive and a lower trim with all-wheel drive, that number is the one to work from. Other Updates The rest of the 2027 changes are smaller in scope, but a few of them are the kind of thing you notice on a walkaround or in the first week of ownership. A new vehicle surveillance feature that gives owners added peace of mind when the Equinox is parked Cacti Green is discontinued, replaced by a new color called Autumn Harvest Metallic RS models get a subtle seat trim revision The turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder carries over across the lineup 2026 or 2027: Which One Fits You If you tow anything at all with front-wheel drive, or the CVT was a dealbreaker for you, ask our team about 2027 availability. Those changes are aimed directly at you, and we can tell you exactly what is on the ground and what is in transit. If neither applies, the 2026 Equinox is the smarter buy right now. It is the same vehicle to look at, sit in, and drive, and outgoing model year inventory typically carries stronger incentives than a fresh model year does. That gap is usually worth more than $200 to $300 in price difference. What the Eight-Speed Actually Changes Retiring the CVT is not only about reputation. A conventional eight-speed behaves differently in the situations Central Texas drivers meet most: merging onto Highway 71 at speed, holding a gear on a grade with the air conditioning working hard, and pulling a small trailer without the engine droning at a fixed pitch. It is also the change that makes the towing improvement possible. The transmission is the reason the number moved, not a separate upgrade alongside it. Equinox, Trax, or Trailblazer These three overlap enough that people cross-shop them on our lot most weeks, and the honest split is size rather than price. Trax is front-wheel drive only, and the value pick for a paved commute Trailblazer adds available all-wheel drive in a slightly taller shape Equinox is the larger vehicle, with more rear seat and cargo room and, for 2027, the towing rating to match If you carry adults in the back regularly, or you want the 1,500 pound rating, the Equinox is the one. If the vehicle spends its life on Highway 71 with one or two people in it, the smaller pair will save you money without costing you anything you use. Living With One in Central Texas Two things worth specifying here for our climate. Ventilated front seats matter more than the option sheet suggests if you park outside all day, and remote start is close to essential from June through September. Both are worth checking against the trim you are considering rather than assuming. Window tint and a sunshade are the cheap follow-ups, and they make a bigger difference on a west-facing driveway than most people expect. If your commute runs east and west on Highway 71, the sun visors and the quality of the glass are things to pay attention to on the test drive. Frequently Asked Questions Is the 2027 Equinox available in Bastrop now? Availability depends on allocation and trim. Contact our sales team for current on-the-ground inventory and what is in transit. Is there an Equinox hybrid coming? A refresh and a hybrid are expected further out in the model cycle, not for 2027. Nothing is confirmed at this point. What engine does the 2027 Equinox use? A turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder, standard on all trims and both drivetrains. Does the 2027 Equinox tow enough for a small utility trailer? Properly equipped, 1,500 pounds on either drivetrain. That covers a small utility trailer, a pair of jet skis on a light trailer, or a load of mulch and fencing. It is not a substitute for a truck. What is the difference between the Activ and RS trims? Both sit at the same price. Activ leans toward a rugged appearance package, RS toward a sportier blacked-out look. Mechanically they are the same vehicle, so pick on appearance and equipment rather than capability. Shop Equinox at Covert Chevrolet Bastrop We serve Equinox shoppers throughout Bastrop, Elgin, Smithville, Lockhart, Cedar Creek, and the Austin metro. View new Equinox inventory or contact us to schedule a test drive and compare trims side by side.

Chevrolet pulled the cover off the next-generation 2027 Silverado 1500 in June, and it is the biggest change to the half-ton truck in years. This is not a refresh with a new grille. It is a ground-up redesign covering the exterior, the interior, the powertrains, and the trim structure. If you are a truck buyer in Bastrop, Elgin, Lockhart, or anywhere in Bastrop County, here is what actually changed and how to think about timing your purchase. A Completely New Look The 2027 Silverado gets an all-new exterior with a broader stance, a stronger front end, and new LED headlights and taillights. Wheel opening moldings, which used to be a ZR2 exclusive, now appear across the lineup. Custom trims and above get standard dual exhaust for a more finished appearance. Chevrolet's design team framed the goal as making the truck look stronger and more modern while keeping the work-ready character that Silverado buyers expect. In person, the changes read clearly at a distance, which matters when you are the one paying for a new truck. It also matters at trade-in time, because a design people can identify as the current truck tends to hold attention on a used lot. New V8 Engines This is the headline for a lot of buyers. The 2027 Silverado 1500 introduces next-generation 5.7L and 6.6L V8 engines, offered alongside the Duramax 3.0L turbo-diesel. Chevrolet is positioning this as the most capable and refined Silverado 1500 powertrain lineup it has built, with improved power and torque over the outgoing engines. For Central Texas, that combination is well matched. The diesel remains the choice for high-mileage highway towing, and the new V8s serve buyers who want traditional gas truck power without the diesel maintenance profile. If your towing is occasional — a bass boat, a utility trailer, a couple of round bales — the gas V8s are the simpler ownership story. If you are pulling a loaded gooseneck to Houston and back every week, the diesel earns its cost. A Much Bigger Screen, Standard Every 2027 Silverado 1500 gets a 16.3-inch center display and a 12.2-inch driver information display as standard equipment. That is a significant change, because the previous generation had two different dash setups depending on trim. Now the entry-level work truck gets the same screen hardware as the loaded models, which is genuinely unusual in this segment and a real win for fleet and contractor buyers. ZR2 and High Country add an 11.5-inch front passenger screen paired with a head-up display and a rear camera mirror. Dual wireless phone chargers and a reconfigurable Multi-Flex center console are also available. Seven Trims, and LT Is Gone Chevrolet simplified the lineup into seven models: WT, Custom, Custom Trail Boss, Silverado, Trail Boss, ZR2, and High Country. The notable change is that "Silverado" is now a trim name, replacing what buyers previously knew as LT. That is the mid-range volume trim, so if you have been shopping LT trucks, that is the one to look at. WT remains the work-focused value model, and there are now three lifted off-road trims in the lineup: Custom Trail Boss, Trail Boss, and ZR2. That spread gives you an off-road truck at three different price points instead of forcing an all-or-nothing jump to the top of the range. When Can You Buy One? The 2027 Silverado is expected to go on sale later this year, with pricing announced closer to launch. Early allocation is typically limited, so getting on our reservation list now is what separates first-wave delivery from shopping picked-over inventory months down the road. Redesign years in particular tend to see the popular trims and color combinations spoken for well before trucks reach the lot. Two Good Moves Available Today You have two solid paths, and both start with a conversation now. Reserve a 2027. If the new design, the new V8s, and the standard big-screen interior are what you want, get your build specified and on our allocation list. Trucks are matched to reservations first. Buy a 2026 today. The 2026 Silverado is a proven, highly capable truck, it is on the ground right now, and model year end is historically the strongest incentive window of the year. If you need a truck working for you this month, this is the value play. What to Settle Before You Reserve Early allocation is matched to reservations, so the specification you name now is the truck you take delivery of. Four decisions do most of the work, and they are worth thinking through before you are sitting at a desk: Cab and bed. Crew cab with the short bed is the volume choice, but if you carry sheet goods or run a gooseneck, the longer bed changes what the truck can do Powertrain. One of the new V8s for traditional gas truck power, or the Duramax 3.0L turbo-diesel for high annual towing miles Trim. WT and Custom for work, Silverado for the volume mid-range, Trail Boss and ZR2 for off pavement, High Country for the loaded interior Rear axle ratio. It directly changes your tow rating, and it is the box people most often skip Bring us the heaviest thing you tow and how often you tow it. That single answer settles the powertrain and the axle at the same time, and it stops you paying for capability you will not use. Frequently Asked Questions When was the 2027 Silverado revealed? Chevrolet introduced the next-generation 2027 Silverado 1500 in mid-June 2026, with sales expected to begin later in the year. Is there a Silverado plug-in hybrid coming? Chevrolet did not announce a Silverado PHEV alongside the 2027 reveal. Nothing is confirmed for the 2027 model year. How do I reserve a 2027 Silverado in Bastrop? Contact our sales team and we will add you to the interest list with your preferred trim, cab, bed, and powertrain so we can match you to incoming allocation. There is no cost to be on the list, and the earlier your build is specified, the better your odds on first-wave trucks. Will my current accessories fit the redesigned truck? Bed and cab dimensions change with a ground-up redesign, so tonneau covers, bed racks, and some hitch accessories may not carry over. Our parts department can check a specific item against the new specification. Get on the 2027 Silverado List Covert Chevrolet Bastrop serves truck buyers across Bastrop, Smithville, Elgin, Lockhart, Cedar Creek, Paige, and the Austin area. Contact our team to reserve your spot, shop current Silverado inventory, or see this month's manager's specials while incentives are strong.

Families outgrow two rows faster than they expect. Carpool duty, a growing kid, or one more grandparent along for the weekend, and suddenly a compact SUV feels small. The 2026 Chevy Traverse is built for exactly that moment, and it is one of the most requested vehicles we stock at Covert Chevrolet Bastrop. Here is an honest look at what the Traverse does well, where it fits against the rest of the Chevy SUV lineup, and who should consider something else. What the Traverse Is Built to Do The current-generation Traverse is a large three-row crossover seating up to seven. It runs a turbocharged four-cylinder paired to an eight-speed automatic, available in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and it is rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. That tow rating is the number that matters for a lot of Bastrop County families. Five thousand pounds covers most bass boats, a two-horse bumper pull with a light load, a small travel trailer, or a utility trailer with a zero-turn mower on it. The Third Row Question Not all third rows are usable. Some are for kids only and exist to check a box on the window sticker. The Traverse third row is genuinely sized for adults on shorter trips and for teenagers on long ones, and it retains real cargo space behind it, which is the part most competitors get wrong. The test to run at the dealership: put the driver seat where you actually drive, then have your tallest passenger sit in the third row. Then load the cargo area with what you normally carry. If it works, you have your answer. Pay attention to how easily that back row folds flat, too, because most families spend more days hauling cargo than hauling a full house. Trim Levels Worth Knowing LT covers the essentials with the equipment most families use daily. RS adds a blacked-out, sportier appearance package for buyers who want the look. Z71 brings all-wheel drive, a slightly raised ride height, all-terrain tires, and skid plates. This is the one to look at if you have property with a rough entrance or you take the family to the river. High Country is the loaded trim with the premium interior materials and the full technology suite. Most Bastrop buyers land on LT or Z71. LT is the value play when the Traverse is primarily a school-run and highway vehicle, and Z71 earns its premium the moment your driveway turns to caliche. RS and High Country are about appearance and comfort rather than capability, so let your budget and your daily route decide. Traverse vs. Tahoe: Which One Do You Actually Need? This comes up in almost every three-row conversation. The Tahoe is body-on-frame, it tows significantly more, and it offers V8 power. The Traverse is a unibody crossover that rides more comfortably, gets better fuel economy, parks easier, and costs less. The dividing line is towing. If you pull a large travel trailer, a loaded car hauler, or a three-horse gooseneck, you want a Tahoe, a Suburban, or a Silverado. If your heaviest tow is under 5,000 pounds and your priority is a comfortable family vehicle, the Traverse is the better daily driver and the better value. Living With It in Central Texas Three practical notes for our climate. First, look for a trim with ventilated front seats if you park outside. Second, the panoramic sunroof looks great but adds heat load, so budget for good window tint. Third, if you drive gravel or caliche regularly, the Z71 tire package holds up better than the street-oriented tires on lower trims. One more thing worth planning for: summer heat is hard on tires and batteries, so check pressures often and expect the air conditioning to run hard from May through September. A remote start habit makes the school pickup line considerably more pleasant. Car Seats, Strollers, and the School Run The specification sheet says seven seats. What matters day to day is whether you can reach the third row with a car seat installed in the second, and whether the cargo area still holds a week of groceries behind it. The Traverse's second row captain's chairs create a walkway to the third row, which is the feature that decides this for families with a rear-facing seat. Sliding a bench forward with a car seat strapped to it is the daily aggravation that makes people trade a vehicle in early. Bring your actual car seats to the test drive and install them. It takes ten minutes and it answers the question better than any measurement we can quote you. What It Is Like on Bastrop County Roads The Traverse rides like a car, which is the point of a unibody crossover, and that is a genuine advantage on the stretches of FM 20 and Highway 21 that have seen better years. A body-on-frame SUV transmits more of that road into the cabin. The trade shows up when the pavement stops. If you regularly run caliche or a rough property entrance, the Z71's all-terrain tires and slightly raised ride height are the trim to look at, and they cost less than stepping up to a Tahoe for the same reason. Frequently Asked Questions How many people does the 2026 Traverse seat? Up to seven, in a two-two-three layout with second row captain's chairs and a split-folding third row bench. Is all-wheel drive worth it in Texas? For most paved commutes, no. For unpaved driveways, boat ramps, wet grass at a ballfield, or occasional travel north in winter, yes. All-wheel drive also helps resale in some markets. What about the 2027 Traverse? The 2027 model year Traverse has arrived with updated paint colors, wheel designs, interior colorways, and added camera features. If you want the latest, ask our team what is currently on the ground and what is in transit. Can I fit three car seats across the second row? Not with captain's chairs, which seat two. If three across is a requirement, ask our team about the second row bench configuration and bring your seats to try it before you decide. Test Drive a Traverse in Bastrop Bring the car seats. Bring the family. The only way to know if a three-row SUV fits your life is to load it the way you actually load it. View our new Chevy inventory or contact us to schedule a test drive at Covert Chevrolet Bastrop.