GM mulls Equinox launch in local market

General Motors is considering launching the Equinox compact sport utility vehicle in Korea to prop up its lackluster sales, GM Korea said Wednesday.

The Korean unit of the Detroit-based carmaker, has road tested the Equinox crossover here since September to adjust the model for local environmental regulations and other requirements, the company said.

“We are giving serious consideration to the launch of the Equinox in Korea. But the timetable for the launch is not decided yet,” a company spokesman said.

The Equinox SUV, launched in the United States in 2004, is currently available with a 2.0-liter gasoline turbo engine, a 1.5-liter gasoline turbo engine and a 1.6-liter diesel engine.

The carmaker said it has not decided on the engine type for Korean customers.

Given the time needed for the vehicle’s localization and approval from the government, GM Korea is reportedly expected to launch the SUV model here in May or June next year.

The move comes after GM Korea posted a 38 percent on-year decline in sales last month at 34,535 vehicles. In the January-October period, it sold a total of 436,515 units, down 11 percent from a year earlier.

YONHAP