Until recently, one of the things that always separated Japanese-built products from most of their home-built competition was their user-friendliness. Some might contend that means they were bland and without character, but either way, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, for example, didn’t get to be leaders of the midsize-sedan segment by being idiosyncratic or rough around the edges. For many consumers, it’s all about ergonomics, and when we first bought a new Japanese car—a 1971 Mazda 808 station wagon—?I remember how civilized and easy to drive it was compared to the Chevies and Pontiacs my father had always brought home. (It replaced a Chevy Nova that behaved like a truck in comparison.)

In fact, you could make the argument that the Japanese car industry is he best thing that ever happened to the North American car industry. It forced domestic manufacturers to get their act together and do more than just stick on a vinyl roof or slap on glitzy hubcaps when it came time to do a model overhaul—a lesson they’re still learning, in some cases. If the Accord or Camry hadn’t come along, think of what GM, Chrysler, and Ford products would be like today.

But come along they did, and some North American models, like the Chevy Equinox, are now as user-friendly and palatable as their Asian counterparts. You’ll look long and hard to find a more agreeable vehicle than the Equinox, and it’s one of GM’s better-selling models.

Officially classed as a compact crossover vehicle, the Equinox is as much an SUV as anything. It’s available with either front- or all-wheel drive, and it comes in two trim levels: base LS and upscale LT. I drove the latter.

Both models are powered by GM’s ubiquitous 3.4-litre OHV V6 engine, which is used in everything from its minivans to sedans. In this configuration, it develops 185 horsepower at 5,200 rpm, and 210 foot-pounds of torque at 3,800 rpm. It’s mated to a five-speed automatic transmission only, and the all-wheel-drive system is of the “on demand” variety, which means it transfers power from the front wheels to the rear wheels when conditions require. The AWD system adds about $3,000 to the vehicle’s base price and makes it slightly thirstier. Behind the wheel, the system is almost imperceptible; 99 percent of the time, you won’t even know it’s there. Like most of the models in this category, the Equinox is definitely not an off-road bush stomper. Think of it as a family station wagon that can get you home if it snows. It’s also more or less identical to its kissing cousin, the Pontiac Torrent. Total interior passenger volume, which is definitely a consideration in this market, is 3,000 litres. By way of comparison, the Honda CR-V has almost the same, while the Nissan X-Trail, Mazda CX-7, and Ford Escape have slightly less.

My test LT came with a full roster of mod cons and comfort features: tilt steering, air conditioning, one-touch power windows, cruise control, power front seats, and rear passenger heat/ventilation ducts, among other things. It also had cloth upholstery, but leather is available. And I must put in a good word about the heated front seats. They may be the best I’ve ever encountered. The heat comes on quickly and abundantly—even on the lowest setting. Maybe it’s because cloth conducts and retains heat better than leather or Naugahyde, but whatever, it worked a treat.

My test car also had GM’s optional XM satellite-radio package ($260 extra), and while it worked flawlessly, I was frustrated by the content. I like to listen to ’60s and ’70s music once in a while (baby boomer, you know) and it’s packaged by the broadcaster in a high-energy AM format, which means instead of the irritating commercials of yesteryear, you get some motormouth DJ spouting gibberish and yapping away before the songs are over. I found myself longing for a commercial just to avoid his empty ravings, and it’s worse and more annoying than it was 40 years ago. This has nothing to do with GM, but what a disappointment.

And while I’m at it, I might as well whine about the V6 engine in the Equinox. Just about everyone else has embraced overhead-camshaft technology (often with variable valve timing into the bargain), and this is one of the last remaining two-valves-per-cylinder overhead valve power plants. It’ll move the vehicle’s 1,713-kilogram curb weight along when prodded, but it doesn’t seem to like it, and you really have to put your foot down to get anywhere in a hurry. With the vehicle loaded with five passengers and luggage, performance would suffer even more. This power plant has been around for a while now, and it’s time for GM to give it an upgrade.

Nonetheless, I have to put the Equinox right up there for agreeability. Like a pair of comfortable shoes or home cooking, it won’t get your blood pumping, but it hits the spot.