I got a chevy equinox 2008 for christmas..it's my first car ever...is this ok?

[milly]

I am 20 yrs old...a college student, and my dad surprised me trading in his trailblazer for an equinox and giving it to me. I am new to this of cars...all i know is to drive..and GO...
I study upstate NY..where there is alot of snow...cold...etc
Do you think that this is a good first car for me?? I always expected a car..not an SUV...is this ok?

[linlyons]

it'll be fairly heavy, and if you've not driven an SUV before, be careful.
the visibility will be different, as will cornering.
personally, i think it's too much car for a new driver, but then i have it on good authority that a manual transmission is good for new drivers, because they tend to have fewer accidents driving them.
having come within 6 of having both knees crushed by an SUV that would not have happened with a manual shift, i absolutely know this is true.

it surely is a nice car. you'll need to be careful though, because it'll drive differently than what you're accustomed to.