We first saw it at the New York International Auto Show. Looking every bit the part of a cast member from the Mad Max movies, the GMC Terrain seemed like a futuristic armored car with hidden panels that would cover the tires and wheels in case of attack. Mr. Brinks, Mr. Wells and Mr. Fargo: Your vehicle awaits.
Really it’s not that stout, but GMC ’s new 2010 Terrain is a crossover vehicle from the new General Motors that causes people to talk. As we mentioned in the Chevrolet Equinox review before, GM can’t seem to pull away from the mother’s milk that are the truck/SUV/Crossover divisions where the company is able to realize really big profits, but if they continue to build vehicles like this, the future may actually be bright.
What is it?
In the case of our test vehicle, the Terrain is a five-passenger crossover powered by a 3.0-liter direct-injected V6. Our tester was a sunbelt-friendly front-wheel-drive model with the midgrade SLE-2 trim package, which adds a few bells and whistles over the base SLE-1.
Essentially a rebadged and rebodied – on the outside – Chevrolet Equinox , the Terrain is aimed at a slightly more upscale audience, although all it really offers over its Equinox brother is a unique style of its own.
What’s it up against?
The Terrain aims its sights directly at the Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Edge, Nissan Murano, Honda CR-V, the new Kia Sorento, as well as its corporate cousin, the Chevrolet Equinox, just to name a few. All are pretty basic in their missions to carry at least five people and their things.
Any breakthroughs?
For starters, how about a direct-injected version of GM’s 3.0-liter world engine, which manages to turn in mileage ratings of 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway – about what we saw in family sedans a few years back. Not bad.
How does it look?
The front appears as a combination Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome post-apocalyptic refugee, and the chrome receding hairline-equipped head of Transformer character Optimus Prime. Add to that, the ultra-wide, ultra-butch, square stampings over all four wheels. Their flare adds to the pure bulk and width of the Terrain.
Our test vehicle was equipped with 18-inch machined aluminum wheels. From a visual standpoint, we think the optional 20-inchers would be a better choice. Stacked headlights impart that “big-rig†feel, and black cladding around the car’s perimeter helps add to the vehicle’s visual mass. At 15-inches shorter overall than its GMC Acadia sibling, we think it is sized just right.
And on the inside?
Our Terrain sample was equipped with a black and grey woven “technical†fabric that acts to keep cooler than a more normal fabric would. It also feels cheaper and looks uglier, but we suppose that’s somewhat subjective.
High quality dash material is accented with single-needle red stitching for accent around what could have been a more mainstream interior. In fact, red accents, from the corporate logo in the center of the steering wheel to gauge needles to the color of the LCD displays in the radio head unit all do their part to brighten up a driver’s day. The same can be said of the faux brushed aluminum found in the cockpit as well. This is the GM of 2010 and we are impressed.
A typical gauge binnacle houses a tachometer, speedometer, gas, oil and temperature gauges for at-a-glance monitoring. To the right of that is the centerstack, which, in keeping with a theme, looks like the face of another Transformer movie character. Follow down the “face†and you will find your hand coming to rest on the transmission shift lever, which allows you to select your speed on the six-speed automatic transmission, by using the +/- buttons that naturally come to rest under your thumb on the lever. Other nice touches include a rear vision camera for backing up, a programmable power liftgate and Bluetooth hands free telephone controls.
The Terrain is a true five-passenger vehicle at a time when many others are offering seven-peep-rides. But that’s okay if that’s what you’re seeking. With a max of five passengers, there is room in the “way back†for 31.6 cubic feet of cargo. Fold the rear seat forward, and you’ll soon realize 63.9 cubic feet of total cargo space. As an added bonus, the rear seats recline slightly for those mid-afternoon power naps.
The interior essentially mirrors the Equinox; although there are subtle changes and not too many shared trim panels, it takes a trained eye to point out the differences.
But does it go?
As a former Alaska governor now on a book tour once said, you betcha! With the optional 3.0-liter direct injection V6 with variable valve timing underhood, this CUV is no slouch. With 264 peak horsepower at 6,950 rpm, and 222 lb-ft. of torque showing up at 5,100 rpm, the Terrain is good to tow a trailer load of 3,500 pounds. The unladen Terrain curbs in at 3,798 pounds. We saw the V6 provide effortless power to cruise at high speeds all day long with the FWD system and we averaged about the EPA estimates mentioned earlier.
The Terrain’s NVH is kept down way beyond that of a mild roar. With triple seals around the doors and other means of deadening the sound, the amount of road noise actually transmitted into the cockpit is minimal. As in the Equinox, the windshield has been scooted forward about three inches to cheat the wind, which also goes toward reducing road noise.
Another nice touch is the incorporation of the rocker panels into the lower door assemblies. This way, the ingress and egress process is not hampered by dirt and water that have collected in door sills just waiting to get mopped up by unsuspecting pant legs.
A MacPherson strut-type front suspension with coilover springs, and multi-link rear kit with coil springs, trailing arms and stabilizer bars at both ends, help to keep the Terrain firmly planted on the rather uninteresting South Florida roads that we ply on a daily basis.
We do appreciate the firm ride that the Terrain displayed. Through it came the confidence to execute quick lane changes and other maneuvers that allowed us to get by the spate of lolly-gaggers typical to West Palm Beach roads. GM is predicting this and the Chevy Equinox will become strangers at the pump, even in V6 mode with a range of around 500 miles per tank of fuel.
Why you would buy it:
You want to help the General out – and it’s a really, really good crossover to boot.
Why you wouldn’t:
Your idea of an SUV begins and ends with a vehicle that measures a block long and is brutish enough to pull a diesel locomotive.
Leftlane’s bottom line
The GMC Terrain is a thoroughly modern design representative of the new General Motors. If you need a combined people and cargo hauler, your vehicle has arrived, as long as you can stomach the rather unique styling. We’ll take an Equinox for its more balanced appearance, but you can’t really go wrong either way.
2010 GMC Terrain SLE-2 FWD base price, $25,850. As tested, $28.785.
Convenience package, $440; 3.0-liter V6, $1,500; 18-inch alloy wheels, $250; Destination, $745.
Words and photos by Mark Elias.
