GMC Terrain continues to look great without breaking the bank

GMC Terrain continues to look great without breaking the bank

The outgoing GMC Terrain was a staple at dealerships for nine years without a refresh. Upon release, it was widely seen as having the best of the best in car technology and a much more upscale version of the Chevy Equinox.

As the years rolled by without a refresh, the Terrain fell out of favor with many reviewers, but still sold well. For 2018 GMC has finally redesigned the Terrain from the ground up and — once again — it appears to have everything someone could want in a crossover.

The most noticeable change from the outgoing model is the exterior styling. The old Terrain began to almost melt into the surrounding car-scape with its dated looks. The new Terrain is undeniably striking and looks better than most other cars in the crossover segment.

In every nook and cranny, you will find more chrome than you might have seen at first glance. The grille is awash with it, as well as the mirrors and side skirts. Almost every body panel has some chrome on it somewhere. It looked really nice on my Summit White Terrain, although I think it looks even better on a Black Metallic model.

Inside the cabin, there are brushed aluminum trim pieces and leather-wrapped bits everywhere. The seats are comfortable, both heated and cooled, and supportive at the same time. The back seats are plenty large enough for three kids or three adults as well, if you really pack them in.

Those same rear seats also fold flat allowing for even more storage space with them down that many others in this segment can’t do. In the new Terrain, you get 29.6 cubic feet of storage with the seats up and 63.3 cubic feet with the seats down. This is impressive as the new Terrain is shorter and lighter than the old one and it doesn’t give up much of its storage or leg room to save weight.

Driving the 2018 Terrain feels sportier than its cousin, the Chevy Equinox. The suspension and the turbocharged 2-liter, four-cylinder engine, making 252 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, work well together to deliver a nice driving experience.

There are two other engines available as well, a turbocharged 1.5 liter four-cylinder engine making 170 horsepower and 203 pound feet of torque; and a 1.6 liter four-cylinder diesel engine making 137 horsepower and 240 pound feet of torque.

The 1.5 liter gets 26 combined mpg, the 2-liter gets 24 combined mpg, and the 1.6 liter diesel gets a respectable 32 combined mpg.

The new GMC Terrain starts around the same price as its competitors at $25,000 for the base SL model. I had the top of the line Denali trim and it starts at $36,000 with the option of going up to $39,300. Each trim level varies with engine options and other additional options, like safety systems and some premium colors.

While the higher trims might be priced a bit out of its class, the lower models are huge contenders for people looking for a crossover that looks right at home, whether you’re going to the grocery store or a nice restaurant on the Beach.

Grant Miller is the publisher of Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277 or via email at Grant@CommunityNewspapers.com.


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