2023 GMC Terrain

Pros:

• Opulent interior
• The user interfaces for touch screens are simple and easy to understand.

Cons:

• Most of the time, optional pricing is more expensive for the class.
• With gradual acceleration, most competitors have more space behind the backseat.

The terrain’s way of being driven. The terrain’s base engine is weak, the transmission is slow, and the powertrain is designed to save gas, so it can’t move quickly. From 0-60 mph took a prolonged 9.3 seconds in Invoice Pricing tests.

Other things about this SUV are better. Because there is a strong connection between pedal pressure and real stopping force, the brakes bite evenly and smoothly. Even though the steering is slow and soft, it works great at highway speeds, making the car more stable and giving the driver more confidence. The terrain is able, well-balanced, and doesn’t let the body roll too much on roads with turns. Even though the landscape isn’t a sporty car, it handles turns well and stays stable.

How easy is it to get around? On slightly uneven surfaces, like bumpy highways, the terrain is often exposed to low-impact shocks, vibrations, and shuddering. On most road surfaces, noise from tires and the road is reduced to a dull hum. The driver and front passenger chairs are solid but comfortable, maintaining their form even after several hours in the seat. Contrarily, the rear seats are not just flat but also relatively firm.

Aside from the four vent mode buttons that don’t do anything, the controls are easy to use. On the other hand, the airflow from the vertical vents in the middle could be better. It’s a nice touch that the chair cushions or both the cushions and the seat back can be heated.

How does the inside look? The inside of the Terrain is beautiful and well thought out, but many controls need to be more awkwardly placed and hard to avoid. The transmission interface on the terrain is the least impressive thing about it.

Most drivers and passengers should have no trouble getting in and out of the car because the seat backs are low and the doors open wide. There are also many ways to change the front seat, but taller drivers may want the steering wheel to be longer. The steep, slanted dash makes it hard to see where the front is because it blocks your view. From the front side windows, you can see a lot of what’s happening outside. Only the back side windows are different.

How good is the tech? The terrain’s optional Bose audio system has surprisingly strong bass and clear sound, and the navigation system is easy to use. Standard smartphone connectivity platforms include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are easier to use than GMC’s proprietary software. Still, the classic method works very well for people who don’t use Apple or Android products.

There is a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot feature in the terrain. Even though the coverage isn’t much better than a regular cell phone, it’s easy to set up. Even though they don’t get in the way, safety systems like front collision warning and lane-keeping assist make noise.

What about putting things away? The terrain has a paltry 63 cubic feet of load space, even with the rear seats down. This is less than the average for its class (Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4). On the other hand, a front passenger seat that can fold flat is a valuable addition that lets you carry longer items (surfers and campers, rejoice). Loading cargo is easy with a motorized liftgate and a low liftover height. There are many containers, trays, and pockets where you can put your things.

As long as the driver and passengers maintain a perfect forward posture, the backward-facing seats are just as functional as the forward-facing ones. The terrain has a top tether for the back seat, but it doesn’t have one for the middle seat.

How well does it use gasoline? The EPA says that the terrain with a 1.5-liter engine and front-wheel drive gets 27 mpg when driving in the city and on the highway. This is less than what gave the best compact SUVs. On our mixed driving test route, we got 28.4 mpg, but after 600 miles of combined driving, we only got 22.4%. These results show that if you want to meet the EPA’s standards, you’ll have to be gentle.

Should you buy the terrain? The terrain’s price is not worth what you get for it. It looks sturdy and is priced reasonably, but cheaper competitors like the CR-V offer the same or better features and versatility, as well as better ride quality and more comfort.

In this class, it’s common for warranties to cover the whole car for three years, or 36,000 miles and the powertrain for five years, or 60,000 miles. Five years or 60,000 miles of roadside assistance and loaner cars are included, and the first two maintenance checks are free. These terms are better than what the opponent is offering.

The land is all over the place. At first glance, it looks nice because it has a sleek design, a sharp (and quiet) interior, and technology that is at the cutting edge. But for this price, it rides and drives worse than a car in this class should. The terrain stays in the middle of the pack because it doesn’t have much personality and isn’t very fun to drive.

We agree with the SLT trim. The interior is much nicer than the standard trim because it has leather seats and more features. You should buy the Pro Safety Plus option if you want adaptive cruise control and more features to help the driver.

GMC Terrain Models

The 2023 GMC Terrain comes in four trim levels: SLE, SLT, AT4, and Denali. These are all small SUVs that can fit up to five people. All versions have a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission with nine speeds (generating 175 horsepower and 203 lb-ft of torque). An all-wheel drive is an option, and the AT4 and Denali come with it as standard. The standard setup is for the car to drive on the front wheels.