FIRST REVIEW: 2018 GMC Terrain

GMC is the lesser known brand in the GM empire. This is certainly the case if you are not a typical truck buyer. GMC is, after all, described as “professional grade” and as such, mostly aimed at contractors and other small business owners.

Although this branding is well deserved, especially for the Sierra and Yukon, it does seem to position the brand away from the typical automotive consumer. Back in 2009, the car business crisis forced General Motors to revise their portfolio and although many thought GMC was to be cut, it was Pontiac that ultimately lost out. One result from this decision was the transfer of the then Pontiac Torrent crossover to GMC as the new Terrain. It joined the large-midsize Acadia CUV that was doing well, but nowhere near as good as its Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave siblings.

The current mad-dash towards crossovers and SUVs has demonstrated GM’s management wisdom and foresight. GMC new truck sales are on the rise and the plan is to keep the momentum going. The arrival of the new 2018 Terrain (the Equinox’ twin) should not only help in that goal but with it, GMC will be launching its revised brand image. GMC’s revitalization began with the recent Acadia but the Terrain’s responsibility will be to increase dealership foot traffic.

For its rugged looks

GMC is banking on its truck brand reputation but where does the Terrain stand in the mix? From a physical stand point, it is considerably different from the Equinox thanks to its chunkier proportions. The Chevy is more “tall bloated car” while the Terrain’s boxier body is more GMC.

Despite the fact that many more consumers are likely to opt for the Equinox, the Terrain is the better looking CUV. Three distinct grilles differentiate the three available versions. The top-line Denali is by far the more attractive given its many chrome accents and 19” wheels.

The cabin is an old-meets-new mix. The title of most original aspect belongs to the location for the transmission’s electronic controls. Positioned at the bottom of the center-stack, they’re not only easy to access and use but they free up the center tunnel. This has created larger storage areas and allowed the cupholders to be arranged side-by-side, apparently an important request from GMC owners. Otherwise, some points are awarded for the dashboard’s decent ergonomics and the remainder go to the lovely standard 7” touchscreen. Although functionality is high, the layout looks somewhat dated, at least more so than in the Equinox.

Even if the new Terrain is shorter than previous, it retains near identical interior dimensions. The interior is welcoming and abundant as four adults can ride in comfort. The trunk is large enough for a weekend at the cottage and should you desire to bring an 8’ kayak, the front passenger seat folds flat making way for the item. Your passenger will, however have to be strapped to the roof rack…

Pick your engine

The number of available powertrains makes me think that this is where the bulk of the R&D budget ended up. The standard mill is a turbocharged 1.5-litre 4-cylinder that develops 170 horsepower and 201 lb.-ft. of torque. Unfortunately, I was not able to test it but I did travel many a kilometer with the 1.6-litre turbo-diesel version. This 4-cylinder puts our 137 horsepower and 240 generous lb.-ft. of torque.

This engine is mated to a 6-speed autobox that does a fine job. If the stats read as though they’d be more than enough, the road test revealed that this is not exactly the case. With four adult males aboard and the A/C keeping us cool, I was quickly confronted with the engine’s power limitations. Also, keep in mind that this was a FWD model, and not AWD… Admittedly, the indicated fuel consumption numbers were decent.

If you select the turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-pot, you’ll get AWD and a 9-speed automatic transmission with it (also standard with the 1.5). The impact of its 252 horsepower and 260 torques is immediately felt, drastically transforming the Terrain’s on-road behavior. Accelerating and passing are amusing but the price is an estimated fuel consumption rating that is greater than that of the Honda CR-V and Hyundai Tucson 1.6T.

On the road

The Terrain’s drive is fine, no more, no less. The new more rigid structure improves driving characteristics overall however it fails to excel at anything that would make it more interesting than a given competitor. The suspension’s tuning is good for a comfortable ride however bodyroll is omnipresent especially in the lower trims. Steering and brakes are up to the task.

As you can tell from this review, the new 2018 GMC Terrain has essentially only its styling going for it. Be that as it may, it is often the final and deciding factor and may be enough to boost sales. Despite being no better than average in most instances, its tough-truck GMC style will surely convince more than a few potential buyers.

An SLE FWD trim Terrain retails for $30,195 while the Denali starts at $43,495.

FIRST REVIEW: 2018 GMC Terrain