2021 GMC Terrain

The GMC Terrain is the smallest vehicle offered General Motors’ truck brand, and you can find it in the shadow of the big Sierras and Yukons at GMC stores. Like most GMCs, it’s a direct relative of a similar Chevrolet, in this case the Equinox. Both are compact crossovers that have competed with the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Jeep Cherokee and Volkswagen Tiguan for years.

In decades past, GMCs were often little more than rebadged Chevrolets, but the Terrain differs quite a bit visually from the Equinox and its styling helps set it apart from both the Chevrolet and many of its competitors. While the previous-generation Terrain looked positively truck-like, the current model, introduced for 2018, is prettier without having lost any of its presence. Despite being one inch shorter overall than the Equinox, the Terrain looks bigger than it actually is, and cuts a handsome profile.

2021 GMC Terrain Performance

In late 2020 GMC treated the Terrain to a major safety system upgrade, and every model now comes with a healthy slate of active-safety features. For 2021, there are few changes but one notable deletion. The previously optional 252-horsepower 2.0-liter engine, actually standard on the top Denali trim, is deleted.

This leaves only the prior base-model 1.5-liter unit. It’s not a bad engine and the Terrain gets reasonable fuel economy from it, but it leaves the more expensive Terrains at a distinct performance disadvantage. This turbocharged motor makes 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. A nine-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are standard. 

The 1.5-liter engine provides ample power around town, but its appeal fizzles at higher speeds. Accelerating to reach highway cruising speeds takes longer and creates more noise than it should, while passing seems to tax the powertrain. This little engine delivers up to 25 mpg city, 30 highway and 27 mpg combined. That’s not as good as the RAV4 or Honda CR-V, but it beats Tiguan and Cherokee.

The addition of all-wheel drive (AWD) doesn’t seem to make much of a difference in speed, and the nine-speed automatic pairs well with the small, turbocharged engine. It does a dutiful job of keeping the engine in its ideal power band. Shifts are smooth and the gearbox is eager to downshift when asked. 

In contrast, the RAV4 and Tiguan both offer more standard power. The Cherokee’s base engine is comparable to the Terrain’s in output, but it offers a more powerful optional choice.

If there’s one major drivetrain foible, it’s the actual shifter controls. The push-button setup is buried way down on the center stack. It’s easy to adapt to a push-button style shifter, but it’s an unnecessary reach. The much larger Yukon SUV uses a similar setup, but it’s right near the driver’s right hand and much higher up on the dashboard.

There are four basic trims, SL, SLE, SLT and Denali. AWD is available for $1,600 on all but the base model.

The base SL starts at $26,195 (including a $1,195 destination fee) and comes with 17-inch wheels, HID headlights, a manual liftgate, a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth and cloth upholstery. The SLE ($29,695) adds LED daytime running lights, carpeted floor mats and the ability to add options packages to upgrade infotainment and safety features. 

The SLT ($33,795) trim brings a heated steering wheel, a hands-free power liftgate, 18-inch wheels, fog lights, an 8-inch touchscreen and power front seat adjustments. The range-topping Denali model comes with upgraded interior materials, 19-inch wheels, LED headlights, navigation, ambient interior lighting, HD radio, heated front seats and wireless smartphone charging.

2021 GMC Terrain Comfort & Convenience

Inside, the Terrain offers seating for up to five people, though four will be much more comfortable, especially on longer drives. The front seats offer generous head, leg and hip room, and higher trims bring plush leathers that truly feel premium and expensive. The Terrain also features excellent sound deadening materials, which gives it a luxurious, isolated feel.

The eight-way power driver’s seat gives plenty of adjustability to allow people with a wide variety of body styles to find a comfortable driving position. Rear seat space isn’t the biggest in class, but the Terrain’s 39.7 inches of leg-room top the Toyota RAV4 (37.8) and Tiguan (36.5). The Cherokee, at 40.3, wins out in that stat.

Even when laden with passengers, the Terrain offers decent cargo space. It packs in 29.6 cubic-feet of space behind its second-row seats, which expands to 63.3 cubic-feet with them folded. That’s appreciably more than the Cherokee, but still less than the RAV4, Nissan Rogue or third-row-optional Tiguan.

The Terrain’s interior build and materials quality is mostly in line with the expectations that its price tag brings, but there are a few cheap feeling hard plastics in high-traffic areas, even on the fancy Denali. A 7.0-inch touchscreen is standard, but a larger 8-inch unit is optional on the SLE and standard on the top two trims. GMC’s infotainment software has never been bad, but the automaker’s improvements to the system in recent years have made it even easier to use. Menus are clearly labeled, and the system flows in an intuitive manner, which reduces distraction while the driver is on the road.

2021 GMC Terrain Safety Systems

In 2020, GMC gave the Terrain a major safety system upgrade by making the Pro Safety bundle standard equipment. That gave every Terrain standard forward collision warnings, forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, a following distance indicator, lane departure warnings with lane keep assist and automatic high beams. On SLE and SLT models, lane change alerts with blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, rear parking assist and adaptive cruise control are part of a very reasonable $645 option package, and standard on the Denali.

The Terrain earns a five-star rating from NHTSA, and earned Good scores in all crashworthiness categories but a Poor score for its headlights from IIHS, which may be why it doesn’t earn a Top Safety Pick designation from that agency. Notably, IIHS awards the Terrain a Superior score for its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention features and an Advanced score for its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian crash prevention features.