MotorWeek Road Test: 2010 GMC Terrain
With sales of its surviving four brands doing well general motors appears on the road to recovery and a big reason is a steady stream of attractive new models case in point this 2010 gmc terrain while sharing its mechanicals with the popular chevrolet equinox crossover utility the terrain shuns pure badge engineering and don’s the distinct angled look of a more
Traditional suv now let’s see how it drives while the 2010 gmc terrain chairs the equinoxes compact and midsize theta unitize chassis it’s more tough truck shape ends up being about two and a half inches shorter and overall length so to the eye terrain is stouter than the sleeker equinox and more along the lines of the venerable jeep cherokee the terrains visual
Macho starts with projector beam headlights stacked to either side of a massive chrome gmc grille which drops low into a deep substantial looking front fascia the terrains pronounced squared off fenders house wheels from 17 to 19 inches our testers split the difference with six spoke 18-inch alloys standard roof rails proved useful and fit the terrain stance
Nicely we also like the blacked-out d pillars that give the impression of a wraparound rear greenhouse ditto the rear wiper that appears to float above a chrome bar connecting big wide taillights it shares no sheetmetal with the equinox but pop the terrains hood and things are happily familiar our all-wheel drive tester sported the same direct-injected echo tech
2.4 liter 4 we applauded in the equinox ratings are 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque a 3 liter direct injected v6 is optional with 264 horsepower and 222 pound-feet of torque and when properly equipped a trailer tow limit of 3,500 pounds in front or all-wheel drive engines attached to a 6-speed automatic with manual mode four cylinders get an eco mode
Which slower shift points for better fuel economy this combo gives terrain the same stellar fuel economy as equinox our all-wheel-drive 4 has government fuel economy ratings of 20 miles per gallon city and 29 highway we managed in excellent 27 and 1/2 miles per gallon on regular gas our terrains energy impact score stands at a modest fourteen point nine barrels of
Oil consumed annually and its carbon footprint of eight tons of co2 is likewise light-footed but at the track our terrain looked from a standstill to sixty and nine point seven seconds that’s about a second slower than the front drive equinox we tested last fall ships came slow even in manual mode the quarter mile came in at seventeen point three seconds at 83
Miles per hour beyond times however the 2.4 felt plenty strong for highway passing especially between five and seven thousand rpm the terrains low power to weight ratio proved less of a hindrance through the slalom where it felt much lighter than its almost two-ton curb weight had delivered impressive car style grip sharp turn ins and only modest body roll with
None of the flabbiness of a traditional suv steering was slack on sinner but tightened up nicely when we asked the terrain to dance in the high-speed lane change the all independent suspension and electronic control nannies kept the rear end reassured ly in check stomping the abs disc brakes from 60 yielded a short average stopping distance of 122 feet brake feel
Was excellent smooth and firm all terrain cabins come standard with flowing lines soft touch materials and six airbags they’re set up in a sporty twin cockpit theme that except for the gauge pod has a lot in common with equinox our well optioned slt included a sunroof which shed light on the nicely drawn dash and steering wheel audio controls that put channel surfing
And our fingertips bluetooth connectivity also fell easily to hand for auxiliary power outlets and a usb port are standard as is active noise cancellation on 2.4 terrains it neutralizes engine boom using the audio systems 8 speakers also standard is a backup camera that shows up in the rearview mirror or on the available navigation screen our terrains heated leather
Trim front seats were plenty comfortable on long hauls equally comfy is the split fold rear bench that like equinox reclines and slides with eight inches of travel also like equinox is terrains optional programmable power gate besides full open it can be set for a lower opening to avoid contact with a garage ceiling once open owners find 31.6 cubic feet of cargo
Room seats up and a small for its class 60 3.9 cubic feet seats down pricing however is very competitive given the terrains high level of standard equipment base 4-cylinder stickers range from twenty four thousand nine hundred fifty five dollars for the front drive sle to twenty nine thousand nine hundred forty five dollars for the all-wheel drive slt the v6 adds
Fifteen hundred dollars more for general motors to prosper they will need more efforts like the 2010 gmc terrain this gutsy fuel-efficient tough-looking crossover is a family slam dunk with build quality interior and drivability on par with if not better than any rival utility across town and across the oceans you
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MotorWeek Road Test: 2010 GMC Terrain By MotorWeek