GMC News: New York 2012: GMC Terrain Denali

[William Maley]

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William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

March 15, 2012

It only seems like a year ago when we got our hands on some spy shots of a GMC Terrain Denali mule running around metro Detroit. Well fast forward to today and General Motors is unveiling the Terrain Denali, almost a month before the New York Auto Show.

The big news for the Terrain Denali comes in the powerplants. The stalwart 2.4L four-cylinder sticks around as the base. But the optional 3.0L V6 bids adieu and in its place is the 3.6L DI V6 producing 301 HP and 272 lb-ft of torque. GM says the 3.6 will deliver the same fuel economy as the 3.0L while providing more power. And the 3.6L will not be a Denali only option. GM confirms the 3.6L will make its way to the Terrain and Chevrolet Equinox.

The Terrain Denali also gets new dual-flow dampers which provides provides a smoother ride and improved handling.

Like all other Denalis, the Terrain Denali gets cosmetic changes for both the exterior and interior. For the exterior, the changes include,

• Signature chrome grille
  
• Satin chrome accents
  
• Body color front and rear fascias
  
• Body color rocker panels with satin chrome molding
  
• New headlamp and taillamp designs
  
• Dual chrome finish exhaust outlets (single outlet on 2.4L)
  
• 18-Inch Wheels on the 2.4L, 19-Inch Wheels on the 3.6L
  

Step inside and you’re greeted with,

• Soft-touch instrument panel with French stitching
  
• Soft-touch Jet Black leather with Red accent stitching
  
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with smoked mahogany wood accents
  
• Embossed Denali logos on front seatbacks
  
• Smoked mahogany wood trim accents
  
• Denali illuminated front sill plates
  
• Eight-way power driver and passenger seat
  
• GMC’s Intellilink Infotainment System
  

The Terrain also fitted with a standard forward collision alert and lane departure warning that uses an industry first single-camera crash-avoidance system to warn drivers when a collision is imminent or the vehicle crosses a lane marker. Also, standard is side blind zone and rear cross traffic alert.

General Motors will announce pricing and sale date later on in the year.

Press Release is on Page 2

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2013 GMC Terrain Denali Debuts with New 3.6L V-6

Offers distinctive style along with new technology and safety features

NEW YORK – GMC is expanding its exclusive Denali sub-brand with the debut of the 2013 Terrain Denali, bringing a new level of style and power to the luxury small SUV.

“Denali is growing fast,” said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of GMC Marketing. “With seven different models, sales for this brand within a brand increased 79 percent from 2010 to 2011. With this in mind, the decision to create a more-upscale Terrain was an easy one.”

More power, same efficiency

With the introduction of the Terrain Denali, GMC also announced a new 3.6-liter V-6 engine with direct injection and continuously variable valve timing will replace the current 3.0-liter V-6 engine in Terrain lineup for the 2013 model year. SAE certified at 301 horsepower (224 kW) and 272 lb.-ft. (369 Nm) of torque, this engine makes more power and torque, but is expected to deliver fuel economy equal to its predecessor.

The new V-6 uses lightweight components that contribute to the Terrain’s fuel efficiency while boosting its horsepower. An integrated cylinder head/exhaust manifold design saves about 13 pounds compared to a non-integrated design, while a composite intake manifold saves about 5.5 pounds vs. an aluminum intake. Additionally, a lightweight structural front cover and high-strength connecting rods save additional weight.

Terrain’s standard Ecotec 2.4-liter I-4 with direct injection and continuously variable valve timing is also available for buyers looking to combine Denali’s high-end appointments with a best-in-class 32 highway mpg (2WD model). Front-wheel drive is standard on Terrain Denali, with all-wheel drive available for both engines.

New dual-flow dampers are exclusive to the Terrain Denali’s suspension system. This technology provides a smoother ride and improved handling by controlling suspension dampening across a broader range of driving conditions.

Signature design cues

Inside and out, the 2013 Terrain Denali features high-end details. Models with the 2.4L engine feature 18-inch wheels, while the V-6 engine is paired with 19-inch wheels. Other Denali-specific exterior features include:

• Signature chrome grille
  
• Satin chrome accents
  
• Body color front and rear fascias
  
• Body color rocker panels with satin chrome molding
  
• New headlamp and taillamp designs
  
• Dual chrome finish exhaust outlets (single outlet on 2.4L)
  

Terrain Denali’s cabin updates are highlighted by soft-touch Jet Black leather, which lines the seats and door inserts. Contrast stitching and red accent lighting contribute to an inviting interior. Other Denali-exclusive interior details include:

• Soft-touch instrument panel with French stitching
  
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with smoked mahogany wood accents
  
• Embossed Denali logos on front seatbacks
  
• Smoked mahogany wood trim accents
  
• Denali illuminated front sill plates
  
• Eight-way power driver and passenger seat
  

Class-leading technology

Terrain Denali comes standard with many of GMC’s leading technologies, including a color touch radio with IntelliLink. This new infotainment system features a reconfigurable home screen; intuitive voice commands; Bluetooth smartphone integration; control of streaming internet radio apps such as Pandora and Stitcher; and iPod controls with Gracenote music database technology.

Forward collision alert and lane departure warning are standard on Terrain Denali. They use the industry’s first single-camera crash-avoidance system to visually and audibly warn drivers when a collision is imminent or the vehicle crosses a lane marker.

In addition, side blind zone and rear cross traffic alert help avoid collisions by using radar to watch spots the driver may not be able to see – and provide visible and audible warnings.

Convenience features, such as a programmable power liftgate, are standard on Terrain Denali. At the touch of a button, owners can access the vehicle’s 63.9 cubic feet of cargo space (behind the first row), while a memory function stops the liftgate at a chosen height to help shorter drivers or accommodate low garage heights.

Available technologies include color touch navigation and a rear-seat entertainment system.

As with every new GMC, the Terrain Denali comes with six free months of OnStar’s Directions and Connections plan. It includes Automatic Crash Response, Turn-by-Turn Navigation, roadside assistance, emergency services link, stolen vehicle assistance and remote door unlock.

Pricing and availability of the 2013 Terrain Denali and Terrain 3.6L V-6 models will be announced closer to the on-sale date in the third quarter of 2012.

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[G. David Felt]

LOVE the new engine, that V6 rocks!!!

Over all, I like a number of the updates they have done to this, but I still stand by my past posts that this Denali version on every GMC vehicle is OVERKILL and Dilutes the Denali Elite level.

They have gone overboard again on excessive chrome. If the really wanted this to be done right, use this awesome engine on a Black Chrome Edition and call it the Typhoon Edition.

Better yet would be to have this engine Turbo charged into th upper 300HP range with Black Chrome accents with only Black, Maroon or dark red and white as the option colors and call it the

Terrain Typhoon Edition or T.T.E.

[hyperv6]

Great I just buy one on Tuesday and they anounce this the next day. That is ok I have been keeping up with this and while the improvments are nice I have many of these same options in the new one already. The extra Chrome and wood means little to me. The engine would have been nice but I am sure the price mark up will make my 3.0 just fine. To be honest I have had no issue with the present engine as it does what it needs to do in this kind of vehicle.

To me this is really not a vehicle I would want to turn into a performance vehicle. It is nice but it is very heavy. GM has much better vehicles they could invest in and make into a performance vehicle.

Even with the 301 HP the numbers will not be much higher than what the 3.0 already is. If you note the SRX times they represent similar numbers to the gain in performance.

Either way I feel it is a smart move for GMC here as while I too hate the Denali everything this should prove to be a very profitable model. Adding a lot of low cost add ons to a very popular vehicle and charging a much greater price should bring in a good amount of income for GM's already profitable line.

I went out for a spin last night and the more I drive it the more I find how much more of a Luxury feel this has. It feels much more upscale than it is. The Nox I drove were the LT versions and they just did not have the same feel about them. They felt good but not as upscale. I expect the LTZ would feel more like mine.

FYI the Collision Alert was the first thing we shut off. Anoying little bastard! I need to check into it as I think you can adjust it. This thing was going off on the narrow back roads even if you did not cross a line.

[G. David Felt]

HyperV6, I agree that the Ninny warnings are a pain in the butt and most people if they cannot adjust them to be less intrusive, they will end up turning them off.

I hate all this crap about we have to protect you from you.

[hyperv6]

HyperV6, I agree that the Ninny warnings are a pain in the butt and most people if they cannot adjust them to be less intrusive, they will end up turning them off.

I hate all this crap about we have to protect you from you.

I would rather have had the money they invested in this in a little better material on the door panel. The dash has a nice feel to it. The door panels look nice but they are a little hard in the plastic department.

Over all the interior is a very comfortable enviroment.

The rear sonic back up is ok. It may save my wife. The Video camera is more of a novalty to me. I just feel more comfortable with the mirrors. I just thank God GM has not gotten into to this auto park crap. If you can park a car you should not be behind the wheel.

[G. David Felt]

HyperV6, I agree that the Ninny warnings are a pain in the butt and most people if they cannot adjust them to be less intrusive, they will end up turning them off.

I hate all this crap about we have to protect you from you.

I would rather have had the money they invested in this in a little better material on the door panel. The dash has a nice feel to it. The door panels look nice but they are a little hard in the plastic department.

Over all the interior is a very comfortable enviroment.

The rear sonic back up is ok. It may save my wife. The Video camera is more of a novalty to me. I just feel more comfortable with the mirrors. I just thank God GM has not gotten into to this auto park crap. If you can park a car you should not be behind the wheel.

Hey Hyperv6, I totally agree. The amount of people who say they cannot parrallel park makes me think they should not be driving. If they cannot take the time to learn to be responsible on basic parking or lane changes, backup camera's etc. These people need to have their license revoked.

Driving is a privilage you earn by showing you can be responsible. The adults who do not look and back over their kids, change lanes and hit other cars, freak out about having to learn to parrallel park are the ones we want off the road anyway. It is sad that others have gotten hurt, but if you cannot be responsible enough to be alert to your job of driving, then you need to give it up.

[GMTruckGuy74]

I don't think they went far enough to separate the regular SLE/SLT Terrain from the Denali Terrain in terms of exterior styling (really, just the holey-grille, new rims, chrome bling on the tail lights and lower rocker panels?). Then the fact that you can get a Denali with FWD and the 4-cylinder engine? That to me just has abandoned the whole move-up Denali concept!! I blame the Acadia Denali for this, as the engine in that model is the same as the other Acadia SL/SLE/SLT models (I do realize that there is no V8 engine to put in them, unless the 5.3L V8 fits). While I'm glad GM/GMC is keeping the current generation of the Terrain fresh in the consumer's minds, I will say PASS to this model myself.

Definitely a CHEERS though to the new optional V6 engine for all Terrain models - the 3.6L V6 is a great engine to add to these Theta-based vehicles.

[hyperv6]

I agree that they did less than I expected with this model. But the Arcadia is not the only wall the SRX also is an issue here. If they add too many features and drive the price up too much people will just move to the SRX. GMC has to play that ever changing middle ground till GM evolves Cadillac and Chevy to the places they will be. Once Cadillac transforms into the higher end product they want it will expand the area Buick and GMC has to play in.

I think they needed to add things like duel zone climate control and make the read entertainment option standard. They needed to add standard features not just more chorme.

I still ponder if they will eliminate the SLT option and just replace it with the Denali. Or even yet just ofter the SLT 1 and replace the SLT2 with the Denali.

I am just glad they did not over do the outside and make it look a little too tarted up. They already have a very tasteful use of chome and I hate to see them muck it up. More is not always better.

The question on buying the Denali is will it be worth the price to get the 3.6 as other than the chome you can get the rest for the most on the present car. If they make the 3.6 available on the SLT then there is no way it would be worth a premium just for the lighted rockers plates.

[GMTruckGuy74]

The 3.6L V6 is replacing the 3.0L V6 on both the Terrain and Equinox as the upgraded engine. However, you can get the 2.4L 4-cylinder or 3.6L V6 in the Terrain Denali too, so really I think the name "Denali" will be the draw to this model.

I don't think GMC did enough with the interior or exterior of the Terrain Denali. It looks like a tarted up SLT-2 model... with the chrome bling on the tail lights, satin chrome on the rocker panels (which explains the picture we saw last year with the holes on the rocker panel), and the holey-grille known on all Denali models. Some aero rocker panels, new front & rear bumpers different from the regular Terrain, standard AWD and 3.6L V6 might have made a difference in my opinion of this new model (that is the formula applied to the Sierra and Yukon Denal'is, and to an extent the Acadia Denali {I'm not sure if AWD is standard or optional, and there is no other engine available on the Acadia}). The wood and "Denali" name added to the interior of the Terrain Denali did not go far eneough. A Denali-specific interior color pallette should have been used... otherwise, what makes the interior of the Denali different from the SLT-2??

This to me is a half-hearted effort to keep sales momentum going for the Terrain model. It definitely has not caught my desires, though in fairness while I like the SLT-2 Terrain I do not like it enough to want to buy one of those either.

Edited March 17, 2012 by GMTruckGuy74

[hyperv6]

I expect the 3.6 to take over the 3.0.The $1000 off on the 3.0 now was claimed to be because of a shortage of 2.4 engines. Well that may be the case since they will be changing over to the 2.5 in the future but the money will help clear out the 3.0 too.

While the 3.6 will be an improvment it will be a small one. With this kind of vehicle a gain like this helps but then again it is not a canyon carver either.

For the Denali they needed to add things like Heads Up displays and duel zone climate controls. Standard V6 AWD and some other trick items that could not be found on a SLT or any other Terrain.

As for us we wanted the extras that the SLT offered and with the price we got it was not a bad buy for a vehicle. Either way the wife is happy with hers and the more I have driven ours I have found it to be much more the vehicle than I had expected. It feels more like a truck than a car. But what I mean by that it feels like a good truck like a Sierra but with a better ride.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Don't get me wrong hyperV6, I think the Terrain is a great vehicle for GMC to have and it offers an entry level vehicle to consumers (that's not really an "entry level" kind of vehicle). I'm just disappointed with the new Denali model, as I was expecting it to be a bit more different than the non-Denali models. If the Terrain sat higher, was roomier across the 2nd row (I have a 20-month old in a car seat, a 6-year old in a booster seat, and a 17 year-old that find the Envoy's 2nd row tight at times), and offered a little more cargo space - I would be all over one as I find the exterior styling great.

Same with the current Acadia Denali... I think it's horrible looking (from pictures of the '13 model, I'm more impressed with it). I am not a fan of the current Acadia Denali as I think they went too bling with that model and it looks atrocious. I don't feel quite the same with the Terrain Denail, but here I think they could have done a little more to the exterior.

For the Denali they needed to add things like Heads Up display and dual zone climate controls. Standard V6, AWD and some other trick items that could not be found on a SLT or any other Terrain.

Agree 100%

[hyperv6]

Now that I have done a lot of looking around of late I am finding the Terrain is not so much a entry level vehicle. They even call it a compact SUV but it really is not. While it is not fully a mid size it is a far cry from the car like CRV and RAV 4. GM kind of shot the gap here and tried to give a bigger more upscale product and get away with calling it compact. This is why in many coparo's they love the big SUV things about it but kill it on weight and price. They rave on the ride and the features like the power gate few of the others have but complaine the on the things that come with price and size.

The SUV class is not just one class of customers. They have the large medium and small but there are subsets to mid and small classes. Not every one wants one that feels like a truck but also not everyone wants one that feeels like a Forester either.

My Terrain with the V6 and upgraded package feels more like a Yukon vs Minivan. I would bet many non car type people would be hard pressed to tell it if was FWD, AWD or RWD. It sits up high even with the low step in.

While the Envoy was nice it also had many flaws too. The LWB one was a styling nightmare. Most people I know who have or still do own one like it but never really fell in love with it.

As for size needs that is up to who ever is buying I have one kid and dog to put in the back and a wife who has to haul displays and other items for the Library and just could not fit them in the trunk of a Regal turbo. This one work for us with no issues. If you need more room the Arcadia has plenty. My Wife drove one and it was nice but she said I don't need or want anything this big.

As for styling that is subjective. The present Terrain and Arcadia I feel are fine. The new Arcadia is even better with the best of the Terrain and Outlook styling added on.

As for the Denali. I am fine with the outside as the Arcadia to me has too much bling. It looks like a bad conversion van. I do think if they are going to jack the price of the Terrain they need to give it some better hardware on the inside like heads up and other trick features. Haldex AWD?

I just fear the Denali may become a pimp mobile and not much else.

GMC pretty much has left the entry to the Nox. While shopping the Terrain most were loaded SLT or SLE models while the Nox we found were most times the lesser LT models with a few LTZ's for the few that buy them. These twins my be similar at the heart but they both have a different feel to them. It is hard to discribe but the Terrain feel more truck like and Higher value vs the Chevy that is more car like feeling and value market like.

Keep in mind I am a new convert here. I hated the Terrain when I first saw it and had no interest in it what so ever. The wifes liking of it got me to take a real good look at it and the more I looked the more I found it was not just a rebaged Nox. GM did a good job disguising these two from each other to feel and look different and appeal to different kinds of buyers. Like I said there are more than one kind of buyer in this segment and they both are doing their job to appeal to the two different groups.

Anyways do a first week review on ours soon and cover how this vehicle has converted me from a hater to someone who now loves it more with every mile driven. I told the wife I was glad she picked this one out as I would have overlooked it.