2018 GMC Terrain SLE FWD 1.5t

[regfootball]

DRIVEN

2018 GMC Terrain SLE FWD 1.5t  9 speed auto, MSRP like around 30k.  Front wheel drive version only.  Cloth interior.

HIGHS

Ok, with the higher hp and torque, and the 9 speed auto, the engine performance did --- ok ---.  And its smooth most of the time, particularly when just 40-70 mph cruising.  Tranny seemed well matched, the higher tune 1.5t and 9 speed is exclusive here I think.  Why isn't this the powertrain in the Malibu?

Terrain interior is unique from the Equinox and Envision and feels sufficiently trucky.  Nice layout and shapes on the dash.  I like the GMC steering wheel.  And the screen display and climate controls are done the best of the GM triplets here.  

The requisite high seating position of a wannabe truck is done well here.  So you believe you are driving a small truck.  Pretty easy to see in and out all around, except for some where the rear quarter windows rise up and block some of your view.

No real beefs on ride or handling, it didn't feel expensive, but it matched the part.  Turn radius in particular is impressive, this would be a very maneuverable ride for those with tight parking conditions, small garages, or live in the urban jungle.  It sort of felt nimble at times even; by nimble I mean light and easy to steer except you are doing it in a very high chair.

Love that GM still has a few vehicles with the fold flat front passenger seat.  It goes with a cargo area that I think works pretty well, and in particular the rear seats fold nicely flat.

Rear seat space is nice on this vehicle.  Chair high seats, lots of room for legs and feet (for the size of vehicle).

Heated seats and cloth on a GM vehicle!  and remote start on a lower trim!  

I sort of dug the pushbutton shifter! I like the 'window switch' operation, and it seemed to work fine, but......

LOWS

Still a lot to ask 1500cc's of displacement to move an SUV.  It really overall felt just acceptable as far as overall engine spec in the FWD GMC.  I purposely drove the FWD only here since the Equinox 1.5t i drove was an AWD + speed and it was a dog.  If you are looking at buying one of these things take your time and do your best to determine if you are ok with the little engine that mostly can.  (Thankfully the 2.0 is available more widely in the Terrain than the Equinox)

Seat bottom felt a little weak; lacked solidity.  It seems GM builds lighter seats the last few years.....

Sorry, but the cabin width in front of these GM triplets (Equinox, Envision, Terrain) is seemingly narrow.  I don't know why GM fked this up.  A couple more inches of hip and shoulder room in the front row would be greatly noticed.

GM managed to provide a commodious vehicle on such a short wheelbase compared to the last Terrain, however, I think the ride is not quite a smooth as those previous longer wheelbase versions.  A bit hoppy here and there it can feel.

Somewhat plasticky here and there, inside.  GM wouldn't be GM without some cheap plastics here and there, right?

The pushbutton shifter, in all its cleverness, is a bit of a reach.  You would think it should be arranged to fall nicely to hand without moving your arm.  Or, was that by design.... and won't the Big Gulps get in the way when the cupholders are right in front of the shifter buttons?

As usual, with GM, it all depends on pricing, and incentives, and packaging.... this Terrain can seem overpriced greatly in some ways if you are only looking at the MSRP sticker.

SUMMARY

My main interest here was to try the 1.5t and 9 speed auto combo, and I think overall I was pretty good with what i experienced in front drive only form.  And this being a lower priced version of the Terrain, overall I thought the whole sample vehicle was a good value.  There are some big incentives now too, and so that made it an even better value proposition.

It seems to me the current Equinox has a bit of a weird vibe (no pun) to it (too feminine), and the Envision also has strangeness with its PLOODY dashboard and vintage 2011 exterior.  The GMC, inside and out, seems to give off a vibe closest to what you expect out of the brand than the other two do.   And even though it's a small vehicle, it felt fairly solid and sorta trucky.  It seems to deliver expected amount of cargo utility.  I give it a solid pass as a GMC torch bearer vehicle.

There's so much competition in this segment and you have things like Jeep Compass' and Cherokees, Escapes, so many other options.  Still, this is ok.  If you want a "GMC", go ahead; this fits just fine into the GMC theme, and it's a more realized alternative within GM to the Chevy.  I'd certainly get the Terrain over a RAV4 or CRV.  I won't give it a letter grade, but I think it's a good effort that a lot of folks should consider and have on their shopping list.  Be sure to spend time choosing between the 1.5 and 2.0.

Edited July 23, 2018 by regfootball

[Suaviloquent]

I think GM’s new crossovers are just okay. Nothing really screams totally as the standard bearer of its class.

 

and it think that’s a bit of a problem. The new Rav4 is going to eat this Terrain alive because they’re giving it the full-on 4Runner style look.

[regfootball]

25 minutes ago, Suaviloquent said:

I think GM’s new crossovers are just okay. Nothing really screams totally as the standard bearer of its class.

 

and it think that’s a bit of a problem. The new Rav4 is going to eat this Terrain alive because they’re giving it the full-on 4Runner style look.

A Toyota sells because the lemmings believe Toyotas are unbreakable devices.  But yes the new RAV has upped its game.  

I think although the GM trio does ok with how they redesigned it, i think had they left another 3-4 inches of wheelbase in there and widened out the cabin 2" or so more they would be less vulnerable to be being considered 'too small'.  Partly because the last gen, while a bit space inefficient, felt sort of like a half a size up vs. the Japanese compacts.

Ultimately, with GM, it has so much to do with pricing, and if their MSRP's are too high, then how much they sell entirely becomes out of how much money is on the hood.

I don't see GMC trying to snag Toyota and Honda buyers, but I see them carving into the rest of the competitors.  I think the Jeeps and Escapes is the area GMC plays in more.  An Equinox buyer may be one to look at Hondas and Toyotas a bit more.

Edited July 23, 2018 by regfootball