Dennis Dillon Auto Park

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• Summary

Walk Around

The GMC Terrain is designed to appeal to a different buyer than the Chevy Equinox, which is made in the same plant and based on a shared platform. GMC is strictly a truck company, so the Terrain has bolder styling with a larger, more distinctive grille.

The GMC body makes use of broad, sheer surfaces with rectangular shapes in the wheelwells. The side surfaces are clean, with chrome accents on the door handles and windows. Along the bottom of the exterior panels is a textured anti-chip layer of paint, conveying the message that the Terrain could be functional in harsher environments, both urban and rural. A sleek roof rack provides additional cargo capacity.

Especially when viewed from the front, the Terrain's wide stance and high beltline make for a substantial, well-planted impression. Although technically a compact, the Terrain looks much bigger.

Three wheel sizes and styles are available, including 17- and 18-inch aluminum wheels, and 19-inch chrome clad wheels.

Interior

2010 GMC Terrain

The interior design features curving lines and close-fitting panels with nicely grained textures. The environment inside the Terrain is open and relaxed. Seats are styled using a secondary contrasting inset with exact red stitching.

The Terrain offers a high seating position, giving the driver the same kind of vision and command of the road as traditional body-on-frame SUVs. The step-in height, however, is relatively low, making entry, exit and rear-seat loading a bit easier than with the truck-based SUVs.

The seats proved comfortable and adjustable enough to keep us from squirming as the hours wore on. For our average-size frame, there was more than enough legroom, and it was easy to position the seat comfortably in relation to the steering wheel. We were told that the interior team worked extensively to optimize the accelerator pedal heal position, so that the driving position could be close to ideal for a wider range of body types. There was special attention paid to accommodating shorter drivers.

The controls and dash are low and lean away from the front occupants, an effect that creates a generously open, spacious feeling. The dash and controls are lighted in orange, with bright white instrument numerals. The interior lighting scheme is extensively developed, creating a well-lit, but not overly bright, nighttime environment.

A floating center stack, positioned so that the most-used controls are within easy reach, houses a center storage bin big enough for a laptop computer. The navigation screen is seven inches in size, with touch-screen design. A 10-gigabyte hard drive enables storage of a substantial number of music files.

The rear seat is designed with emphasis on flexible operation. It reclines and slides forward eight inches to favor either cargo room or passenger room, as the situation dictates. The optional rear-seat entertainment system has two independently operable screens, capable of providing separate amusements for two back seat occupants. The Terrain seats five, and it is not available with a third-row seat. The larger GMC Acadia is better for families who might need to seat seven or eight.

A rearview camera is standard in all models, a great safety feature as it can help the driver spot a child behind the vehicle when backing up.

OnStar and XM are pre-paid for one year. There are four power outlets for phone chargers, laptops and other portable devices.

Bluetooth allows the driver to operate cellular telephones hands-free using the Terrain's speakers, a hidden microphone, and the navigation screen.

The power rear hatch can be programmed to open part-way, in case of low-clearance garages.

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