LIKES
- Polite road manners
- Sleek style
- User-friendly infotainment
- Luxe Denali trim
- Standard safety tech
DISLIKES
- Lacking power
- Toggle-shift gears
- Outdated all-wheel-drive tech
- Tight squeeze for five people
- Subpar fuel economy
BUYING TIP
- The best value comes from the Terrain SLT, and we’d pass over the annoying, manually-activated all-wheel-drive system unless it’s necessary.
For 2023, the GMC Terrain embraces urbane utility, leaning away from truck-ish ruggedness.
What kind of car is the 2023 GMC Terrain? What does it compare to?
GMC’s Terrain is a crossover SUV with seating for five. It’s the point of entry in the GMC lineup of crossovers, SUVs and trucks, and competes with bestsellers such as the Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester, and Honda CR-V.
Is the 2023 GMC Terrain a good car?
The Terrain is better than average, but a lack of powertrain options result in a TCC Rating of 6.0 out of a possible 10.
What’s new for the 2023 GMC Terrain?
For 2023, GMC increases output on its turbo-4 from 170 hp to 175 hp. It’s a small consolation after dropping more potent engine options last year, but it’s better than nothing. The Terrain also gets an electronic power brake assist and three new colors added to the palette. Denali models with Ebony Twilight Metallic exterior finish are available with the new Black Diamond Edition package, which for about $3,300 adds a bunch of safety and comfort features.
The inside is composed, with simple design for base models that elevates to leather and woodgrain trim in Denali models, making an elegant backdrop for the touchscreen display and toggle switches.
The sole powertrain, a turbo-4 newly tuned for 175 hp, comes paired with a 9-speed auto transmission. It remains to be seen how much that extra 5 hp with improve its sluggish acceleration, though the Terrain does offer precise steering and a comfortable ride. The available all-wheel-drive system is cumbersome, with a long-outdated manual engagement setup.
The Terrain easily accommodates four adults, and the cargo hold’s 29.6-cubic-foot capacity is plenty for suitcases. Fold down the second row to open up a maximum of 63.3 cubes.
GMC provides automatic emergency braking as standard equipment, though adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera system, and other desirable safety tech cost extra. The IIHS dings the Terrain’s headlights, and visibility to the rear quarters is sacrificed in favor of trendy exterior design.
How much does the 2023 GMC Terrain cost?
The $32,690 base Terrain SLE features cloth upholstery, a 7.0-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and 17-inch alloy wheels. All-wheel drive costs another $1,600. The Terrain SLT, at $36,690 including destination fee, presents a solid value with leather upholstery, heated front thrones, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, and a power-lifting tailgate.
Where is the 2023 GMC Terrain made?
In Mexico.
Styling
The Terrain fuses a contemporary shape with rugged details.
Is the GMC Terrain a good-looking car?
Yes, it’s contemporary and handsome, successfully blending the C-shaped front lighting and big grille found on GMC trucks with a smoother and less aggressive crossover profile. The rugged style of the interior also adds a point, for a total of 7 here.
The Terrain mixes guts and glitz to strike the proper crossover note. The grille and bracket-like lighting set the tone for a tightrope walk between the Terrain’s truck and SUV DNA and its family-hauling duties. The look is sinister in front, but gracefully flows to a chic back end with a trendy blacked-out rearmost pillar.
Performance
Power’s lacking, but the Terrain’s road manners make up some of that ground.
GMC dropped two former powertrains from the Terrain lineup over the past three years; a high-performance turbo-4 was cut, as was a turbodiesel. We’re left with merely adequate power, modest off-road and towing capability, but pert handling. This results in a 5 here.
How fast is the GMC Terrain?
It’s not. The sole remaining engine gets a boost from 170 to 175 hp for 2023, and its 203 lb-ft of torque is decent, but this 1.5-liter turbo-4 still doesn’t impress. The 9-speed automatic can struggle in straight-line acceleration or ascending hills, as the Terrain’s on the hefty side.
The SLE and SLT come standard with front-wheel drive but can get all-wheel drive for $1,600; all-wheel drive comes standard on AT4 and Denali models. The system is engineered more for fuel economy than for usefulness, and it defaults to front-wheel drive unless manually engaged by a controller on the console.
The Terrain’s modest off-road capability and 1,500-pound towing capacity aren’t priorities, which is why GMC gets away with such a basic all-wheel drive system, even though the AT4’s rugged styling and front underbody skid plate hint at bigger obstacles. The Terrain is a comfortable commuter and family wagon first and foremost, with a composed ride and responsive steering, regardless of whether it wears entry-level 17-inch wheels and rubber, or the Denali’s stylish 19-inchers.
Comfort & Quality
Four passengers and four suitcases max out the Terrain.
The 2023 GMC Terrain has five seat belts but can at best seat four adults and four crammed-in suitcases, good for a 7 here.
The Terrain’s front seats offer power adjustment with thick and supportive bolsters for comfort over long hauls; longer seat bottoms for better thigh support would be nice, though. Cloth upholstery comes standard, but upper trims have leather and heating, and the materials are nice overall.
The back seat won’t easily accommodate three adults across, but its 39.7 inches of legroom is enough for two adults. That said, the rear bench lacks support. Behind the rear row, you can stow 29.6 cubic feet of cargo, which opens up to 63.3 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded down as flat as they’ll go.
Safety
Weak headlights ding the Terrain’s safety score.
How safe is the GMC Terrain?
The 2023 Terrain earns a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, though the IIHS isn’t impressed with the Terrain’s “Poor” headlights. Yet the good driver-assist features earn it a point to a 7 here.
Standard features include automatic emergency braking, active lane control, and automatic high beams. You’ll pay more for adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitors, though they’re included with the Denali. A head-up display and surround-view camera system are optional across the lineup.
Features
The Terrain’s standard features and infotainment carry the weight.
The Terrain lineup boasts a strong list of standard equipment, with GMC’s infotainment setup being particularly noteworthy. It’s a decent value, but the 3-year/36,000-mile warranty is just average. It’s a 7 here.
The $32,690 Terrain SLE anchors the line with cloth upholstery, a 7.0-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, keyless start, and 17-inch wheels. Add $1,600 more for all-wheel drive.
Which GMC Terrain should I buy?
How much is a fully loaded GMC Terrain?
At $38,790, the AT4 has distinctive blacked-out trim, a front underbody skid plate, and all-wheel drive standard. The Denali costs $41,390 and adds a heated steering wheel, navigation, parking sensors, LED headlights, and 19-inch wheels. For another $3,240, the Denali can be equipped with the new Black Diamond Edition package. This includes Ebony Twilight Metallic paint, cooled front seats, heated rear outboard seats, a sunroof, adaptive cruise control, automatic park assist, a surround-view camera system, and 19-inch black wheels.
Fuel Economy
The Terrain earns solid fuel-economy ratings.
Is the GMC Terrain good on gas?
Fuel economy ratings drop slightly for 2023, likely due to the increased horsepower rating. The Terrain earns a 3 here, for EPA ratings of 24 mpg city, 29 highway, and 26 combined with front-wheel drive. The ratings come in at 24/28/26 mpg for all-wheel drive models.
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