This week we’ll be descending upon Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to drive the 2018 GMC Terrain.
As usual, we wanted to open a forum for dialogue on this post for any questions, comments or concerns that readers may have about the now-compact crossover. Whether it’s about powertrain, design, features or anything in-between, we’ll do our best to seek out an answer for you.
In the meantime, comment below with your questions, but please note it may be 48 hours before we return with relevant answers. Additionally, you can read our first-drive review of the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox to pass the time. Without further ado, ask away!
Comments
Looks very hot. Tell us, does the interior look premium or chintzy?
A lot of the materials, like the window switches, are parts bin. But they are a well textured, soft feeling plastic. The cheapest feeling thing was probably the buttons/switches for the electronic precision shifter. Nothing else really stuck out as feeling too chintzy.
But don’t forget there is no adaptive cruise control. This will stop me from buying one.
Adaptive cruse is available on 2019 models.
How weird is it to be using buttons for park, drive, reverse, etc… instead of a console shifter?
I missed being able to rest my hand on a console shifter. But if you perform a pocket dump every time you get in the car (I know I do), you may appreciate the extra space.
Thanks for the info. I’m looking forward to getting into one next year when my current lease is up.
How is it to drive with the 9-speed/1.5 turbo vs. 6-speed/1.5 turbo?
I don’t think the 1.5 engine will be available for a while – current models are the 2.0 turbo only.
My dealer already has one with the 1.5T 9 speed
9 speed is pretty good. Slick shifting and knows when it should be holding gears and when not to. Our drive was largely on mountain type roads, it everything seemed well calibrated.
The only weak point I noticed was stop-go traffic. It can be a little lurching, and the start/stop tech doesn’t do anything to help that ailment. It wasn’t a deal-breaker, though.
Are you exceeding 30 MPG on the highway with the 2.0T?
Lots of mountain driving, so it was difficult to hit those higher numbers. Hope to have a better understanding of fuel economy at a later date when I have more time to play with it.
The Diesel Everything about it. How does it drive? Handle? Quiet? Fuel Economy? When will it be available? How does the new terrain compare to the old one? Room? How are the seats? Does the wipers have more then 4 or 5 speeds? Seem like none of them anymore can keep up in a down pour. Why build in mexico?
Diesel is super quiet on the road. You wouldn’t know it’s there, until the added torque boosts you up a hill. Fuel economy was hard to fully gauge, due to both the limited seat time and the inclined roads. But I did see a 35 mpg average when I peaked down at the IP. It also doesn’t feel very nose heavy or anything, which was a pleasant surprise. It’s launching now.
Wipers are the same as all the other D2 vehicles. So Cruze, Volt, Equinox all share it.
We’ll try to ask more questions about the Mexico move. Instinct suggests that it’s to allocate extra volume for Equinox up in Canada.
Car and Driver just did a report on the new 2.0 Equinox. This optional engine and 9 speed trans is the best way to enjoy driving the new Terrain.
I believe this new Terrain will be a volume seller for GMC. It has it’s own completely unique styling rather than just some cosmetic changes to the Equinox.
The Terrain will take share from all players in this space.
How does the 1.5t with the 9 speed drive? Will it have adaptive cruise in the future?
1.5T is fine, but the 9 speed is better. Would be nice to see adaptive cruise, wouldn’t it?
I think it would be nice to have it. I’m not sure why the move of not offering on both the Nox and Terrain though. Or is it just because to make room for the Envision?
Does the Denali come with a heads-up display and/pr adaptive cruise control? The Denali exterior and interior look really sharp matched to some cool power trains, the Terrain Denali will be a very big surprise in the segment giving competitors a real run for their money.
I’ll tell you right now it does not come with either. Which is a shame.
I’m sure the 2019 model with have radar cruise control. No sure about HUD.
They probably will somehow in the future. As of now they only have the automatic parking assist and the emergency braking. Or unless they want to push people to buy the Envision since a fully loaded Terrain (either the SLT or Denali) or the Equinox Premier with the 2.0T are about the same money as a well equipped Envision Premium I.
Since the Terrain is made in Mexico I will not buy it, I have driven the 2018 Equinox with the 1.5 & 2.0 I like the 2.0 better but the extra cost $2,500+ may not go well with many buyers as the 1.5 was very acceptable. Why GM decided to go to Mexico beats me. Corporate greed!
It’s a global economy now. Deal with it.
Tony K,
Just to clarify, neither the Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Terrain were ever built in the United States. Both were built in Canada. GM will still produce the Equinox in Canada, but the Terrain moved to Mexico. The Acadia, Traverse and Enclave are built in the U.S.
Thanks for reading,
-Sean
Well are you also mad about Envisions built in China and the Encore/Trax built in Korea as well?
Just try to find as many easter eggs as you can 😛
I don’t like the “kick-up” body line between the C and D pillars. Does it bother you as a driver looking rearward?
Those C-D pillar windows are annoyingly small, yes. But I rarely use those windows as visual aides in other models.
Any idea what the delay is with the SLT. I ordered one back when ordering opened up and was given a build date for the week of July 17th. I’m now being told that there is a production problem with the SLT’s and that they are only building SLE’s. To support that, the only Terrains I see on the dealer lots are SLE’s. Getting anxious, my lease expires in a couple weeks. I did do a test drive with the SLE and the 2.0 drive train. Really liked it. Smooth, responsive and quite (except for the turn signal, very, very loud for some reason). Thank you for your thoughts.
A dealer close to me already have SLT available in their inventory so it should be here in any days
Thank you vic1212. Sounds promising. I checked a couple of the dealers in my area today and all they have are SLE’s. Fingers crossed.
I can’t complain about this delay because I know people are suffering and my thoughts and concerns go out for them. I would imagine that delivery of cars out of Mexico will be delayed because of Hurricane Harvey and the rail lines going through Texas will probably be affected.
Just got my 2018 Terrain 2.0 Turbo. Lot more power than my 2011 Terrain 4 cyl had.
I do not like the low beam head lights. Do not seem that bright.