Just last week, GM Authority showed you the upcoming 2025 GMC Terrain AT4 in camo-free form before its debut later this year. Today, we have more of the same, but different – the 2025 GMC Terrain Denali.
Much like the aforementioned Terrain AT4, the Denali seen here is finished in white and has no camo, with the exception of the roof rails and tow hitch cover panel. As is typically the case with Denali models, the theme here is body-colored and chrome accents.
Starting at the front, the 2025 GMC Terrain Denali features a chrome grille with five double horizontal slats set within what looks like a black border, while the big red GMC logo is positioned between the first and second of the grille slats. Bookending the prominent grille are a set of headlights with GMC’s signature C-shaped Daytime Running Light (DRL) signature, which also serve as the turn signals and hazard indicators. The C-shaped signature wraps a set of vertically-stacked headlight lenses, with the top one likely serving as the low beam and the bottom probably reserved for the high beam. A boomerang-shaped chrome trim piece starts at the inner edge of the headlight housing and then turns and curves four times before arriving at the foglight housing, which itself likely serves as the inlet for the front air curtain.
The lower fascia consists of a lower grille with some horizontally-oriented slats and what appears to be a sensor for Adaptive Cruise Control. Just above the bottom grille is a chrome trim piece, while the outer edges of the lower fascia are finished in body color, and represent a substantial departure from the high-clearance front bumper seen on the Terrain AT4.
The side profile reveals the general shape of the 2025 GMC Terrain Denali, which is a direct match for the Terrain’s platform mate, the 2025 Chevy Equinox. The same goes for the upward sloping belt line at the rear door, the U-shaped wheel wells, and even the forward-leaning “shark fin” style C-pillar treatment, which is similar (but not identical) to that seen on the new Equinox.
The camoed roof rails appear to be finished in chrome while featuring black bases, while the door handles and wheel well trim are finished in body color. On the topic of wheel well trim, the 2025 Terrain Denali features marker lights at the upper end of the body-color fender flares – a treatment similar to that seen on the 2023 and newer GMC Canyon, 2024 Acadia AT4, and 2025 Terrain AT4. The Denali script is present and accounted for on the front doors, while the mirror caps are finished in piano black, as opposed to body color (which we would have expected on the Denali). A thin trim resides at the bottom edge of the doors, while the wheel wells are filled up nicely with dual seven-spoke satin/silver wheels that are either 20 or 21 inches in size.
The rear end of the 2025 GMC Terrain Denali features a centrally-mounted communications fin, along with a hatch-mounted spoiler, which houses the Center High-Mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL). The sides of the rear glass feature vertically-mounted aero curtains finished in piano black.
A set of boomerang-shaped tail lights with a clear C-shaped graphic bookend the rear end, being separate from the vertically-oriented reflectors lower within the fascia. The Denali script is positioned between the tail lights, while the Terrain AWD script (finished in black) can be seen at the bottom of the driver’s side of the hatch door. The GMC badge has been relegated to a small position on the passenger side of the hatch door, giving the Denali script priority. A chrome trim piece is sandwiched between the body-color bumper cover and body-color lower fascia, which also features dual black exhaust tips. Some camo wrap is still present on the cover for the tow hitch receiver.
Overall, 2025 GMC Terrain Denali has a high-end demeanor that seems to be an even better execution of the Denali trim than the current model.
Inside, the 2025 GMC Terrain will draw inspiration from the 2024 GMC Acadia. An 11-inch Driver Information Center and a vertically oriented, portrait-style central infotainment display have been spied, mirroring the Acadia’s setup.
Under the hood, all 2025 Terrain models are expected to be powered by the turbocharged 1.5L I4 LSD gasoline engine, paired with GM’s eight-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle will ride on an updated version of the GM D2 platform, offering both front-wheel and all-wheel drive options.
Production of the third-generation Terrain will take place at the GM San Luis Potosi plant in Mexico, though its start has been pushed back to October of 2024.
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View Comments
Wow that front end looks awful
Nice looking rig if you are into the Denali aesthetic. I am more of an AT4 type of feller myself, but with the Acadia Elevation looking so good, I am confident the base model Terrain will not look like a poverty special. Hopefully gm engineers are out testing an Elevation soon, in the daylight hours with intrepid spies in the bushes, ready to snap off a few shots.
Overall, I am liking the friendlier look of the Terrain over the angry Equinox. I prefer the normal headlights and non "crying clown" taillights of the GMC v. the Chevy. And yes, my Trax looks like a junior Equinox, with some of the angry bits translated in a "fun size".
Per the article, the mirror caps are black, prolly to complete the look of a blacked-out daylight opening all around since the mirrors are inside that space.
All I'm going to say negative is that tablet in the dash looks like such silly one-upsmanship, it is ridic. The rest of the dash looks nice.
FAR less attractive with that beyond-obnoxious grille. And I'm not a fan of the dash, either, which we haven't seen before. I'd take the Equinox over this any day.
Not really an improvement.
Nice Hyundai grille texturing…
Guess GMC “styling” ran out of ideas..
Ppl tend to forget who copied who these days. Hyundai is the copycat here. This Terrain is simply an evolution of a blingy chrome grille that has been a Denali hallmark since day one.
Good looking vehicle overall even if the front is a bit on the busy side. But, for a top line product with a top line asking price, it needs a higher end powertrain. More hp, perhaps hybrid.
Soda pop sized engine. It's no 200,00 mile vehicle.
Thats why smart buyers are going for the RAV4.
Have you actually driven a RAV4? Absolutely the worst CVT driving experience; it unwinds like a rubber band and drones miserably! Plus, the cabin is noisy, noisy, noisy. However, it is available with hybrid technology, and it's reliable... and that's the only reason it sells well.
I like it, it looks like GEN 1
The Terrain gets an 8 speed trans. & the Equinox gets a CVT?
AWD Equinox gets the 8-speed… FWD gets CVT.
I wish it came with a real engine. It's in the wifes wheelhouse, but I hate how weak these tiny engines are
Wives never look under the hood. Mine wants a Chevy Trax.
How big of an engine does your wife need to go to Wal-Mart?
One with enough power to get out of its own way.....
This putting tiny engine game is part of the plant to try to upsell idiots on EV's.
Say what you will but my wife cares about how much power the car has. Her parents bought her a new Sunfire back in the day and she hated how little power it had. Living out west and driving up mountain highways you really notice this.
When it was time for her to buy her own car she bought a Saab 9-3 Aero, willing to pay more for the more powerful engine even though the Saab 2.0L had decent power. She bought a new Audi Q3 recently and also paid more for the more powerful engine.
Our GMC Denali was more my decision, but I had to have the 2.0L. For what it's worth, she won't buy a car without a panoramic sunroof now either.