Name: 2025 GMC Terrain
Brand: GMC

GMC Terrain

EPA MPG: NA

GMC Terrain First Drive

Summary

Introduction

2025 GMC Terrain Debuts With an Impressive Suite of Standard Safety Systems

GMC gets rid of the push-button gear selector and adds more convenience and entertainment features

Overview

GMC has redesigned its Terrain compact SUV for 2025, following the redesigned Chevrolet Equinox that was announced earlier this year. The 2025 GMC Terrain gets new styling that brings it more in line with the trucklike looks of the full-sized Yukon and midsized Acadia SUVs.

The powertrain and overall dimensions remain the same with the redesigned Terrain. But there’s one major change we can already applaud.

While GMC didn’t make a big deal of it in the Terrain’s press release, photos show that the automaker has gotten rid of the ill-conceived, dash-mounted push-button gear selector in favor of a conventional one mounted on the steering column.

In addition, GMC has caught up to most of the compact SUV class by including a significant suite of advanced safety and driver assistance systems as standard equipment, including highway-speed automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, and rear cross traffic warning, all of which were either optional or not available on the outgoing Terrain.

Three versions of the Terrain will eventually be offered, but only one, the well-equipped entry-level Elevation trim, will go on sale later this year. In 2025 the AT4 and Denali trims will arrive as 2026 models.

The off-road-ready AT4 will come with an adjustable terrain mode, a raised ride height, metal underbody shields, front recovery hooks (used to tow the vehicle if it’s stuck off-road), 17-inch all-terrain tires, and a hill descent control system.

GMC positions the Denali trim as the luxury version of its vehicles, and as such it will get standard rear outboard heated seats, unique suspension tuning for a more comfortable ride, 19-inch wheels and tires (20-inch ones are optional), and hill descent control.

Here’s more on what we know so far.

It competes with the Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-50, Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester, and Toyota RAV4.

It will go on sale late 2024.

Impressions

Outside

The 2025 Terrain will be sized similarly to the outgoing model, just like the Equinox is. But unlike its Chevy sibling, the Terrain’s styling is far less radical. It has blocky styling, looking more like a traditional SUV. A large grill and headlights dominate the front, with the Elevation, AT4, and Denali each having unique front-end styling.

The Terrain will get a two-tone roof option in black or gray. This is the first time the model will be available with that popular look.

In profile, the Terrain flaunts body fender bulges with semi-rounded wheel arches. The bodywork pinches toward the bottom of the doors in “Coke bottle” styling, with the Denali trim having chrome brightwork along the outer doorsill.

In our tests, we found the outgoing Terrain had severely hampered visibility, especially to the rear and rear three-quarters, some of which could be attributed to the rising side bodywork and the rear roof’s downward slope. The 2025 Terrain looks to have a larger third window at the back end, along with a flatter, less-sloping roofline. Still, the rear window appears to be wide but not very high, as evidenced by the inclusion of a very small rear wiper, a feature common on GM SUVs.

Inside

Looking beyond the move away from the convoluted push-button gear selector, the Terrain’s interior is dominated by a vertically oriented 15-inch infotainment screen. Like the Equinox, the system has built-in Google services such as maps and assistants. There’s no word on whether the Terrain’s system will include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The new Equinox gets those apps, but GM’s electric vehicles don’t.

The gear selector is mounted on a stalk behind the steering wheel. The center console features two large cup holders, a phone charging pad in front of the center armrest, and a big storage box with USB ports under the infotainment screen.

Once situated behind the wheel, the driver gets their own screen: an 11-inch driver information center that houses the digital gauges and other drive-specific information.

All versions of the Terrain come standard with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. Options include a rear camera mirror, a panoramic roof, a surround-view camera system, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a heating element where the wipers sit when parked to prevent ice buildup, and a power tailgate that opens when the key fob is present. There’s no need to make a kicking motion to open the tailgate hands-free.

What Drives It

The new Terrain’s drivetrain is nearly unchanged from the outgoing model. At launch, it will be equipped with the same engine as the current model, a 175-horsepower, 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. But it will come with an 8-speed automatic transmission instead of the current model’s 9-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is standard across the line. The previous Chevrolet Equinox we tested, which was equipped with this engine and a six-speed automatic, returned 25 mpg overall. In comparison, the rating from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the 2024 Terrain, with its 9-speed automatic, was 26 mpg combined.

The AT4 and Denali trims come with driver-selectable modes and hill descent control, with the addition of a Terrain Mode on the AT4.The AWD Terrain has a maximum tow capacity of 1,500 pounds. It’s assumed that a front-wheel-drive version of the Terrain will arrive for the 2026 model year, as the Equinox will be available with FWD.

Active Safety and Driver Assistance

The 2025 GMC Terrain will feature a bundle of standard active safety and driver assistance features, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, reverse automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assistance, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and a rear seat reminder.