Luxury lite for the right price

When the invite to drive the new GMC Terrain landed in my inbox, I briefly pondered assembling a modular review. After all, the Terrain is a sister vehicle of the Chevrolet Equinox, sharing many of the same mechanical modules, so why not just repurpose my Equinox review from last spring? Change the names, move a few paragraphs around …

Just kidding. As it turns out, there was plenty of "new" on the Terrain program, including driving the 2.0T gas engine and 1.6-litre turbo-diesel that weren't ready for the Equinox event. Even the Terrain's base 1.5T feels different than when I drove the Equinox, partnered with a nine-speed transmission instead of a six-speed.

The diesel is the first such option in the compact CUV category. Hitched to a six-speed autobox, it promises up to 24 per cent lower fuel consumption than the 1.5-litre gas engine, and 18 per cent more torque, all while using a less expensive fuel. What's not to like?

Peak torque of 240 lb-ft arrives at 2,000 rpm, but Michael Siegrist, GM's regional chief engineer for diesels, says at least 219 lb-ft is on tap from 1,500 to 3,250 rpm. Peak power is 137 horsepower at 3,750 rpm.

I spent most of my Terrain time in the diesel and averaged 7.1 litres/100 km over a 300-kilometre route that had it all – extreme stop-and-go city driving, 120-km/h highway cruising and undulating rural two-laners. The diesel's real-world advantage over gasoline easily beats the official numbers.

GM says the 1.6-litre turbo diesel is industry-leading quiet but to my ears, the diesel sound signature is obvious, ditto sundry vibrations through the toe-board.

Launching from a stop, some modest lag is apparent. Between 2,000 rpm and the 4,100 upshift point, the GM diesel's performance is sufficient, but I recall Volkswagen's late lamented 2.0-litre cheater engines being quicker and quieter. Then again, the GM offering is available – and legal.

Let it also be known that the Terrain has a distinctly different cockpit design than its sister CUV. Two key differences: The Terrain's touchscreen is deeply integrated into the dashboard structure versus the Equinox's quasi-floating design; and Terrain adopts a novel button-operated shifter, which frees up more storage on the centre-console.

The latter aligns cup-holders side by side, which GMC says promotes inner peace by eliminating driver-passenger disputes as to which cup is whose. Apparently such strife is a "thing" when cup-holders lie fore-aft.

Another surprising fact: Thanks in large part to its Denali sub-brand, GMC has achieved real credibility as a luxury truck brand. In the United States, the average transaction price of all GMC sales is almost $55,000 (U.S.) – above Lexus, just a smidgin behind Mercedes-Benz.

The Terrain doesn't ask that kind of money, but it is pitched unequivocally above Equinox and other mainstream compact CUVs. Pricing starts at $30,195 for the SLE, with standard amenities including eight-way driver's seat, dual-zone climate control, push-button start, HID headlamps, heated seats and aluminum trim.

The roster progresses through various other combos of SLE, SLT and Denali trim, FWD or AWD, and the three engines, to top out at $41,695 for the 2.0T AWD Denali. Various option packages pad the bottom line.

So the Terrain does start at least a couple of thousand dollars above mass-market compact crossovers. Then again, the Buick Envision and Lincoln MKC sticker prices start at around $40,000. Somewhere in the mid-$30,000 range could get you an AWD Terrain SLE with either the world-class 2.0T gas engine or the segment-exclusive diesel. With some GMC luxury lite thrown in, that choice would be a nice problem to have.

Tech specs

• Base price: $30,195
• Engines: 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder, 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder, 1.6-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder
• Transmission/drive: Six-speed or nine-speed automatic/Front-wheel or all-wheel drive
• Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 9.2 city, 7.9 highway (1.5T)
• Alternatives: Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Cherokee, Kia Sportage, Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, VW Tiguan

Looks

The Terrain downsizes to "standard" compact CUV dimensions for 2018, but has its own distinct look – less blocky, more industrial sculpture. The "pillarless" side glass makes it appear longer than it is.

Interior

Standard eight-way seat plus "low-and-away" dash facilitate a comfortable and commanding driving position, but the shift buttons low on the centre-stack give are a pause for thought. You push to select P, N, L and +/-, but pull for R and D. A learning curve is involved. Meanwhile, backseat drivers can enjoy an exceptionally spacious and comfortable rear cabin.

Performance

Diesel aside, the 1.5T is still a tepid (and slightly buzzy) performer despite the theoretical benefits of the nine-speed transmission (which, puzzlingly, shows no official fuel-economy advantage over the six-speed). Redemption is in the 2.0T. Also used by Cadillac, it's a peach – quick, quiet and more than a match for the 2.0-litre "fours" in European luxury CUVs. Handling? As we said of the Equinox, it "handles deftly, if not with quite the verve of, say, the Ford Escape or Honda CR-V."

Technology

Ample information and alert-and-avert technologies are available, though more so on the higher trim levels. CarPlay, Android Auto, OnStar and 4G LTE WiFi are standard. Lane-keep assist, side lane-change alert, low-speed forward automatic braking, Teen Driver and automatic parking assist are available. An unexpected absentee: adaptive cruise control.

Cargo

Cargo volumes lag the segment, but they're all useable: the seat-folded deck is flat and flush for easily sliding in that bargain dresser you found on Kijiji; the fold-flat front-passenger backrest lets you through-load your beer-pong table; and there's a sizable hidden compartment below the rear deck.

The verdict

7.9

The price is right for GMC's version of luxury lite.

The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.

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