2014 GMC Terrain Overview

The 2014 GMC Terrain is the newest in a popular line of compact crossovers by GMC. It shares the same relative design language of the Chevy Equinox, but of course, retains its own identity.

Exterior

In typical GMC fashion, the 2014 Terrain has a very rugged, militaristic look to it. It isn’t the smoothest, roundest looking crossover in the world. It’s very boxy and has a lot of edges. Whether or not people will like this design is purely up to personal preference. There are other crossovers that have just as much space and are little bit more modest in the looks department. However, this car is a must see for those that want a crossover, but still want to stand out from the crowd.

Interior

The interior is where things get a little more interesting. While the exterior has a tough and rugged look, the interior juxtaposes this by being extremely luxurious and comfortable. Heated seats are available, there is ambient lighting, touch screen radio, radio controls on the steering wheel, LCD screens on the back of the front headrests, and a touch screen navigation system with SMS support. The cargo space is pretty good, especially when you consider that this isn’t a large SUV. All in all, the interior is pretty nice. It’s luxurious and it’s great that it isn’t nearly as rugged as the outside would have you believe.

Safety

That rugged look would be kind of pointless if the 2014 Terrain scored badly on its crash tests. Fortunately, this isn’t the case. Following in the footsteps of the 2013 Terrain, the crash tests were pretty good. The Terrain has six airbags to offer a good amount of protection. However, the amount of airbags isn’t everything. It’s mostly about how the car can handle a crash. The NHTSA gave the 2014 Terrain an overall crash score of four stars out of five. The 2014 Terrain also comes with rear park assist, to keep you from dinging your car when you’re trying to maneuver into a parking space. When it comes to safety, the Terrain repeats past success and it very solid.

Performance

Now how does this thing drive? One thing that stands out is how amazingly quiet this car is. GMC is hyping up how advanced the noise-cancellation technology is for this vehicle, and they should be. This beast of a vehicle is quiet and smooth. The regular engine is a 4-cylinder with 182 horsepower. While you won’t be winning any races with this thing, it gets excellent fuel economy. It’s estimated to get about 22/32 MPG. This is the best fuel economy for most cars in its class. In addition to having great economy, the crossover drives well. It has a nice smooth ride that is more reminiscent of a smaller SUV than a rugged truck.

Conclusion

All in all, the 2014 GMC Terrain is a great car. It has a decent look, excellent interior features, great MPG, and is one of the safest crossovers on the market. While some may not like the exterior design, the Terrain more than makes up for it.