As the automotive industry continues to find their way down the road of recovery, new products are slowly finding their way out to the buying populace. In the house of the General, the GMC division is long known for a tradition of engineering trucks and large SUVs. With that in mind, it is another sign of the times that one of the new designs trying to find the right mix of what the buyer wants, what the environment needs, and what the economy can afford comes from this team in the form of the new GMC Terrain.
As part of the new design to create a bold new smaller SUV, the term masculine is a common term being used to describe the overall look. The front view has a very square jaw line that suits the three-element grille that is surrounded by chrome, providing a distinctly broad chin that uses the lighting construction in a unique rectangular form to follow the same design lines. The fender flares promote the SUV look of being rugged 
without sacrificing the new style. And part of this style includes the interior designs, where the designs are yet another signal of the changes that the General is making. The Terrain comes in two trim levels that are designated as the SLE and the SLT, both of which are available in front wheel drive, as well as all wheel drive. All models now use contrasting materials and stitching to create a big departure from the stoic but luxurious designs of GMC past. Items such as heated seats that are now available in the standard cloth as well as the upgrade leather seats provide that additional sense of comfort and value. The instrument panel is easy on the eyes, in part due to design, as well as the back-lighting arrangement that works with an ambient lighting setup in the passenger areas. As with many new designs, the Terrain packs a lot of storage into the smaller package. The dash relies on an oversized glove box, with a popup storage location on the dash above the center stack. The center console, or arm rest as the brochures say, has 
a large area of storage that includes four power outlets that include a USB. While the USB is great for portable music devices, which can be controlled from the 7-inch touch screen mounted in the dash as part of the Navigational system, which includes controls to access the built in 10-gig hard drive. So while the large screen does allow for control of the satellite radio, it also it possible to create a fully mobile music library. As a photographer, I also thought it would be great to be able to use the USB to immediately review some images on the larger screen while out on location without dragging out a laptop – a good idea for me, but not one that is supported. I tried it anyway. But with so many other interior features, there was no dwelling on something I didn’t have to begin with. The rear-vision camera was very clear and I wondered why I did not have such a great add-on when I was pulling a boat on a regular basis. Life at the boat ramp would have been much nicer, if maybe not as much fun to watch. The sliding rear seat is a 60/40 split that takes direction from a few other GM products by moving almost 8-inchs – back to allow for more rear leg room, or forward to expand the rear cargo area. In fact, with the seat folder down flat, the cargo area is almost 64 cubic feet. The OnStar advisor was very responsive when asked for directions, and the programmable lift gate is also a nice addition, particularly thinking back over the times I banged a garage door when an uncontrollable lift gate that simply floated to the max. I first ran into a remote start system as an add-on to a Northern California custom Honda, and have been a fan ever since, so I was glad to find the key fob would kick off the Terrain.
Of course, performance is always measured by a persons’ own perception. The Terrain is not a Corvette, but then again, I can’t get all my weekend photo gear into a Corvette if my wife is going, and she always goes. 
So a smaller scale SUV with a little punch is always on my mind. The five passenger Terrain weighs in at 3798 lb. with a 2.4 L Ecotec four pushing 182 horses as standard power, and rolling on 17-inch aluminum wheels at the four corners. The optional 3.0L DOHC V6 is rated at 264 horsepower to get a little extra punch, and rolls on a set of 18-inch wheels as standard. However, at this level, there is also an option to move up to a full set of 19s. Both engines are tied to the same six-speed automatic transmission which contributes to the fuel economy by reducing the RPMs under the hood, which also reduces the interior noise. In addition, both power plants benefit from GM’s Oil Life Monitoring System and long-life engine components. So unless you are hauling the max payload of 1162 lbs, or towing the full 1500 lbs, don’t discount the four that is rated at 22/32 mpg on the front wheel drive model, making it the segment leader. While the six provides more power, it is rated at 17/24 mpg on the front wheel drive model.
From my time in the Terrain, it provided a truck like view from behind the wheel, and it felt solid, like a much heavier vehicle that would make for a nice drive across the expected 500 mile range of the fuel tank. 
The base price starts at $24,995 which includes niceties like the rear vision camera, a six speed automatic transmission, USB-equipped radio, and even 17-inch aluminum wheels. You can also step into a very nicely equipped SLT that rolls on 18s as part of the package that starts at $29,995, with more options available. Both are nice drives that the General has brought to a new level in this segment of the SUV market.
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