2025 GMC Terrain Elevation Tested: Send In the Clone

Being a clone sounds like an unexciting mission, but it works for the GMC Terrain. Although GMC’s compact SUV is the functional and mechanical twin of the Chevrolet Equinox SUV, it quietly sells in decent volume, offering unique styling with a more trucklike appearance than its sibling. For 2025, the Terrain has been redesigned, yet it’s still largely a Chevy clone, so it seems that GMC’s strategy for success remains the same. Curiously, only the entry-level Elevation trim is offered for this initial model year, while rugged-looking AT4 and luxury-oriented Denali models are launching for 2026. All come with a 175-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine. We sampled the Elevation AWD model. Front-wheel drive is standard on the Elevation, and that version comes with a continuously variable automatic transmission; our test car featured the optional all-wheel-drive system, which also swaps in an eight-speed automatic in place of the CVT.Decent ValueIf you want to save some money, the Elevation is the trim to go with. The 2025 model starts at $31,395 (add $2000 for all-wheel drive). The newer AT4 and Denali models come with all-wheel drive as standard; the former starts at $39,995 while the latter commands a $42,495 price before options. That’s an $11K delta between the base price of a front-wheel-drive Elevation and the starting ask for an all-wheel-drive Denali.
Slide into the Terrain Elevation, and it won’t feel like you’ve compromised much. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are standard. A large 15.0-inch infotainment system sits portrait-style in the center of the dash, and an 11.0-inch digital gauge display fills the binnacle behind the steering wheel. A pair of thickly cushioned front seats provides enough comfort for a day of errand running, and there’s plenty of space in the back seat for two adults to spread out and settle in for a road trip. It’s not the quietest thing inside, though, registering 71 decibels of noise at a 70-mph cruise.
Our all-wheel-drive test vehicle came with several option packages, including the $2100 Premium package (eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic liftgate) and the $950 Convenience Package III (ventilated front seats, eight-way power-adjustable passenger’s seat, heated outboard rear seats). It also featured the $1085 Technology Package II, which includes fog lamps, rear pedestrian alert, and a 360-degree camera system. The $1495 panoramic sunroof seems worth it, but otherwise our test car came equipped with several options we’d skip, including the $895 Black Edition package (which adds black wheels and badging), a $100 engine-block heater, and a $495 black-painted roof. As equipped, our Elevation tester carried a $40,515 price, still well below the average new-car transaction price.What’s Your Hurry?Out on the road, the Terrain’s appeal dwindles. While this GMC is stable and competent, its handling is utterly forgettable. Acceleration is disappointing too, and one must thoroughly exercise their right foot to encourage the Terrain to highway speeds. How’s this for mediocrity? Our all-wheel-drive Elevation needed 8.6 seconds to reach 60 mph and required 16.6 seconds to cover the quarter-mile with a trap speed of 83 mph. The Honda CR-V is quicker in both metrics. So is the three-cylinder Nissan Rogue.Highs: Solid list of standard features, plenty roomy inside, squared-off good looks.EPA fuel economy for the front-wheel-drive model ticks up by 1 mpg to 27 mpg combined, while the all-wheel-drive version is unchanged at 25 mpg. Both trail the figures for the CR-V and Rogue. The Terrain managed 30 mpg in our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, though, beating its official rating by 2 mpg. The nonhybrid Honda and the Nissan, however, each returned 31 mpg.Lows: Ho-hum driving dynamics, mediocre fuel economy, unhurried acceleration.Cornering grip is similarly mid, with the SUV’s Continental CrossContact RX all-season tires hanging on for just 0.80 g on our skidpad. The Honda and the Nissan both beat this result, as did the Dodge Hornet GT, which managed a relatively strong 0.85 g in the same test. The brakes are perhaps the Terrain’s strongest dynamic element, hauling our test car down to a stop from 70 mph in 167 feet.The 2026 additions to the lineup broaden the Terrain’s scope, and we were able to sample those during a product briefing in Detroit. The AT4 rides on all-terrain tires with model-specific 17-inch wheels and sits 0.4 inch taller. It also gets hydraulic bump stops that should hold up better over rougher, er, terrain. On the road, its ride motions are noticeably cushier than the other models, thanks in part to the meatier sidewalls of its tires, but road noise also seemed more prominent. The fancier Denali version essentially comes loaded, but there are a few styling options. Most notable is a set of handsome 20-inch wheels with all-season tires. It also gets model-specific dampers tuned for its lower-profile rubber, which helps it ride surprisingly similar to the Elevation on its 19-inchers. However, neither of these new trim levels improve the Terrain’s athleticism. You might argue that people don’t buy compact SUVs in search of engaging road manners. But just because compact SUVs sell in high volume and are designed to appeal to a broad swath of buyers doesn’t mean they have to be boring to drive—see the Mazda CX-50 and the Volkswagen Tiguan.
Verdict: GMC continues to crib off of Chevy’s homework.GMC missed the memo, though, and the 2025 Terrain is dynamically as bland as the previous generation. The Terrain stays in its lane, which once again happens to be the same one trod by its Chevrolet counterpart.SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 GMC Terrain Elevation AWD
Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE

Base/As Tested: $33,395/$40,515
Options: Elevation Premium package (CoreTec upholstery, 8-way power driver’s seat with lumbar adjustment, rain-sensing windshield wipers, dual-zone automatic climate control, wireless charging pad, automatic liftgate), $2100; panoramic sunroof, $1495; Technology Package II (traffic-sign recognition, rear pedestrian alert, 360-degree camera system, rear camera mirror, LED fog lamps), $1085; Convenience Package III (8-way power front passenger seat with lumbar adjustment, ventilated front seats with memory, heated outboard rear seats), $950; Black Edition (19-inch gloss-black wheels, darkened exterior accents), $895; Ebony Twilight Metallic roof, $495; engine-block heater, $100
ENGINE

turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 91 in3, 1490 cm3
Power: 175 hp @ 5600 rpm
Torque: 203 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION

8-speed automatic
CHASSIS

Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 11.8-in vented disc/11.3-in disc
Tires: Continental CrossContact RX
235/55R-19 101H M+S TPC 3198MS
DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 107.5 in
Length: 181.0 in
Width: 74.5 in
Height: 66.1 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 52/48 ft3
Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 64/30 ft3
Curb Weight: 3702 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS

60 mph: 8.6 sec
1/4-Mile: 16.6 sec @ 83 mph
100 mph: 28.6 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 9.4 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 4.7 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 6.3 sec
Top Speed (C/D est): 125 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 167 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.80 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 22 mpg
75-mph Highway Driving: 30 mpg
75-mph Highway Range: 460 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/City/Highway: 25/24/28 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDDrew Dorian is a lifelong car enthusiast who has also held a wide variety of consumer-focused positions throughout his career, ranging from financial counselor to auto salesperson. He has dreamed of becoming a Car and Driver editor since he was 11 years old—a dream that was realized when he joined the staff in April 2016. He’s a born-and-raised Michigander and learned to drive on a 1988 Pontiac Grand Am. His automotive interests run the gamut from convertibles and camper vans to sports cars and luxury SUVs.      
Source: caranddriver.com