Used 2021 GMC Terrain Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Terrain, so we've included reviews for other years of the Terrain since its last redesign.
2021 GMV Terrain SLT
Stgcret, 04/19/2021
updated 07/03/2023
2021 GMC Terrain SLT 4dr SUV (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
43 of 44 people found this review helpful
As of today, April 19/2023 I still own my Terrain purchased in November 2020. It has, so far, not given me a minute's issue. The 1.5L Turbo is "okay" but the 2.0L Turbo is so much better. The Terrain is a very well thought out vehicle. Back seat flip flat at the push of a button and easily clicks back in to place. Seats are at hip height, which at 71, makes them very easy to slide in and out. The front bucket seats are fairly comfortable with many power adjustments. The front seats could use another 1/2" to 1" of width. I would buy this beauty again. UPDATE: I purchase my 2021 GMC Terrain brand new in November 2020 before the chip shortage, that isn't an issue with the 2021 at all. I just hit 20,000 miles a couple of weeks ago and all-in-all has been a pleasure to drive. I'm a big guy of 6' 2" and 285 and I easily slide in and out of my Terrain. Quiet ride and efficient and peppy 1.5L Turbo motor, although I would have preferred the 2.0L Turbo like I had in my 2018 Terrain, but the 2020 was the last year for the 2.0L On the SLT, that I have, are many positions to adjust the front seat and I do prefer the leather over cloth seats. For a 2-row seat SUV, there is plenty of room and the seats fold down at the touch of button or pull that works with the effort of one finger. I really like the info system and Sirius Radio. I have not used the Navigation or phone interface because I just don't need to. One oddball fact I discovered though is that when you want to take out the Cabin Filter, you have to use a 5.5 mm socket and that size is difficult to find. They need to go to a more conventional size like a 6 mm or 1/4 inch. UPDATE: I drove my 2021 Terrain SLT Elevation Edition out of the dealer showroom on 11/27/2020. I am 6' 2" and 72 yrs old. I specifically like the way I can slide in and easily slide out of the Terrain. I also find the front seat very comfortable and easy to adjust and has a nice lumbar support. I don't find the road noise so bad, but maybe that is because I have Talk Radio on all the time. I do agree that a 2.0 Turbo would be a better engine option. I owned a 2018 Terrain Denali with the 2.0L and I thought I was in a rocket when I stepped on the gas. I have owned my 2021 for 31 months now and have put 21,530 miles on the ol' girl and have not had a single issue, but there was one "what were they thinking moment" the screw for the driving compartment air filter is a 5.5 mm! I did change that filter at 18,000 miles although the manual called for 30,000 miles. Such an odd and hard to find size. I have changed the oil and filter every 5,000 miles and rotated the tires. I would like to see the same vehicle but 10" to 12" longer and maybe 4" to 6" wider to fit just a bit more beefy seat like the Tahoe has. Other than that I will most likely buy another Terrain and for sure if they reinstate the 2.0L Turbo.
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2021 GMC Terrain
S.M., 06/11/2021
2021 GMC Terrain SLT 4dr SUV (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
25 of 25 people found this review helpful
It’s been a about a month with my 2021 GMC Terrain and I absolutely love it. It’s not the fastest car in the world but it’s 4 Cylinder engine can actually run hard and smooth at the same time. As far as the milage it runs on gas, I honestly can’t complain. it’s the perfect size efficient vehicle anyone can ask for.
2021 GMC Terrain for sale near you
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Compared to the CRV...
K squared, 03/24/2020
2020 GMC Terrain SLT 4dr SUV (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
80 of 84 people found this review helpful
I drive a CRV at work all day in all kinds of Phoenix metro traffic. It is OK but my 2020 Terrain has it beat overall in my opinion. The 2.0 turbo is zippy, and quiet. I drove a 2020 1.5L turbo up to Flagstaff and I would recommend the bigger engine, glad I bought it. The CRV and its CVT transmission is loud and annoying on the freeway. Hard to keep a consistent speed on the freeway which drives me nuts. I notice the Terrain has a quieter cabin because I can hear people talk on the phone. I am 6’9 and would always like more legroom but the console of the CRV digs into my right leg, in the Terrain it does not. I am still getting used to no shifter but the extra room is nice. To me the only thing the CRV wins in the comparison is it gets really good gas mileage & it has never been in the shop for a repair in 88,000 miles (1 1/2 years). I hope the Terrain is comparable in that area! Not sure I agree with all the CRV hype and the experts ragging on the Terrain. I like the look of the Terrain and 18/19/20’s look WAY better than its boxy predecessor.
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Wha.... what?
DomDriver, 10/09/2020
2020 GMC Terrain SLT 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
34 of 35 people found this review helpful
As a current Terrain owner (AWD SLT 2.0), I am perplexed as to what vehicle Edmunds actually drove? My Terrain is a perfect balance of sport and luxury along with making terrific gas mileage as a daily driver. I guess the 1.5 turned them off to the point that they lowered all of the other categories to reduce the score. Seems ridiculous to get bent out of shape over an engine designed for fuel economy and not drag racing. But if that's not your desire, upgrade to the 2.0 and you won't be disappointed.
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One of the nicer choices in this size range SUV
Dave, 01/07/2020
updated 01/11/2024
2020 GMC Terrain Denali 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
128 of 138 people found this review helpful
Literally I don't know what Edmunds reviewed -- I recently checked out all the small-mid SUV's at the LA auto show and was surprised to find the Terrain to my liking. My brother has a CX-5 which is very nice, good materials and it drives quiet and handles well, but just feels cramped up front for me (6ft, 240lb guy). It feels roomier than most competitors including CX-5, has decent materials throughout, and the option for a very powerful 2.0L Turbo. I then test drove one and it drives really nice, very quiet ride, awesome acceleration, smooth shifting 9-speed. Nice storage in back and a folding front passenger seat to carry 8ft long items -- nothing else I've found has this! Edmunds must be paid by Honda or something. I wouldn't touch their models with CVT. Needless to say, I'm 90% sold this will be my next vehicle. 2024 Update The vehicle has been a winner for me for the last 4 years and I'm happy I pulled the trigger in 2020 as the powerful 2.0L turbo engine is sadly no longer a choice. Only issue I've had was the auto engine STOP has stopped working but since nobody really likes this "feature" anyway I haven't bothered to have the dealer diagnose. I understand it is possible it can stop working when the battery is less than 100% since it is sensitive to that and that could be a possibility.
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Likes and dislikes
Bennett Bramell, 03/01/2021
2020 GMC Terrain SLT 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
26 of 27 people found this review helpful
What we like: We loved the Terrain SLT we purchased a few years ago, so in the early fall, with $8,000 in incentives, we traded it in for a 2020 model. This is a very SMART car. Lots of new features and technology to learn. We like that it allows data from the cell phones to download to the car. Nice to set up your Google Maps or Waze, go out to the car and view it on the display screen. The folding front seat is a great option. Love the huge sun roof and its push-button shade. Very quiet ride. Good acceleration. Well designed dashboard/interior lighting. We like the air-conditioning/heat vents for the back seats. The heated steering wheel gets so warm, so fast, that you must quickly turn it off. All-in-all we are very happy with our Terrain. Things we're not crazy about: Fuel. Both the salesmen and service manager said if we purchased the 1.5 Turbo engine, we could avoid expense premium gas and use mid-grade instead. But the owner's manual recommends premium gas. It says the use of anything other than premium voids the warranty. So, we bought the car under a gas-savings assumption, but now fear the dealership may not have been truthful. Can anyone confirm that this engine can safely use mid-grade fuel? Also, living in Michigan, we purchased AWD, but I am disappointed with it. The first time we drove the car in heavy snow, it became stuck. And with its wheel design, snow became packed into the rim and spokes. When we drove the car the next day, it shook violently, with the wheels out of balance by the packed ice/snow. We now keep a snow shovel in the car and use our Buick AWD in the heavier snow. Another item, I don't like where the fog lamp switch is located. It's out of site, below the steering wheel, under the fold of the dash, where it sits among other push button controls. It is hard to locate the switch while driving -- frankly, you can't turn the fog lamps on without taking your eyes off the road. So, at least until you learn the brail of it, you must operate the lamps only when the vehicle is stopped.
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GMC Terrain for the win
Jake446, 06/21/2020
2020 GMC Terrain SLE 4dr SUV (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
45 of 48 people found this review helpful
I purchased the GMC Terrain SLE FWD and my wife loves it. It drives well, handles well, and is overall a nicer vehicle than the similar Chevy Equinox. With all the incentives that GMC had, we got it at the same price as a less equipped, base Equinox, but the GMC has much more features and overall nicer interior. The 1.5L engine is plenty for us as we are not aggressive drivers. My only sight dislike so far is the push or pull buttons for Park, Drive, Reverse. Not used to those just yet. Overall highly recommended.
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Love my Terrain
Mproctor, 01/28/2021
2021 GMC Terrain SLE 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
45 of 48 people found this review helpful
I was pleasantly surprised how peppy this small SUV is. I love all the safety features and the fact that I don’t have to pay so much for gas since it takes regular 87 octane. I took it on a long trip this weekend and it performed great.
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Unreliable where it gets below 10C
Lynn, 01/11/2022
2021 GMC Terrain SLT 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
Turbo has an inner cooler that freezes up on a consistent basis, leaving you with low power to limp to a dealership to have it dealt with. I guess GMC is not acknowledging there is an issue as they don't sell enough in the northern areas to worry about due to every vehicle with this engine has this issue. Cheaper to fix than repair permanently. Dealerships are overloaded with this issue. It is not reliable in winter, can't trust a commute, can't take it on a winter vacation. Can't trust it not to freeze up. Too bad, I quite liked it otherwise.
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Excellent value
Dutch, 12/16/2019
updated 12/23/2024
2020 GMC Terrain Denali 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
70 of 76 people found this review helpful
Purchased Terrain AWD Denali MSRP of $43,780 for $30,475 after rebates and GM rewards. It has heated/cooled seats, adaptive cruise, heated rear seats, rear vision camera, lane change alert etc. Drives great and gets very good mileage.
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