2021 GMC Terrain Review

Name: 2021 GMC Terrain Review
Brand: GMC

Price Range: $15,158 - $26,990

The 2021 GMC Terrain has a comfortable interior and easy-to-use technology features. But a weak base engine, unresponsive transmission and bouncy ride, along with a high price, hinder the Terrain from standing out in the small SUV class.

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2021 GMC Terrain Review

by the Edmunds Experts

11/16/2022

What's new

Optional turbocharged 2.0-liter engine is no longer offered
Minor changes to standard and optional feature availability
Part of the second Terrain generation introduced for 2018

What is the Terrain?

The 2021 GMC Terrain is a compact SUV with two rows of seating. For 2021, the Terrain will add an AT4 off-road trim level, giving it some ruggedly styled cosmetic extras. Unfortunately, the new 2021 Terrain AT4 won't receive any real off-road enhancements to accompany the styling update. Other GMCs including the Sierra, Sierra HD and Canyon all get some sort of upgrade to suspension hardware in the AT4 package, but with the Terrain it's all looks.

Edmunds says

The GMC Terrain competes in one of the most hotly contested vehicle segments out there: compact SUVs. It goes up against refined and spacious class-leading rivals such as the Honda CR-V, the Toyota RAV4 and the Mazda CX-5. It has two rows of seating, which means it seats up to five passengers, but it offers significantly less legroom and cargo space compared to class leaders. The Terrain is available with two engine choices: a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The 1.5-liter engine is the more efficient choice, but it's a bit underpowered for the vehicle's size, so we'd go with the 2.0-liter engine.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 GMC Terrain SL 4dr SUV (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $2.65 per gallon for regular unleaded in Mississippi.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Mississippi

$119/mo

$153/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

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Has Your Car's Value Changed?

Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4/5Above Average

#11 out of 29 among Compact SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the GMC Terrain from 2008-2022.}

$502/yr

vs. $465/yr
for Average Compact SUV

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.74x/yr

vs. 1x/yr
for Average Compact SUV

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

12.8%

vs. 11.5%
for Average Compact SUV

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

GMC Terrain Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.1

55 reviews

5(58%)

4(18%)

3(7%)

2(9%)

1(8%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2021 GMV Terrain SLT

Stgcret, 04/19/2021

2021 GMC Terrain SLT 4dr SUV (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A)

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.

2021 GMC Terrain

S.M., 06/11/2021

2021 GMC Terrain SLT 4dr SUV (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A)

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.

Compared to the CRV...

K squared, 03/24/2020

2020 GMC Terrain SLT 4dr SUV (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A)

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 …

Wha.... what?

DomDriver, 10/09/2020

2020 GMC Terrain SLT 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 9A)

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 …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 GMC Terrain, so we've included reviews for other years of the Terrain since its last redesign.

See all 55 reviews of the GMC Terrain

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2021 Terrain Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$25,000
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	27 MPG
Cost to Drive	$119/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	29.6 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the Terrain models:

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert: Alerts the driver to perpendicular oncoming traffic when reversing out of a driveway or parking space.
Side Blind Zone Alert: Monitors blind spots for traffic, warning the driver when an obstacle is present.
Safety Alert Seat: Vibrates the driver's seat cushion to provide physical alerts from safety systems.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover18.5%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Marginal
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 GMC Terrain Review

Price & Payment