2025 GMC Terrain Up Close: Premium Experience in Compact Dimensions

GM badge engineering — which reached a fever pitch in the 1980s that resulted in Chevrolets, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs and Cadillacs that were nearly indistinguishable from each other — is still a painful memory lurking in a number of Americans’ minds. So when we see similar vibes starting to appear in the lineup in the 2020s, 40 years on, many of us get nervous that the bad old days might be returning.

The GMC Terrain just got an update for the 2025 model year, and to those of us who follow the industry, we acknowledge that it is largely the same vehicle as the new 2025 Chevrolet Equinox under its skin, with the same platform, same powertrains, and even the same horsepower and torque ratings. But our fears of such trends returning are being allayed by the clear and obvious efforts GM is taking to make sure that they don’t come back: different sheet metal, very different interior looks and even different interior content. That seems to be the story of the 2025 Terrain, which I had a look at in person ahead of its debut, and it’s not a bad one.

Related: 2025 GMC Terrain: Simpler Line-up, Nicer Digs

Different Enough

Different Enough

Yes, the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is the same as the Equinox’s, and its power output and transmissions are the same, too. But time and time again, it’s being proven by sales that GM’s customers really don’t seem to care what’s under the hood of their trucks and SUVs. Every new GM vehicle we drive performs more than adequately in terms of power and refinement, and as long as they do so, the customers are satisfied. So it makes sense that GM would instead focus on the things customers do notice and care about, such as looks and content, and it’s here where the automaker has been quite successful in making sure Chevys don’t look like GMCs or feel like Buicks inside.

The 2025 Terrain is completely different from the Equinox inside, and even better, it’s a nice step up. Even the base Elevation trim’s interior with the Premium Package features nice faux-leather seats, stitching on the dash and doors, soft-touch materials and really upscale trim. The new designs ape the looks we’ve seen in the Canyon and Sierra pickup trucks, and not only represent a nice bump up the premium ladder from the Equinox, but also a serious upgrade from the current Terrain. It’s clear that designers have executed a move to push the Terrain into the premium segment, especially with the Denali trim, as it features some very luxurious digs to accompany its larger screens.

The AT4 trim is also an interesting differentiator from the Equinox, which does not offer a true off-road trim. The AT4 might not be a true rock crawler in the vein of more dedicated off-road offerings from Jeep, but it does feature legitimate upgrades to make it more usable in off-road situations. Consider it as something good for people who live in more rural areas who frequently travel beat-up dirt roads instead of something you’re going to go overlanding in across the Arizona backcountry.

Screens, But Not Too Many

GM also continues to prove that it understands that the push for touchscreens really should only go so far; despite having the massive 15-inch screen from the Acadia, the 2025 Terrain doesn’t go fully into the touchscreen-controls-only realm. There are still a decent number of hard buttons and knobs for frequently used items like climate control and audio. The steering wheel continues to use actual buttons, as well. All of that should contribute to the Terrain pleasing its customer base by not requiring a lot of distracting screen taps for basic functions. The move to the Google-based operating system gives us pause due to our mixed experience with it out in the real world, though — it requires a strong data connection for a lot of its functions and voice controls to actually work — but we’re glad Apple CarPlay is still in the picture.

The Terrain’s size seems to be spot on for the category, too, with adequate room up front or in back for a compact five-seat SUV. Visibility out is good; the seats are comfortable; headroom is plentiful in any position; and cargo space is also perfectly usable. For small families, people with compact garages or even single folks looking for something more stylish in their everyday transportation, the 2025 Terrain might be a fun choice.

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