Filed under: SUVs, Crossovers/CUVs, Chevrolet, GM, GMC, Misc. Auto Shows
UPDATE: 2009 GMC Terrain a new vehicle, will join a new Chevy Equinox
by Alex Nunez on Dec 17th 2007 at 12:10AM 
Okay, the Automotive News story we were tipped on earlier is now out, and we can clarify the details about the upcoming 2009 GMC Terrain. As initially reported, the Terrain replaces the Pontiac Torrent, which gets laid to rest as Pontiac becomes car-focused once again. The news is that Terrain will be a new vehicle roughly sized the same as the Jeep Liberty, and probably not the exact truck you see above, from the sound of things. It'll join a new Chevy Equinox also built atop the updated Theta platform, and the GMC will have unique sheetmetal that's said to be "bolder" than that of the Chevy. Look for pricing to be in the same ballpark as the Equinox, which will start in the $22,000 range. The Terrain (and presumably the Equinox) will be built at the CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. So, while the new Terrain will share a name with the Antara variant being sold in the Middle East, it sounds like it's going to be its own truck, and not a straight rebadging exercise like the one shown here. We expect to see both the new Terrain and the next-gen Equinox at some point during the upcoming show season.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rwcmick 12:38AM (12/17/2007)
Alex,
Well, I guess this is where I'll beg to differ. I believe that the ME and US Terrain will be nearly identical. Basically the Vue/Terrain will be the same as the Outlook/Acadia. Slightly different sheet metal, interior trim, equipment levels, and vehicle dynamics.
I could be wrong and I'll take my lumps if I am, but I'll wager a beer with you Alex...Care to take me up on that one?
Michael
All Cars, All the Time
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Alex Nunez 12:53AM (12/17/2007)
Michael, based on the full article, it's sounding as if they're going to do more to differentiate it visually. I agree that it'll share architecture and components w/ the new Vue (which is also Theta, obviously), but if the GM treatment of the Lambdas is any indication, they'll be sure to make the Terrain and Equinox (and Vue) look just different enough inside and out that it won't be a straight rebadge in the old sense. I like the look of the ME Terrain, but it's WAY too close to the Vue in appearance. That's old-school rebadging, which GM is supposedly trying to get away from.
Daniel Cowan 1:00AM (12/17/2007)
I will respect your lumps, but I beg to differ. It seems to the ordinary person that this is a sigh of relief, and that we will not see a rebadged VUE. We have rebadging on the Outlook and Acadia, and the Equinox needs more power to help it garner some more sales. And besides, an Opel with a GMC badge wouldn't have had such a sour taste in someone's mouth, would it? One thing I can hope for comes from the minivan department. If some of these car companies learned a trick of the trade from some imports overseas, then maybe they could see that a minivan still holds a place on the bar of this market. In general, anyway you look at this, the news has a few people wiping beads of sweat from their brows. We can't fall into old patterns, and should not, or we as Americans will live to regret it.
rwcmick 1:28PM (12/17/2007)
Alex,
I did say "domestic beer" right?
Sometimes in my attempt to be on the cutting edge of automotive news I'm the one who ends up getting cut.
I e-mailed the author of the Automotive News article and he confirmed that the Terrain for the US market will not simply be the rebadged Vue shown at the Dubai show.
As some folks mentioned, it is interesting the GMC would chose to name two different Theta-based vehicles in the different markets with the same name. I'm curious to see how much the GMC version varies from the Vue. As I had mentioned, I think the GMC front clip looks rather good on the Vue and I would expect the Acadia’s little brother to have a strong family resemblance.
Michael
All Cars, All the Time
HotRodzNKustoms 1:01AM (12/17/2007)
This is what GMC dealers have been begging for ever since they lost the Jimmy.
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Tyo 6:43AM (12/17/2007)
Too Bad GMC Jimmy Owners wouldnt buy an equinox. FWD 3400 Pushrod, FWD/AWD 3.6 at best, no thanks.
I have a 1993 GMC Jimmy SLT
~3800lbs
200hp
260 lb-ft
pushbutton 4x4, leather seats, i f*ckin love it.
theres nothing on the market to replace it.
AfterGasoline 1:02AM (12/17/2007)
Thank GOD!!! I was hoping they really weren't going to bring this here, and luckily it sounds like they aren't. I do think a compact CUV would be a good idea for the Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealers, though, and that would fit best for GMC.
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Bob-omb 1:34AM (12/17/2007)
Whatever happens, I'm just glad this signifies the end of the Equinox/Torrent. Those have to be some of the worst-handling small SUVs I've ever driven. What an unpleasant car.
GM is by far my favorite of the "big three", but their product names lately have been awful. Equinox and Torrent will probably go away, but Terrain? Can anyone picture this becoming a popular car name?
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Philip 3:16AM (12/17/2007)
They should have rebadged the Saturn/Opel.
How many different Suv's Cuv's does GM need, they could save money and give each brand it's own theme like they normally do, the average Joe doesnt know, instead they waste a fortune on a new model, it seems crazy to me, I hope they forget that chinese motor this time, who really wants one of those?
So the Torrent Equinox will live on only as a Suzuki XL7, too bad for Suzuki.
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Pat 7:51AM (12/17/2007)
There tens of thousands of names out there. Why badge two vehicles "Terrain" !!!!
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Mercury Fan Forever 8:57AM (12/17/2007)
I still think that this vehicle would be better suited for Buick instead of GMC.
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J.Crew 11:57AM (12/17/2007)
So... I was dead on with my prediction in the earlier post on the same topic. : )
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Guenther 2:20PM (12/17/2007)
I just can't see past the fact that this thing weighs as much as 2nd generation Grand Cherokee. There is just no excuse for that- no matter how many safety do-dads it has.
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Jonathan 2:46PM (12/17/2007)
The Torrent was a great CUV. It should not be discontinued since a GXP version was just introduced this year.
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Ben K. 10:03PM (12/17/2007)
The only way they will be replaced by the 2009 model year is if Mexico starts building both along with the Vue. In the fall of 2009 as a 2010 model is a more likely intro date for the next generation crossovers. GM needs more entry level models in this competitive segment. Honda CRV sales have continued to expand, the new Nissan Rogue and Toyota RAV have taken a big chunk of the sales. The Equinox was introduced 4 years ago as an early 2005 model, it's outdated already.
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SPG 11:47PM (12/17/2007)
My only beef with this vehicle is that it seems too car based to be a GMC.
GMC's seem like they should be trucks with body on frame design.
Having Pontiac just doing cars almost makes this seem like a better fit for their division.
Having said that, I do support Pontiac getting rod of the Torrent.
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Kent 11:35AM (1/17/2008)
This is exactly what my wife wants. She has a Pontiac Aztek, which is 182 inches long and weighs just under 3800 pounds. For her, the Equinox/Torrent are too big, at 188 inches and 5100 pounds. And, having driven Equinoxes as rental cars, she thinks the interior is inferior to the Aztek, both in terms of layout and material quality.
I would encourage her to get the V-6, because the Aztek with the 3.4 liter V-6 is slow.
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Torrent 6:31PM (1/19/2008)
Torrent is such a great vehicle. Why cancel it?
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