SLT-2 Front-Wheel Drive Sport Utility
2010 GMC Terrain

2010 GMC Terrain – Click above for high-res image gallery GMC's "Professional Grade" tagline works best when it's being used to upsell truck shoppers into Sierras instead of Chevy Silverados, but even wider mass-market success comes from snaring folks who couldn't care less about payload. And while the Yukon has its place at the table for some families, the thirsty brontosaur's broad appeal vanished with the disappearance of super-cheap gasoline. Hence, traditionally truck-focused GMC has crossed over, so to speak. The three-row Acadia was the beginning, and while the trucks are still there for those who want or need them, if you're shopping for a family car, the nice man in the tie would like to show you something different: the 2010 GMC Terrain. %Gallery-94408% Photos by Alex Nunez / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc. If you're thinking, "It's just a Chevy Equinox wearing a GMC costume," you're basically right. It shares its architecture, powertrains and even its suspension tuning with the Chevrolet. Unlike the bad old days, however, when this would have been a naked badge swap and little else, the Terrain's external appearance differs completely from the Chevy. In fact, the casual observer (i.e. the average car shopper) would never guess they share so much under the skin. And the shared stuff's nothing to complain about, anyway. We actually had the chance to spend a couple of weeks with two Terrains – one a top-trim four-cylinder Terrain SLT-2 with a base MSRP of $31,300 and the other a V6 version of the same model. The four-cylinder Terrain also included the optional stereo with navigation ($2,145), rear-entertainment system ($1,295) and some other minor options for a grand total of $35,780. The V6 model was more modestly optioned with just the bigger engine ($1,500), a cargo management system ($245) and trailering equipment ($350) for a grand total of $33,840. The least expensive front-wheel drive four-cylinder Terrain SLE-1 starts at $24,250, so this shouldn't necessarily be considered an expensive CUV unless you've got an itchy trigger finger with the options. Upon its introduction, we flat-out disliked the GMC Terrain's styling. After spending a couple weeks with Terrains parked in the driveway, however, our stance has softened somewhat. The blocky, truck-y look has a little Lego-meets-Tonka thing working in its favor. While the Terrain SLT-2 includes a chrome trim package in its bag of goodies, it's not overwhelming; we'd even say it's handled tastefully. The things that we aren't really crazy about are the swollen fender flares. Frankly, they're a bit much, and they help emphasize the rather sizable gap between the 18-inch wheels and the top of the cutout. Maybe it's supposed to imply the sort of suspension travel associated with an off-road-capable SUV, but that would be silly. Butchy looks aside, the Terrain – even when equipped with all-wheel drive – is a pavement-pounder designed for the mall, not Moab. Optional 19-inch chrome wheels ($900) would likely fill things out better, but you have to buy a V6 model to …
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