2025 GMC Terrain Reaches New Elevation—with a Huge Screen

• The 2025 Terrain gains size and weight over the current model. The new wheelbase (107.5 inches) is 0.2 inches longer, but the overall length (181 inches) is actually 1.3 inches shorter. The new model is more than two inches wider and taller.

• The new instrument panel projects an upmarket feel, with an all-business horizontal orientation and a large 15-inch central infotainment screen to the right of the 11-inch digital instrument cluster.

• Gone are SLE and SLT lower-level trims, replaced by a new Elevation base grade. While newly redesigned vehicles often come first in top trim, the reverse will happen for the Terrain.

It’s almost time to test-drive the fully redesigned Chevrolet Equinox, and that means its GMC platform mate must be getting a reskin as well. The 2025 GMC Terrain launches in a new base Elevation trim this year, followed next year by AT4 and Denali trims as 2026 models.

This will be the third-generation Terrain to enter the US market, slotting in below the three-row GMC Acadia (which was redesigned last year) and the even larger GMC Yukon SUV, which is being refreshed for ‘25. (More on that next week.)

The front-wheel-drive Terrain shares its unibody platform with the Equinox, which soon will arrive in fourth-generation dress. The first Equinox rolled out in 2005, and that first generation did well enough on the sales front that the bean counters said GMC should get a variant of this midsize crossover as well. Thus, the Terrain was born in 2010, the same year the second-generation Equinox was rolling in to showrooms.

The 2025 Terrain gains size and weight over the current model. The new wheelbase (107.5 inches) is 0.2 inches longer, but the overall length (181 inches) is actually 1.3 inches shorter.

The new model is more than two inches wider and taller (74.5 inches and 67.5 inches, respectively), but ground clearance is down a considerable 2.2 inches (to 5.7 inches) from the existing Terrain. The base curb weight is up nearly 25 pounds to 3,444 pounds.

The interior for the 2025 Terrain represents a significant update. Gone are the small infotainment screen in the center of an undulating instrument panel, flanked by vertical air vents, above three rows of hard buttons. That was an old look that has not aged gracefully.

The new instrument panel projects an upmarket feel, with an all-business horizontal orientation and a large 15-inch central infotainment screen now hovering in front of it and to the right of the 11-inch digital instrument cluster. By today’s standards, a 15-inch screen is not that big, but it certainly seems so in a vehicle this size.

Integrated within the lower quarter of that screen are several hard buttons and switches for climate control, lighting, seat heat, and—yes—a jumbo volume knob. Beyond those and the engine start button, there are no other dashboard controls to the right of the steering wheel.

The buttons and switches on the fully redesigned steering wheel also appear to be much more user friendly than on the previous Terrain.

Most of the dimensions for head room, and hip room grow by about one inch in both rows, but the big step up is an extra three inches of front-row legroom (to 43.9 inches). Cargo volume behind the second-row seats is basically unchanged at 29.8 cubic feet.

On the mechanical front, there are few significant changes from the previous Terrain. The same 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder still makes 175 hp and 203 lb-ft of torque, although that torque rating drops to 184 lb-ft for the base Elevation trim from front-wheel drive.

An eight-speed automatic transmission channels that power with AWD, while a CVT does the work in FWD models. In the ’24 Terrain, a nine-speed automatic was standard across all trims. Fuel-economy ratings are not yet available, but the best overall mileage for the ’24 model was 24 mpg city and 29 mpg highway.

Once again, McPherson struts underpin the front end, while a four-link independent suspension is found out back, and the turning circle is slightly tighter, at 11.3 feet. Braking gets a big upgrade, from 11.8-inch front and 11.3-inch rear rotors to 16-inch rotors at all four corners for the new Terrain.

The previous model came available with 17-, 18, and 19-inch rims, but the redesigned crossover now offers 17-, 19-, and 20-inchers.

The Terrain’s overall shape changes little from the previous generation, although the new grille stands a bit more upright, looking more substantial. There appears to be more glass behind the C-pillars, which should improve rear visibility. The tail lamps also appear to be thinner and more stylish than the clunky rear lights of the previous model.

An available hands-free “Auto Sense” power liftgate uses sensors to automatically open when it detects the owner and the key fob stationary for a few seconds—no more awkward swinging of the leg under the rear bumper hoping to open the liftgate. Trailering capacity is unchanged, at 1,500 pounds, and there will be eight available camera views.

The trim levels have been consolidated. Gone are SLE and SLT lower-level trims, replaced by a new Elevation base grade. While newly redesigned vehicles often come first in top trim, the reverse will happen for the Terrain.

The 2025 Terrain will be sold only in base Elevation trim starting in October with standard AWD, followed next year with a 2026 FWD offering as well. But the uplevel Denali and offroad-ready AT4 trim levels won’t be offered until next year, as ’26 models.

Once all three trims are available, GMC expects about 70% of the mix to be Elevation, with the remainder equally split between AT4 and Denali. Of the Elevation models, nearly 40% of buyers are expected to choose the black trim edition.

Expect more info about ’25 Terrain pricing as the launch approaches. Pricing for the 2024 Terrain starts at $30,095, about $500 more than the Chevy Equinox.

Is the redesigned GMC Terrain on your midsize crossover shopping list, or the new Chevy Equinox? Please comment below.