{"id":21095,"date":"2017-09-13T15:38:38","date_gmt":"2017-09-13T19:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=21095"},"modified":"2017-09-19T15:39:55","modified_gmt":"2017-09-19T19:39:55","slug":"payne-athletic-terrain-breaks-gmc-truck-mold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2017\/09\/payne-athletic-terrain-breaks-gmc-truck-mold","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Athletic Terrain breaks GMC truck mold"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/9ddb467e530c282d9c101d355e6531a65fc7e7f3\/c=504-0-3528-2268&amp;r=x404&amp;c=534x401\/local\/-\/media\/2017\/09\/13\/DetroitNews\/B99574234Z.1_20170913184227_000_GL51L5F8R.1-0.jpg\" alt=\"denali_downtown\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><p class=\"speakable-p-1 p-text\">The compact SUV tourney is where it\u2019s at these days. And the big field vying for the big prize money looks like a multinational U.S. Open tennis draw with everyone dressed in the same outfit \u2014 all-wheel-drive, five-door utes riding a half-foot off the ground.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-2 p-text\">Like tennis nationalities \u2014 big-serving Americans, steady Spaniards, flamboyant Frenchman \u2014 auto brands tend to conform to stereotype. They know what they do well and they bring their A game to family utes. Jeep Cherokee ruggedness, Honda CR-V efficiency, Mazda ZOOM ZOOM, GMC nimbleness.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Wait. &#8230; GMC what?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Isn\u2019t GMC a truck brand? A hunky wall of steel that can break through walls and spit nails? A relative newcomer to the small ute segment, GMC is using America\u2019s SUV transformation to do some transforming of its own. The all-new, 2018 GMC Terrain is a breakout vehicle, softening the brand\u2019s truck-tough image and maximizing its premium-grade swagger.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ad-position-183\" class=\"partner-placement partner-spike\" data-monetization-id=\"native-article_link\" data-monetization-sizes=\"fluid,3,3\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-news-opinion-185\" class=\"ad-slot\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_0__container__\"><iframe id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_0\" title=\"3rd party ad content\" name=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_0\" width=\"100%\" height=\"0\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">If the stylish GMC Sierra Denali pickup is a Chevy Silverado in a tux, then say hello to Terrain Denali \u2014 the compact Chevy Equinox\u2019s stylish brother. Upscale in taste, this GMC competes at the high end of the compact segment with the VW Tiguan and my segment standard, the Mazda CX-5 \u2014 two more well-dressed brands that blur the line between mainstream and lux.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/opinion\/columnists\/henry-payne\/2016\/05\/25\/payne-suv-smackdown-acadia-vs-cx\/84949424\/\">new GMC Acadia I flogged all over Northern Virginia a year ago<\/a>\u00a0attempts the same trick in the mid-size space, but its wardrobe falls short when compared to a looker like the Mazda CX-9.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Not so Terrain which the designers have knocked out of the park.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Gone is the first-gen Terrain\u2019s chunky shoulders and square jaw. The bold look is still there \u2014 like GMC has been carved from granite. But straying from its truck roots, the Terrain is a riot of expressive details echoing Japanese fashion.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ad-position-174\" class=\"partner-outstream\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-outstream_video-news-opinion-176\" class=\"ad-slot\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/outstream_video\/news\/opinion_1__container__\"><iframe id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/outstream_video\/news\/opinion_1\" title=\"3rd party ad content\" name=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/outstream_video\/news\/opinion_1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I test drove the compact ute from Pittsburgh to Fallingwater, Pennsylvania \u2014 architect Frank Lloyd Wright\u2019s masterpiece that was heavily influenced by his time in Japan. American animation has also dipped its quill in the Japanese ink well. Add Terrain as a student of Asian fashion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">There\u2019s its \u201cfloating roof\u201d C-pillar pioneered by the Nissan Murano and Toyota C-HR crossovers. The canopy\u2019s flowing lines depart from SUV tradition even as it creates a blind spot the size of Rhode Island. Hey, Wright\u2019s Fallingwater created some creature discomforts too. Fortunately, Terrain has the driver covered with safety systems on offer like blind spot assist on all but the base grade.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">More Japanese influence appears in back with the Terrain\u2019s signature \u201cC-clamp\u201d taillights bent to stylized \u201cboomerangs\u201d \u2014 an echo of Nissan and Honda. The Cs are sprinkled liberally throughout the GMC including the beautifully integrated front fascia with scalloped bodywork cupping the C-clamp peepers and big grille.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Mission accomplished: The designers have our attention.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Inside the design is more truck-like \u2014 blocky console screen here, squared-off dash trim there \u2014 but I hardly noticed because GMC dug deep to provide a truly untruck-like, high-tech driving experience. Begin with the automatic transmission.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Shift-by-wire systems have liberated engineers from the gated lever (and freed up console space for more storage). Their innovations have run the gamut from balky mono-stable shifters (Chevy Bolt, BMWs) to my preferred rotary dial (Chrysler Pacifica, Ford Fusion Sport). With the Terrain, GMC\u2019s tinkerers have innovated \u201cElectronic Precision Shift\u201d buttons \u2014 nicknamed \u201cTrigger\u201d because the reverse and drive buttons are pull tabs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The buttons are horizontally-arranged on the console \u2014 park, reverse, neutral, drive, low \u2014 similar to Honda\u2019s vertically-aligned trigger. Simply slip your index and ring fingers into the (most used) reverse and drive slots \u2014 then use your thumb and middle finger to access PARK and NEUTRAL buttons. It beats diverting your eyes to a shifter gate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The nine-speed slushbox at the other end of your DRIVE finger is a treat. While GM\u2019s rear-wheel-drive ten-speed has won huzzahs in the track-stomping Camaro ZL1, the FWD nine-speed has quietly found its way into daily drivers like the Chevy Malibu, Chevy Traverse, and now Terrain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Mated to either the 1.5-liter or 2.0-liter (an expensive diesel option is also available with the ol\u2019 six-speed) turbocharged engines, it completes a chassis-engine-tranny trifecta that makes this GMC a treat to ride. Sharing the same diet as sibling Chevy Equinox, the Terrain\u2019s chassis has lost a whopping 350 pounds since Gen One. Like Equinox (which proved surprisingly athletic\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/opinion\/columnists\/henry-payne\/2017\/03\/29\/henry-payne-equinox-cr-honda-chevrolet\/99797576\/\">over North Carolina\u2019s Blue Ridge Mountains earlier this year<\/a>), the Terrain begged to be flogged on the rural roads around Fallingwater.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Through a twisted valley on two-lane, State Route 381, Terrain\u2019s body roll was minimal. Uphill out of a gulch, I encountered traffic, which I obliterated in a passing-line stretch \u2013 the tranny downshifting seamlessly to unleash the turbo\u2019s torque.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The experience reminded of\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/opinion\/columnists\/henry-payne\/2017\/04\/19\/payne-volvo-xc-mazda-cx\/100675622\/\">my favorite Mazda CX-5 ute<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 absent the Mazda\u2019s 2.5-liter, normally-aspirated 4-buzzer which shouts under the strain of hard work. You go, turbo. If the Terrain\u2019s handling shatters its trucky image, its VW premium competitor, Tiguan, rebels against family type.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/opinion\/columnists\/henry-payne\/2017\/08\/02\/payne-review-volkswagen-tiguan-suv-midsize-crossover\/104243740\/\">Three-row Tiguan is less precise German handling<\/a>and more three-row room and comfort.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The GMC hardly neglects the rear passengers, however. My 6\u20195\u201d inch frame rode comfortably in the backseat with legroom to spare \u2014 and if I wanted more the GMC\u2019s front seat will fold flat (a trick borrowed from the Buick Enclave and Chevy Trax) as an Ottoman. Optional rear heated seats and full sunroof further spoil rear-dwellers, making the GMC a nice cross between Mazda sportiness and VW roominess.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Compact ute shoppers will be hard-pressed to find a better value than a fully-loaded Mazda CX-5 (190-horse, adaptive cruise, auto high beam, heads-up display, the works) at $34,060. At that price, GMC offers just the 170-horse, 1.5-liter mill, though its complimentary 9-speed tranny and suite of safety systems makes it a better value than sister Equinox.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Opt for GMC\u2019s chrome-plated Denali edition, however, and it matches V-dub for uptown swagger. Both cars will push north of $40,000, but should make\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.caranddriver.com\/audi\/q5\">Audi blush for charging $52k for an Audi Q5<\/a>. The GMC offers Audi Q5 performance (both 2.0-liter turbo-4s produce 252 ponies) and panache for an Audi Q3 price.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Such is the packed draw in today\u2019s five-door ute derby where upstart mainstream brands are as worthy as top, premium seeds. It\u2019s an opportunity for newcomers like GMC \u2014 especially newcomers that play way above stereotype.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>2018 GMC Terrain<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>VEHICLE TYPE<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">FRONT-ENGINE, FRONT AND<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">ALL-WHEEL DRIVE,<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">FIVE-PASSENGER SUV<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Powerplant<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">1.5-liter inline-4 cylinder;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">2.0-liter inline-4; 1.6-liter<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">turbo-diesel 4-cylinder<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Transmission<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">9-speed automatic;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">6-speed automatic<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">(with diesel)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Weight<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">3,622 pounds (1.5-liter<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">AWD); 3,801 pounds<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">(2.0-liter AWD); 3,815<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">pounds (diesel AWD)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">$28,970 base 1.5-liter<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">($43,955 2.0-liter Denali<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">as tested); $32,295<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">base diesel<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Power<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">170 horsepower, 203<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">pound-feet torque<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">(1.5 liter); 252 horsepower,<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">260 pound-feet torque<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">(1.5 liter); 137 horsepower,<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">240 pound-feet torque<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">(diesel)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Performance<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">0-60 mph, 6.4 seconds<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">(2.0-liter AWD, Car and<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Driver est.); tow capacity:<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">1,500 pounds (1.5 liter<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">and diesel); 3,500 (2.0-liter)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Fuel economy<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">EPA est. 24 mpg city\/28<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">mpg highway\/26 combined<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">(1.5-liter AWD); 21 mpg city<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">\/26 mpg highway\/23<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">combined (2.0 liter AWD);<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">28 mpg city\/39 mpg<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">highway\/32 combined<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">(diesel AWD)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Report card<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>HIGHS<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">INNOVATIVE TECH LIKE<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">\u201cTRIGGER\u201d SHIFTER; DENALI<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">SWAGGER<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Lows<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">\u201cTrigger\u201d shifter not for<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">everyone; Denali sticker<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Overall:<\/strong>\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The compact SUV tourney is where it\u2019s at these days. And the big field vying for the big prize money looks like a multinational U.S. Open tennis draw with everyone dressed in the same outfit \u2014 all-wheel-drive, five-door utes riding a half-foot off the ground. Like tennis nationalities \u2014 big-serving Americans, steady Spaniards, flamboyant Frenchman [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21095"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21095"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21095\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21096,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21095\/revisions\/21096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21095"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21095"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21095"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}