Overview:
- The GMC Terrain fits 5 passengers vs the GMC Acadia 7 passenger capabilities
- The GMC Terrain has a smaller more powerful engine
- The Acadia offers 23 MPG vs. the Terrain 27 MPG.
- The Acadia is assembled in Tennessee.
If you’re considering buying an affordable SUV from General Motors, your choices are most likely the new Acadia and Terrain. There are a lot of similarities between the two models, so it might be challenging to decide which one fits your needs better. We’re here to help you make an informed choice by emphasizing key differences between the models.
Body, size and assembly:
GMC Terrain belongs in the compact crossover utility vehicle class, while the GMC Acadia is a mid-size crossover utility vehicle. Crossover means that both have been made on a unibody platform, where the chassis and body are merged into one, which trades off-road capabilities for reduced weight.
The Acadia is about 3 inches taller and wider than the Terrain, and considerably longer at 193.4 inches compared to 182.3 inches, with a 5.2 inch longer wheelbase. Larger size, combined with other factors makes the Terrain the heavier model, with a curb weight of 3923 lb, with Acadia weighing 3487 lb.
The size difference allows the Acadia to offer seating for seven passengers in three rows, 12.80 ft³ of cargo space behind the third row, 41.70 ft³ behind the second, and 79 ft³ up to the first row. The Terrain can seat the standard five passengers and has 29.60 ft³ of space behind second, and 63.30 ft³ behind the first row. If the seating capacity or cargo space is important to you, Acadia is a better choice, otherwise, Terrain will fit your needs perfectly.
Those who wish to purchase American-assembled vehicles should know that the Acadia is assembled in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Assembly of the Terrain is done in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
Powertrain:
In regards to engine options, Terrain comes with smaller, but more powerful options: a 1.5L turbocharged engine with an output of 170 horsepower, and a 2.0L turbocharged engine with an output of 252 horsepower. Both engines have four cylinders and come paired with 9-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive in the standard trim, with all-wheel drive available in other trim levels.
The Acadia comes with slightly less powerful four-cylinder engines: a 2.0L turbocharged engine outputting 230 horsepower, and a 2.5L naturally aspirated engine outputting 193 horsepower. Paired with 9-speed automatic transmission, and just like the Terrain, it features front-wheel drive by default, while all-wheel drive comes with higher trim levels.
With the smaller frame, less weight, and more powerful engines, Terrain is a better option for those who want to get more performance out of their SUV. The power in Acadia is far from lacking, and will fulfill all of the necessities in a vehicle of this size. However, due to increased weight and engine size, the combined fuel economy of Acadia comes to 23 miles per gallon, compared to 27 miles per gallon in Terrain.
Safety:
When it comes to safety, as standard, both vehicles come with frontal and side-mounted side-impact airbags for the driver and passenger, head-curtain airbags for all rows of seatings, and an additional knee airbag for the driver in Acadia. They also share Teen Driver, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Passenger Sensing System, Onstar, and GMC Connected Services, and C-Shaped LED signature lights.
With the standard trim, Acadia separates itself by having Rear Cross Traffic Alert, HD Rear Vision Camera, Rear Park Assist, and Rear Child Security Doors Locks, but the Terrain comes with more: Automatic Emergency Braking, Following Distance Indicator, Forward Collision Alert, Front Pedestrian Braking, IntelliBeam, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning.
While both vehicles come with a great package of safety features, Terrain does offer more, both in standard and more luxurious trim levels.
Features:
Both vehicles share most of the features and even the names of trim packages: SL, SLE, SLT, and Denali, so you don’t have to worry about making a mistake, simply select the trim which fits your needs and budget. If you’d like a detailed feature comparison, the official GMC website has an extensive spec page dedicated to both Terrain and Acadia.
When it comes to selecting one of these two SUVs, the main thing to remember is your core needs. The Terrain has better performance, fuel consumption, and smaller dimensions, while the Acadia has seven seats, more room, and is produced in The United States. We can guarantee that regardless of the choice you make, you will get a beautiful SUV of high production quality, so don’t hesitate to make an inquiry right now!
