2018 GMC Terrain: Road Trip Ready SUV

When a friend turns 40 and pulls together a dozen or so fabulous friends for a weekend in the mountains of British Columbia, you pack up a 2018 GMC Terrain and hit the road. The 2018 GMC Terrain is a road trip ready SUV, here’s what you need to know.

After driving the GMC Acadia 2 years ago, I was really excited to get behind the wheel of the sister vehicle; the GMC Terrain. The first thing I noticed immediately is the absence of the gear shifter! Instead of the traditional gear stick in the centre console, GMC has moved the gear selection to the lower dash. Surprisingly I didn’t even miss the shifter.

While I’m always in the driver’s seat ( just ask my husband) I make sure to check out the leg room in the back seat. The Terrain has loads of it and with heated rear seats and plenty of USB power, the back seat is a great place to hang out. I love the driver warning that comes up on the display to remind you to check the rear seat before you exit the car.

Junk in the trunk? Yes. The GMC Terrain has 2 rows for passengers giving the trunk area a whole lot of space for luggage, groceries, hockey equipment or the dog. We fit bags, food and stuff for 3 adults in the back for our weekend road trip.

I love the size and handling of the GMC Terrain. I would call it a medium size SUV that seats 5. Handles like a car but has the mobility of an SUV with options for 2 wheel, 4 wheel, towing and down hill gears.

In 2018 the intelligence and tech inside a vehicle is as important as what’s under the hood. As part of the GM family, the GMC Terrain Denali has all the most current tech features built right in. I loved the built in ability to download apps directly to the infotainment system.

If I’m on a solo trip I flip between singing my favourite tunes at the top of my lungs and listening to an audio book. Yes, I’m that person you pass on the highway who’s pretending to sing on stage in front of 10,000 screaming fans.

My overall opinion: The GMC Terrain Denali is a great mid-sized SUV that ticks all the boxes. Big enough for any adventure, nimble mobility for any road condition, tech from top to bottom and a great use of interior space minus the gear shifter. While I much prefer a larger vehicle for my family of 6, like the Acadia or Tahoe, the Terrain is perfect for smaller families. It’s worth a test drive or road trip for sure.