2018 GMC Terrain Denali - Standing Out From The Crowd

With crossovers now replacing family sedans in America, there seems to be no shortage of choices in the small SUV segment. With a CR-V, RAV4. and Rogue being seen around every corner shoppers looking to not blend in have a few choices to pick. GMC's Terrain has always filled that niche with its standout design and larger size. For the second generation, what it loses in weight and dimensions can be made up for in fuel efficiency and acceleration. Its unique exterior styling certainly helps as well, but just be aware that for not much more/similar money, you could also look at something with a true luxury badge.

[@KennyPang]

The design is growing on me. I saw one on the street. It's one of those SUV where you have to see it live.

[@paulfuqua6377]

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[@paulfuqua6377]

Armando Sturzenegger 7

[@paulfuqua6377]

Armando Sturzenegger û7yyy

[@drivinginthedcbaarea]

I went from thinking it was weird years ago to now really loving this design. For me it made trucky meet sporty in a really clean design. I don't like the refresh nearly as much, too trucky compared to this one

[@CarboyJt]

would anyone say this is a great first car i want this exact model and trim 😅

[@larryrogers9060]

GMC has done there homework for this new Terrain..... I LOVE IT. Excellent review as always

[@svpracer98]

Props to gmc for at least getting the interior right. Definitely looks nice and they finally put the touchscreen WHERE YOU COULD ACTUALLY USE IT!

[@gilherrera6622]

Love it too!

[@michaelsousa2637]

I love my '18 Terrain, I've put about 16K miles on it. No real complaints, the only feature I wouldn't mind having sometimes is adaptive cruise control. The power is perfect, handles good, very smooth ride, decent visibility, nice looking car in my opinion.

[@flacko001]

Any update ? Looking at getting a midnight edition

[@grneyz0529]

Does yours have the stop start technology?

[@classicmicrosystems]

adaptive cruise is in 2020...and this is the only small suv with fold down front passenger seat for carrying long items

[@janicefortney287]

Do you have the 2.0 litre 4-cylinder Turbo engine? If "YES" .....have you always put Premium 91-92 octane gas into it?

[@michaelsousa2637]

flacko001 My Terrain has about 45K miles and is running great! The only problem is a squeaky brake pedal spring that I need to get lined. It’s hard to locate.

[@sebbieee100]

I sometimes wish you show how good the system is at perpendicular and parallel parking. That’s still a cool technology and I think more people wanna see it. Love your reviews

[@lumberjackal2462]

Honestly you’re the only car reviewer I mostly watch on KZbin, please never stop creating and posting; this particular GMC definitely appeals to young folk that may have never considered a trucking brand before, truly a equinox dipped in gold. That pushbutton transmission is... different but neat

[@ryanpham3308]

For a GMC, I'd agree, they're taking a step in the right direction. I'd have preferred a column shifter, though; everything else is great, nonetheless!

[@Sevan_UP]

Lumber Jackal other than Doug demure, saabakyl, and motortrend?!

[@lumberjackal2462]

Good point lol, I'm just waiting for the next season of the GrandTour to begin. Doug is very well detailed and has humor to match

[@mczenk5095]

This is what my wife is planning on getting, I just might be jealous, I drive a blue 18' Traverse Premier, but this is slick.

[@americaelibertas2453]

I'm very impressed with the redesigned GMC Terrain, especially the Denali trim. It is light years ahead of the previous generation Terrain, particularly in interior fit and finish. The previous generation had an interior full of cheap plastics and switchgear but this generation is greatly improved with upscale materials and a well-designed and attractive layout. I will also say this but even in the areas of the interior that have hard touch plastics, the hard touch plastics are of a better quality with a more attractive grain and feel than the previous generation. Plus, there are no panel gaps. Many people think that an interior has to be completely covered in soft-touch plastics to be a high quality interior but I disagree. You can have an interior that is covered in hard touch plastics but if they have a nice graining and are tightly fitted, then that too qualifies as good fit and finish in my opinion. I'm also pleased that GMC added some differentiation between its cousin, the Chevrolet Equinox. Even the interior looks different from the Equinox which is a plus for me. As for the new push-button transmission, I actually think that's a cool feature and the way to operate it sounds intuitive. That guy was being too nit-picky. A few hours of practice and I'm sure that he be fine after that. It did for me.

[@yohazem1]

GM is killing it with their new SUVS, very good chassis and interior/exterior design and quality has improved substantially over previous generations. I see these Terrains and Equinoxes all over the road, glad to see GM doing well and now beating the competition in many segments.

[@normt5463]

I see tons of them too!

[@issavibez394]

What about reliability

[@freddywayne]

I totally disagree with you on the pull buttons for Drive (D) & Reverse (R). It makes perfect sense so that you don't PUSH engage them by an accidental bump up against them. Ingenious design.

[@effend446]

freddywayne The only problem I have with this design is the way the + and - are mounted on the L button......If you're going to have a manual mode of sorts, paddle shifters are almost the standard bearer nowadays.

[@fj717]

Agree with you. The layout makes sense

[@jeffwilson3363]

Just bought a 2020 Terrain, and absolutely love it!...it was the showroom truck and couldn’t be happier!

[@diffsoun]

I think its probably designed to pull so that you wont press it accidentally

[@mrmm7322]

You are the best in the business your videos are amazing I love watching your videos

[@Edward_Bahena_mma]

This is a GREAT channel I love it KEEP IT UP

[@keyshawnrussell245]

Why couldn’t they make the equinox look this good

[@Eeaotc02]

Keyshawn Russell uh no. This is horrible looking.

[@awhs5435]

I find it funny how people call modern cars ugly, but grew up in an era where their parents and maybe even themselves drove cars that are just straight up boxes with wheels. You want ugly? Go look @ any car from 1910-2005

[@bokkey45]

A WHS you have to be joking. Cars from the 1950s, 1960s, even into the '70s and '80s had beautiful styling. Look up a '58 Impala, '65 Mustang, '67 Stingray, and a '72 Cuda and then say that cars from that era are just "boxes on wheels". If anything the term "box on wheels" is more applicable to today where the roads are littered with bulky crossover SUVs like this one.

[@ALEX-sh3tx]

bokkey45 they aren't too beautiful thats why the newer versions look so different

[@bokkey45]

Yeah, I didn't see that one coming from a mile away. Mechanical specs weren't even part of the discussion, of course cars today are faster and handle better. However, you were arguing that shitty crossovers like this one look better than cars from previous decades, which is ridiculous. I wasn't comparing a crossover to an old muscle car either, I don't know where you got that from. I was refuting your statement that "box on wheels" somehow doesn't apply to a generation where stale crossover SUVs that are literally shaped like boxes are vastly outselling sedans and coupes.

[@MarkG-up6wh]

The drive and reverse buttons don't push in because it does not allow an accidental shift change. But I think I like a floor or column shifter.

[@1515cci]

Exactly!

[@jmechanic9341]

safest proven system on the market.

[@ajkirksey]

This vehicle, does have the hands free lift gate.

[@janicefortney287]

Yes ...power lift gate is a $450 option back in 2018.

[@jzmusizz-4057]

This is beautiful!! I want one

[@janicefortney287]

Thank you for your review of the the 2018 GMC Terrain Denali. I just bought a used 2018 SLE GMC Terrain yesterday (5/15/2020) that had 27,240 miles on it. And it has to be the most loaded SLE in the country. WITH A: AWD; 2.0 litre Turbo 4 cylinder engine; 18" wheels; Factory Tow Package; Panoramic Sunroof; Navigation..plus it was a SELLERS GMC Certified vehicle and they put on 4 new Michelin tires; replaced the battery....anyway my wife leased a 2018 SLE that had $5,000 in less options and she just turned it in. Anyway, I was so impressed with this loaded SLE Terrain I made a deal with her, "You get my loaded $40K Jeep Cherokee Tailhawk and I'll buy and drive the used 2018 SLE GMC Terrain.....and she said yes. So now I'm putting my GM thinking cap on getting re-familiar with this 2.0 litre Turbo Engine ....MY question is .....So I now just learned that Premium 91-93 gas octane is recommended for my 2.0 Turbo motor....the key word is "RECOMMENDED" but not mandatory? So does that mean, I can get by with 87 octane gas on flat level no load everyday driving and not harm the engine? Thank You, BOB :-)

[@racers115]

Yes you can get by with 87 octane, just keep in mind that both the performance of the engine as well as the MPG's will drop with the 87 octane so in most cases you don't actually save anything by going with the lower octane. Also keep in mind that in many cases the top tier fuels offer the greatest ratio of fuel additive package on their premium blend which can have a positive effect on maintaining the entire fuel system trouble free for the long haul.

[@805NAVE]

I like the grille, but that’s about it. The grille reminds me of of some 1960s or 1970s decor or design theme. Quite attractive

[@jaimeramirez-perez7198]

That moment you said This is a "BIG" motor lol but anyways nice video.

[@1515cci]

Designing to pull rather than push "R" and "D" prevents the driver from accidentally shifting it when reaching over ---- hence the preferred pulling action for these two buttons.

[@tammydyson1367]

Beautiful GMC I Love the 2018 Terrain Denali Very Nice 🥰

[@yiyangcheng]

And the adaptive cruise is on the 2019 MY

[@MaryAnnBurton]

and it is on the one he testdrove! I just bought one and it has it on it.

[@sergiupuscasu2496]

The grille is too small for my preferences. I want all-grille!

[@user-cy3xh5ti1y]

Comprehensive video... love it bro.

[@yiyangcheng]

And the hands free liftgate you have to kick/swipe your foot between the left exhaust and the gmc badge.

[@quinonesm]

I have been watching a bunch of your reviews lately and I do enjoy them. I totally agree with your gripe on the lack of adaptive cruise control at that price point and is one of the omissions that have turned me off about it. What really caught my eye on this vehicle that I'm surprised you omitted in your review, is the fold flat front passenger seat, which is a rarity these days. This vehicle, although smaller than full size SUVs, provides a great deal of practicality with it's cargo space and flexibility. Even with large SUVs, you're hard pressed to stack a bunch of 2x4's into it, where this mid/compact vehicle allows that easily with that fold flat passenger seat. I typically look in the luxury segments, but was willing to consider this vehicle until I realized it lacked the adaptive cruise control that I use on every drive. If they remedy that omission, I would again consider it since I often use my wagon to purchase lumber for my woodworking.

[@shethjones4494]

that would've been a useful feature to highlight- more notable than worrying about LED turn signals.

[@curtisallred7250]

This design is really nice.

[@A_guan]

I'm waiting for you 2018 mazda3 hatchback review!! Since you just got it I'm probabaly expecting a video in a month or 2?

[@SMITPGG1997]

Awesome Review Of 2018 GMC Terrain Denali. 😁

[@robertkessler8442]

excellent presentation

[@jhguygih]

I'm deciding between this gmc and subaru outback. I know Subaru has its qualities and more luxurious interior but I like the buttons and screen without lag of the gmc. Also it has a panoramic sunroof. I know gmc will depreciate way more so, what to do? Another thing I found diff from reviews is that cabin noise in gmc is not good as outback or even ford edge. Please give me your thoughts.

[@peterlaskiewicz8252]

My wife has the diesel and she loves it. The gear selection at first is a bit weird, but once you get used to it, you love the extra space. Shifters seem pointless after.

[@richardgarcia5408]

The 2019 Terrain Denali does come with the foot sensor to open the power lift gate .

[@Trades46]

Considering the price tag, the newly released Acura RDX kinds of utterly knocks out the Terrain at every single category. Also Acura made great strides to make sure the RDX wasn't a rehashed CR-V in many respects - the Terrain still feels VERY MUCH like an Equinox in drag, to the point where the powertrains is shared.

[@bobsmith4292]

Good review. Not sure if discussed, but you mentioned that the Denali comes standard with AWD (it doesn't). It starts in the 37k range fwd.

[@jameshaydes6336]

it does have the kick tailgate, you have to kick on the left side swiftly, itll take a second and it will go

[@a.newman8299]

Would you be so kind and tell me the type of camera you use. Thank you

[@jessfreeman7501]

It has the hands free lift gate 🙂 it’s not in the middle. It’s over on left between exhaust and middle of bumper

[@yiyangcheng]

this and the cherokee just looks so much better than anything else

[@brandyag]

Always enjoy your review!

[@screamindemonAF]

I have a 2017 Arcadia all-terrain 310 Hp 6speed tow up to 4500 lb love the power and is fast I love the fact I can change it from two wheel to four wheel or all wheel Tow or sport love it 😮❤

[@nickschulman986]

8:55 to see him and his boo. :)

[@nicholascernatescu6685]

Nick Schulman why do you think that’s “his boo”

[@JBM425]

Of course, I am saying this three years later, but GMC did add adaptive cruise control as an option on 2019 Terrain models.

[@rigom.2853]

I know blind spot assist and cameras help with visibility around these new cars but holy crap the lack of visibility in the back rear corners of this car would drive me crazy

[@jmechanic9341]

I can see you don't have one, drive one before you judge

[@aliciakeeney1305]

Beautiful SUV!!

[@thenitroshop9377]

In Canada these sell for $45000 on fiance fully loaded and less if cash is paid... Very good selling machine, customers are happy, price and build fits nicely between the common SUV and the Luxury brands.. It does have tot activated tailgate... kick in and out motion right under the left side ultrasonic sensor...

[@carlover1799]

Great car and fun to drive

[@vondajennings5808]

Not sure which Denali trim package you have but it does have the kick remote

[@CalvinHikes]

A great mid 90s interior.

[@Skankhunt98745]

Calvin Sanders interiors in the mid 90’s didn’t have navigation dummy

[@coryr9938]

I wish interiors looked that good in the 90s. I love it.

[@usfanlovesjiwoo1978]

Calvin, your a moron.

[@CalvinHikes]

@@Skankhunt98745 but they did have terrible fake wood trim.

[@CalvinHikes]

@@usfanlovesjiwoo1978 * you're

[@destincoutee7377]

Can you do a review on the 2018 Buick LaCrosse

[@ericmoody4105]

Hey do a review on the new 2018 Lincoln Navigator please

[@jaycalvnatn]

Why did you show your left hand with alarm? The tires are not included?

[@lensorensen8016]

I have a 2018 GMC Terrain .Your video states no cruise control. I have cruise control on mine. I love this GMC. Great handling SUV to drive.

[@thomasau7563]

I believe he was referring to "adaptive" cruise control which it does not have. It has standard cruise.

[@gvc56100]

nice review but I would like to see numerical comparison to its competition in certain categories..length, wheelbase ,etc..

[@smilewink2180]

I can see that the auto up windows, and pull on the gear shift reverse and drive buttons are for safety reasons.

[@stephenhunt6568]

What. is that gear selector.

[@Stanf954]

My 2018 Jeep Cherokee Latitude Plus has most of the features shown with the exception of the optional Technology package. It does have the Cold Weather group that includes the heated seats and steering whl, engine block heater, wiper blade heater. Tow Package that will pull 4500 LBS with the V6 @ 271 HP. Comfort group includes leather and power front seats, power lift gate, panoramic roof, adjustable rear seats. 4WD with adjustable terrain setting. After taxes and rebates it came in at just under $30000. Way less than the Denali @ $45000 .

[@Michael.j130]

That’s because there garbage

[@RichardCasey1967]

Emergency feature add on. Is that a thing? LOL Great review. :P

[@Chockster612]

I also went and drove one and actually really liked it. However, with a $44,000 price tag and still not able to disable the auto start/stop technology was a deal breaker.

[@farhadmohseni1383]

I was looking for an SUV for about 2 months, test driving all so-called "Leaders of the segment". None of those satisfied me. Nissan Murano felt bulky and heavy, CRV, Rav4, and Rogue so small. Rav 4 also felt like a train like it was struggling for acceleration over 60, Equinox struggled to accelerate too (felt empty), jeep compass's start-stop was awful. Most of the others in that price range (New Santa Fe, Tucson, etc) didn't give me any impression at all until I found this one. 5-month driving and I would say it really stands out from the crowd. My only issue is the infotainment system which sometimes can't find my phone and it has become a pain. I hope GMC send an update and end this struggle. I drive my Denali in the highway for like 2 hours per day and sometimes with that power and Boss sound system, I feel like my blood pressure is going high. It's very agile and definitely a powerhouse with a comfortable ride.

[@ShieldsJustice]

Farhad mohseni One year later - how do you like it?

[@benjamincoulter4522]

The back window reminds me of the Honda Odyssey

[@johnweiser170]

can you get the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500HD

[@talcareyifill5937]

I love my 2016 terrain....no problems so far

[@armgaming8093]

You can open the back by moving your foot from left to right and right to left, same thing for closing it

[@FMC1239]

Did you forget the 2.0L Escape? That thing is QUICK

[@jmechanic9341]

yes it is, very quick

[@tdiallow1510]

He is extremely biased when it comes to ford

[@johnmcpeck2506]

did you find the seat bottom cushion very short for tall drivers? I tested a new Equinox and being 6'3", my legs were hanging in mid air it was awful.

[@thomasau7563]

Lol. I guess this make me being in the shorter population a plus fo rme.

[@mujjuman]

this is so cool i loved the first gen terrain. i thought this was the acadia at first

[@glitterkittensreid5079]

Acadia and Traverse are bigger siblings.

[@xmonger]

Great review. I just want to add that I have a 2018 Terrain. I thought I would hate that shifter but actually love it after a 1/2 hour learning curve. It frees up space and you can shift so easily and quickly using 2 fingers. BTW, the L selector is to limit the top gear for towing and not to shift manually. Also want to add that I got about 10k off list with GM incentives, so the true pricing makes a no brainier versus the competition. The 2.0T AWD drivetrain is best in this class by a huge margin. 0 to 60 in 6.4 sec. I love driving this vehicle!

[@sonjassykes-minorschool2650]

thanks for chiming in and giving the new terrain its due! I want to buy one and can't wait to do it. I haven't test driven the new one but I have test driven the 2017

[@janicefortney287]

JD: What gas did you use in you 2.0T AWD? Premium 91-93 octane is "RECOMMEDNDED" ...so I was wondering how often you fueled up your Terrain with Premium Gasoline?

[@JsGarage]

Man it would be cool to see that 9 speed diesel attached to the 9 speed. That fuel economy is legit on that diesel though.

[@justinkimble985]

This is nice I want 1.

[@gdmguy2187]

It does have the hands free powered tail gate

[@gosman949]

He did this before his review of the 2019 Acura RDX. I think the RDX blows the door off of this for just a couple of thousand more!

[@suttongriffin8154]

Jay G. Yes I agree, I love the new RDX A-Spec

[@babajungLA]

Yes agree! This looks and feels like crap compared to the RDX

[@J-W.-]

I completely agree idk how GMC got this to cost 45k thats ridiculous especially that interior.

[@wegotbrent]

Except the RDX interior looks incredibly cheap and ugly.

[@xungao3543]

Agree, but I doubt if gm actually expect to sell much Denali trim of this. It’s more like a marketing gesture to price it at 45k.

[@matthewmockabee2410]

Please review the SLT!!!

[@sophiekaz9469]

sooo pretty

[@kclefthanded427]

I'm glad it didn't offered adaptive cruise control because I actually want to drive

[@SRTst]

It does have kick to open tailgate but it's to the left of center not directly in center

[@shethjones4494]

I've noticed he has a tendency to claim features are missing on the brands he isn't that fond of without always checking to verify said feature is actually missing.

[@tommartin1223]

Does this one need premium fuel ?

[@nomercypercy2166]

Four wheel drive and all wheel drive are not the same thing. Good job dude, makes you look really intelligent.

[@silentrefusal9911]

Really a beautiful vehicle, inside and out. My only concern is how do GMC's SUVs do in longtime reliability compared to it mainstream Japanese competitors

[@drivinginthedcbaarea]

General Motors vehicles tend to be hit or miss depending on the model but these seem to be faring pretty well in reliability.

[@Tully3674]

I think in the south of Miami and Southern California, the competition will crush the GMC in sales. Toyota, Honda, Kia - I see them in L.A. but rarely see a GMC. On the flip side, I think it will do OK in the middle third of the US. Bible belt peeps much prefer GM & Fords then any import.

[@carl8304]

The interior doesnt even look like its from 2018. Doesn't even look like 45k vehicle

[@marketingmajor8126]

That's because it's not a 45k vehicle, you can easily get $7k to $10k off the list price with rebates, incentives, flex cash. So think of it as a $35k to $37k vehicle, and it makes a lot of sense.

[@dannyp9033]

What kind of phone case you got???

[@matbelliveau868]

When talking about a car make sure you have all the facts, i own this car, and the 4wheel drive system does NOT default back to 2wheel drive, it WILL STAY 4wheel drive until you turn it back to the 2wheel drive mode.

[@allyderaaf129]

How many does it seat?

[@hunteraugenstein8093]

Mazda RX-7?

[@MCGaar]

Little brother to the Acadia. I still like more room though

[@NileshR12]

With the amount of luxury features this offers, it almost makes getting an XT5 unnecessary if you want heated & ventilated seats front seats, heated rear seats, & a heated steering wheel. The only thing this doesn't offer is a separate climate zone for the second row

[@shethjones4494]

interesting that numerous people are on here claiming these are selling with $9k+ discounts. I checked local dealer site and Denali models are discounted about $5k if you meet all the conditions of the offers on the table and finance via GM. The actual standard rebate is $2500 for non-GM owners. It's actually lower if you are a current GM owner. Not sure where people are seeing these massive discounts on the 2018 model unless we are talking about demo models.

[@joshuar4535]

I actually did see $9k-$10k off Terrain models. Not sure why this offends you.

[@michaelstrikes8716]

Can the start/stop be disabled ????..this is the most important feature I worry about

[@theredline]

Unfortunately, no. The Buick has the defeat switch but not this product.

[@tharris7919]

To disable the auto stop/start, u have to put it in the "L" gear instead of "D". Click the "+" til it says "L9", since it has a 9 sp auto. When u come to a stop and engine stays running. But, it would be easier for GM to put a disable button tho.

[@kmeekins4168]

So you like the floating roof on the Terrain but not on the Maxima...we have very different tastes.

[@robs2765]

Rear visibility looks horrendous with those tiny windows!

[@shethjones4494]

2019 has adaptive cruise

[@ryanlittleton5615]

Garage Man's Companion

[@elliottmanning4116]

For 2019, you can get Adaptive Cruise Control. And come to Michigan, you’ll see plenty of Terrains.

[@shethjones4494]

they dont read

[@viivcreations9161]

TBH the headlights should kept going to match that front panel curve without cutting into the design. Would allow much bigger/better/nicer headlights

[@bertlee3470]

8:40 my guess is, it's like that for safety. I just don't like the way it looks though. those buttons look positively 90s cheap.

[@rinasharma6355]

Superb good car for $28000 it is good price looks beautiful

[@patrickptmonk8673]

At least it's not the Acadia

[@richardnottelmann58]

The review was very well assembled. However as a driver with adaptive cruise control I personally dislike adaptive cruise control do to its bad sensor readings.

[@shethjones4494]

i have it and rarely use it.