GMC Terrain mostly smooth

For 2010, Equinox was reborn, redesigned and enlarged. And now that Pontiac is going out of business, Equinox gets a new partner called Terrain, a midsize crossover sold by GMC. GM insists Terrain was earmarked for GMC before Pontiac was earmarked for extinction.

Terrain, like Equinox, is designed to attract consumers moving out of gas-thirsty mid- and full-size SUVs, as well as minivans. Good plan, considering GMC has dropped its midsize Envoy and Chevy its midsize TrailBlazer, and GM and Ford have dropped minivans. Foreign competition includes the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V.

We tested Equinox (Rides, July 19) and now Terrain, which serves those needing two rows of seats. (Acadia is for those needing three rows.) The only other things Terrain has in common with Equinox are the platform, roof and windshield.

GMC says it caters to higher household-income levels than Chevy, so Terrain comes standard with such goodies as rearview camera, auto-dimming mirror, deep-tinted glass, USB port, floor mats, fog lights, heated mirrors and projector beam headlamps -- all options on Equinox. Terrain/Equinox offer optional heated leather seats, but only Terrain heated cloth seats ($440 with SLE-2).

Front- or all-wheel drive and a 2.4-liter, 182-horsepower 4-cylinder or a 3-liter, 264-hp V-6 are available on both. Both come with 6-speed automatic. The 4 is a member of the 30 mpg club, with a rating of 22 mpg city/32 highway with FWD and 20/29 with AWD. The V-6 is rated at 17/25 with FWD; 17/24 with AWD.

We tested the FWD Terrain with a V-6. GMC says styling is bold, with large, slab side-body panels, raised hood, bulgy fender flares and low-slung plastic bumper and rocker-panel cladding.