With GM’s demotion of Pontiac to niche-vehicle status and the assertion that GMC will play a key role in the company’s future product lineup, the Detroit automaker will debut the 2010 GMC Terrain at the New York auto show as a replacement for the outgoing Pontiac Torrent. Based on the all-new 2010 Chevrolet Equinox and set to go on sale in late summer, the Terrain will be the truck brand’s smallest crossover and will serve as a slightly upscale alternative for buyers wanting something not sporting a gold bowtie.
As it shares its five-seat unibody structure with the Equinox, the Terrain rides on the same 112.5-inch wheelbase as the outgoing Torrent but is about one inch shorter and wider. Independent suspension and a choice of 17-, 18-, or 19-inch wheels sit at all four corners, with underhood motivation coming from new direct-injected four- and six-cylinder engines introduced with the Equinox. The base powerplant, which GM expects to make up about 60 percent of sales, is a 2.4-liter four making 182 hp and delivering 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway with front-wheel drive. A 264-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 with a city/highway rating of up to 18/25 mpg is available on all but the base model. Both powertrains are backed by six-speed automatic transmissions and are available with all-wheel drive.
In an effort to further improve fuel economy, four-cylinder Terrains—and Equinoxes— also will feature a rack-mounted, electric power-steering system (V-6 models use a conventional hydraulic setup), as well as a console-mounted “ECO” button, which, when depressed, boosts efficiency slightly by lowering the torque converter’s lockup speed and activating less-aggressive throttle and transmission maps. A noise-cancellation system, also included on the four-cylinder Equinox and operating via a dedicated microphone and the vehicles’ audio systems, counteracts the low-frequency resonance produced by the powertrain running in this more efficient mode. Additional noise, vibration, and harshness refinements include triple door seals and sound-deadening laminated glass for the windshield and front side windows. For more details click here.
In an effort to further improve fuel economy, four-cylinder Terrains—and Equinoxes— also will feature a rack-mounted, electric power-steering system (V-6 models use a conventional hydraulic setup), as well as a console-mounted “ECO” button, which, when depressed, boosts efficiency slightly by lowering the torque converter’s lockup speed and activating less-aggressive throttle and transmission maps. A noise-cancellation system, also included on the four-cylinder Equinox and operating via a dedicated microphone and the vehicles’ audio systems, counteracts the low-frequency resonance produced by the powertrain running in this more efficient mode. Additional noise, vibration, and harshness refinements include triple door seals and sound-deadening laminated glass for the windshield and front side windows. For more details click here.
