2019 GMC Terrain

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EIRUT: Here’s a general trait of the automotive industry: New models that replace the previous ones usually show a marked evolution, but you can always detect traces of the previous car’s styling, especially when it comes to popular vehicles.

GMC, with the new Terrain, blows that tradition out of the water, releasing a design so fresh, so radical, that the SUV looks like it skipped forward several generations. Gone is the butch styling of the former car, meaning no more bulging fender flares to accommodate the car’s wide track.

Instead the new Terrain comes off as a handsome and elegant compact SUV that looks great in any situation and performs just as capably. Immediately eye-catching is the C-shaped lighting theme, which is applied to both the headlights and the tail lamps. The bold front end is adorned by a massive signature chrome-framed grille that speaks volumes of the car’s heritage.

The sheet metal is more subdued, with broad surfaces that stretch all the way to the rear, with a stylish beltline that feels very contemporary. The glasshouse is also generous, arcing up and back only to taper toward the rear and merge with the glass in the rear gate.

The lower part of the Terrain is clad in black plastic that runs along the length of the car and around the wheel wells, giving the illusion of a longer and sleeker design despite its tall stance, which provides excellent interior space.

Chrome is used sparingly, but enough to garner a premium feel, while the body-colored door handles and slick gloss black door mirror housings further accentuate that sophistication.

These are definitely very different and welcome styling cues, a marked departure from the previous model that prepares the Terrain well for the turn of the decade.

The interior, with seating for five, is just as smart, with a subtle yet stylish dash, brushed aluminum accents and polished wood trim. The seats, offered in a nicely textured fabric, are remarkably supportive and more than capable of keeping you comfortable on long trips, even if that means heavy Beirut traffic.

It goes without saying that both front and rear seats are generous when it comes to space, with a cargo area that’s sufficiently large to transport a more than reasonable amount of stuff.

But all of that, as impressive as it sounds, is just part of what makes the new Terrain truly remarkable. Consider, for example, the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder mill. Developing 252 horsepower and 355 Newton-meters of torque, it’s more than capable of managing Lebanon’s mountain roads with ease, making an uphill trek an absolute pleasure. Add to that the optional traction on all four corners on the all-wheel-drive model, and you’ve got the makings of a capable all-season people hauler.

And yet despite its praiseworthy part-time AWD traction system, which when left in front-wheel-drive mode helps reduce fuel consumption, the Terrain offers an astonishingly serene ride, which is all the more surprising considering that on corners it maintains its composure quite well for a relatively tall car.

Then there’s the matter of the nine-speed transmission. That’s right, the Terrain feature nine gears, the close ratios keeping shifts smooth and intrusive. What you will notice is that there’s no traditional shifter, not even behind the steering wheel or a even Jaguar-style knob.

On that front, GMC has gotten clever, placing the buttons for Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive and L+- horizontally toward the lower part of the central stack. It’s jarring at first, but quickly becomes intuitive and soon you start to appreciate the absence of clutter between the front seats.

You and your family will also appreciate the safety features, which include dual-stage frontal air bags, thorax and side-impact air bags, driver and passenger as well as head, curtain and side impact bags, complete with a passenger sensing system. Also included are four-wheel anti-lock brakes and 16-inch front and rear discs, not to mention stability and traction control.

This car is without a doubt geared for families, especially those more concerned with functionality and practicality. Once your passengers file into the SUV, you simply press Drive and focus completely on the road. Of course, whether you’re driving the front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive model, you have the benefit of a 7-inch infotainment touch-screen that includes Bluetooth phone connectivity and audio streaming with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, and complete with six speakers.

You also get a 3.5-inch monochromatic driver information screen, an auxiliary port and two USB data ports in the front center storage bin, as well as two USB charging ports on the rear of the center console. As one would expect of a car of this caliber, you also get a multifunction steering wheel, anti-glare mirror, remote keyless entry, keyless push-button start, tire pressure monitoring system, electronic cruise control, rear vision camera and signature LED daytime running lights.

As it stands, that’s a lot of car with exceptional styling and unequivocal GMC durability. Add to that the fact that no other car shares the Terrain’s distinctive design scheme, and you’re looking at a bona fide winner. For a starting price of $32,400 on the road for the front-wheel-drive model and $38,900 for the all-wheel drive variant, which comes with 18-inch alloy rims, that’s not a bad deal, especially considering you get three-year or 100,000-kilometer warranty and 24-hour roadside assistance. It’s definitely worth putting it on the shortlist for a compact family SUV.