2022 gmc terrain at4 main

Having worked in the automotive industry in many roles for over 15 years and currently the Content Strategist for Wheels.ca - Kunal's obsession with cars goes back to his early childhood. Even now his insatiable thirst to be in the know of anything with wheels and a motor continues, and will likely never fade. His idea of bliss is the open road,  good tunes and a manual gearbox. Kunal is a member of AJAC (Automobile Journalists Association of Canada)

In the past few years, we’ve seen a wave of new nature enthusiasts take to the outdoors like never before. Overlanding, backcountry camping, trail riding, it’s all surging in popularity. Reconnecting with the natural world, and the isolation that comes with taking the road less travelled certainly has a charm to it.

Car companies have responded with more off-road-ready vehicles, off-road packages, and accessories that can help you get as far out into the wilderness as you’re willing to go. GMC’s AT4 trim package, first seen on the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/first-drive-2022-gmc-sierra-denali-ultimate-sierra-at4x">Sierra pickup truck</a>, added brawny off-road bits and more capability, and it’s since been filtered down to the smaller models including the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/news/first-look-2023-gmc-canyon">Canyon</a>, Acadia, and now the Terrain.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173278" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/DSC03818.jpg" alt="2022 GMC Terrain AT4" width="2048" height="1365" />

The GMC Terrain compact crossover is perfectly suitable as family transport but it’s not the first choice for a tough off-road vehicle. My tester, however, was fitted with the new AT4 package that’s meant to infuse a bit of ruggedness into a vehicle that’s anything but rugged. But after a week with the Terrain AT4, I failed to see the point. It just felt like any other Terrain with a few extras.

For what it is, and for its intended buyer, the Terrain does everything it should. It has standard AWD, decent ground clearance, and a roomy cargo area. It’s also comfortable and big enough to seat 5 adults, and the big grille with bold G-M-C lettering has been synonymous with big tough trucks for decades. So it looks like it’s ready to take on the trails. Except that it’s not. And that’s fine because most buyers looking at vehicles like this have zero intention of doing so. I also noticed that the Terrain doesn’t get the AT4’s signature red recovery hooks jutting out the front bumper. That makes it harder to distinguish this as anything other than a “normal” Terrain outside of its AT4 badging.

So what does the package add? For one, you get a steel skid plate in the front and a darker looking grille. Inside you get “AT4” embroidered head rests and an off-road drive mode, which programs the standard all-wheel drive system to better handle loose surfaces. Last but not least, black 17-inch wheels with chunkier tires give it a tougher look.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173271" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/DSC03835.jpg" alt="2022 GMC Terrain AT4" width="2048" height="1365" />

All new Terrains benefit from a facelift that adds redesigned LED lighting, a redesigned grille and front fascia, and a refreshed interior with a new push-button style gear selector. Also available on the SLT and AT4 trims is a new pop-up style head-up display.

Those wheels and tires are probably the most off-roady thing about the Terrain AT4, and they certainly have an advantage on the rough roads and potholes in the Toronto area, but extra ground clearance and locking differentials are what you want for off-road duty and you won’t find that here.

So what this AT4 package really amounts to is a few badges and some meatier tires. Which hardly makes for an off-roader. Again, I get it, that’s not what this is but others in this segment at least make it look like they have off-road intentions and the Terrain, well, doesn’t.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173282" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-gmc-terrain-side.jpg" alt="2022 GMC Terrain AT4" width="2048" height="1365" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173277" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/DSC03820.jpg" alt="2022 GMC Terrain AT4" width="2048" height="1365" />

Take the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/vehicle-reviews/2021-toyota-rav4-xle-awd-keeping-her-fearless-and-footloose">Toyota RAV4</a> Off-road, which is a direct competitor. The “Off-road” trim is also more of an appearance package but its retuned suspension and more serious A/T tires are a step up and a more honest attempt at giving customers some substance to go with the style. And then you have competitors like the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/vehicle-reviews/review-2020-jeep-cherokee">Cherokee</a> Trailhawk and the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2022-ford-bronco-sport-outer-banks-review">Bronco Sport</a> Badlands that take things even further and will really let drivers get out into the rough stuff while still being perfectly suited for the highways and driveways where they’ll invariably spend most of their life on.

The notion that you have more capability than you need, sells, and customers look for this. It’s the same reason supercars have such an allure. You’re never going to use all that performance but it’s there if you need it. Sadly, there’s no such notion with the AT4 badged Terrain.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173280" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-gmc-terrain-interior.jpg" alt="2022 GMC Terrain AT4" width="2048" height="1365" />

Things don’t get much better inside with more cheap-feeling plastic than the inside of a dollar store and a push-button gear selector that’s not as intuitive as it should be. I’m also tired of seeing the same indicator and wiper stalk design on every single product GM makes from Chevys to Cadillacs, mainly because they’re just not very ergonomic, and feel like they were made for people with longer fingers than mine.

We did enjoy the comfortable ride, the smoothness of the auto stop/start system, and even how the engine just fades away into the background when cruising. We also liked the clear and easy-to-read gauges, the simple but intuitive infotainment, and the wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto. The Terrain is also spacious with ample legroom and headroom in the back for taller adults.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173275" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/DSC03826.jpg" alt="2022 GMC Terrain AT4" width="2048" height="1365" />

There isn’t a lot of power—the 1.5-litre turbo mill makes 170 horses—but it does have reasonable torque (203 lb-ft) for comfortable driving in and around the city. Passing power on the highway is ok, but again, competitors offer more here.

The starting price of $35,792 for an AWD Terrain SLE is also more expensive than the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-honda-cr-v-first-drive">CR-V</a> and the RAV 4 both of which offer more in the way of safety and driver aids. Even this higher-spec AT4 needs an additional package tacked on to it to get adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring which is offered at the base level on the Honda and the Toyota.

If you’re looking at the GMC Terrain, my advice is to pass on the AT4. It’s really not much different than a base Terrain, save for a bigger infotainment screen and a few more features. And if you want something with real off-road capability you’d be better off looking elsewhere.
<h3>2022 GMC Terrain AT4</h3>
BODY STYLE: 5-door, 5-passenger compact crossover

CONFIGURATION: Front-engine/all-wheel drive

ENGINE: 1.5-L turbocharged inline-4; Power: 170 hp @ 5600 rpm; Torque: 203 lb-ft @ 2000-4000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 9-speed automatic

CARGO CAPACITY: 838-1792 litres

FUEL ECONOMY: (Premium Gasoline in L/100 km)  9.6 city; 8.3 highway

OBSERVED FUEL ECONOMY: (L/100km) 11.1 combined

PRICE:  $38,992 (base); $42,948 (as-tested)

WEBSITE: <a href="https://www.gmccanada.ca/en">GMC Canada</a>

2022 GMC Terrain AT4 Review

Terrain front 3q beauty

With over two decades as a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), Michael Bettencourt has been writing about cars and automotive topics for over 25 years. A journalism graduate of Ryerson University, he has won multiple awards for automotive photography, vehicle testing, plus EV and green topics, and has owned various EVs since 2011.

If the best ability is availability, especially in these auto supply-constrained times, then one of the 2022 GMC Terrain’s most appealing aspects is that company officials are expecting a healthy supply coming – healthy being a relative term, these days. Also rare these days, and also important to many buyers: a price cut on most Terrain models, outside of the luxury-oriented Denali.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/22-GMC-Terrain-rear-3q-9.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168158" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/22-GMC-Terrain-rear-3q-9.jpg" alt="2022 GMC Terrain" width="2144" height="1424" /></a>

So in GM Canada’s fight to woo those considering a <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/head-to-head-toyota-rav4-prime-vs-ford-escape-phev">Toyota RAV4</a>, Honda CR-V and <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/vehicle-reviews/first-drive-2022-nissan-rogue-vc-turbo">Nissan Rogue</a>, among others, executives with GMC not only pointed to various upgrades of the 2022 model – including a new AT4 Terrain model that offers increased off-road ability with upscale features – but also took the rare step of highlighting upcoming “healthy supply” of the compact SUV hitting the market soon, as well as favourable lease rates brought on by a combination of lower prices and good GMC resale values.

As the refreshed 2022 Terrain went on sale in more limited numbers in fall 2021, GM Canada officials already have some sales data to back up that the new AT4 model will be a popular addition to the Terrain lineup. The Terrain was the last GMC vehicle to receive an AT4 option, which typically adds some off-road upgrades as well as luxury features inside, though not up to full-luxe Denali levels.

After a full day’s drive of the AT4, along with some seat time with the top-of-the-line Terrain Denali, the AT4 model seems a worthy addition to the Terrain lineup, but doesn’t distinguish the Terrain much from its rivals, or even its slightly less pricy Chevrolet Equinox corporate cousin, with which it shares a platform and engine.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/22-gmc-terrain-at4-interior.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168160" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/22-gmc-terrain-at4-interior.jpg" alt="2022 GMC Terrain" width="2144" height="1424" /></a>

The compact Terrain SLE starts at $32,488 for 2022, which is $600 less than its 2021 MSRP. All models receive new upgrades such as a LED lights front and back, auto climate control, and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, plus a shut off switch for the auto start/stop engine function.

Unique features to the AT4 include a steel front skid plate, upgraded Goodyear Sport Terrain tires with blacked-out wheels, plus assorted darkened exterior trim and AT4 badging.

Speaking of its exterior design, the Terrain doesn’t look radically different in newly refreshed form, and not nearly as boxy as it used to be before its last major redesign for 2018. The rear window treatment behind the rear doors blends into the rear glass similarly to the larger Nissan Murano, its rather prominent grille highlighting its GMC truck family lineage.

One interesting design note I wasn’t expecting on the off-road oriented Terrain: no visible tailpipes. This is a growing design trend among many gas-powered vehicles, but could also perhaps be a subtle nod to GMC’s Hummer EV and overall electrification ambitions with the Sierra EV it’s set to unveil later this year.

Inside, the Terrain offers plenty of stretch-out space for this segment, helped by a unique way to move the vehicle: instead of a shift lever or knob in the centre console, there are transmission rocker buttons on the dash that need to be pulled out towards the driver, while Park and Neutral are still push buttons. This frees up centre console real estate, but could be an awkward reach-around if you often travel with large water bottles or coffee mugs.

Despite a button for heated seats on the dash, pushing them doesn’t light them up, nor provide any seat heat. Due to the lack of available chips, GM decided to delete the heated seat function in 2022 Terrain models, and plans to recall these vehicles to the dealership when the chips are available to retro-fit them as designed.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/22-gmc-Terrain-HUD-14.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168159" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/22-gmc-Terrain-HUD-14.jpg" alt="2022 GMC Terrain" width="2000" height="1125" /></a>

There’s no predicted time frame as to when they’ll be available, said GM Canada executives, but GM does provide a $50 credit for the acknowledged inconvenience factor involved, at least.

This is unfortunate especially on Terrain Denali versions, which come standard with cooled and heated seats normally, plus heated seats in the rear that are also on hold. And on the Denali, unlike most heated seats, you can choose whether you want heat on the backrest and seat, or either one.

Outside of those missing features, the Terrain scores well in practicality terms, with a large back seat that in our AT4 offered dual rear USBs and a 110-volt power outlet that could charge three devices at once, plus another two USB ports upfront. Wireless phone charging is standard on the Denali, but you’ll need a cord on other models.

There’s also a large and flat cargo floor in the Terrain, as well as a fairly shallow but still useful covered well under the cargo floor, which is deep enough to carry trays of large food orders without them sliding around.

All AT4 models come with all-wheel drive, an option on base SLE models, and every Terrain is powered by the same 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It’s no powerhouse at 170 hp and 203 lb-ft of torque, and the nine-speed automatic transmission may have benefitted from shift paddles but it was relatively quiet and refined. Plus it’s rated to tow 680 kilograms, or 1,500 pounds.

From a fuel consumption perspective, the Terrain is not very ambitious, as it doesn’t offer the hybrid or plug-in hybrid variants of some rivals like the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/head-to-head-toyota-rav4-prime-vs-ford-escape-phev">Ford Escape or RAV4</a>. Officially rated at 9.0 litres of regular fuel per 100 kilometres in combined city and highway driving, after over 350 km of mixed driving, it ended up displaying closer to 10.5 L/100km overall.

Overall then, the 2022 GMC Terrain AT4 offers a roomy and practical compact SUV whose sweet spot in the market could be as a lease that’s available relatively soon, especially for folks who need to replace a thirstier older vehicle with one that is predicted to hold its value relatively well, as should also be reflected in lower lease payments overall.

By the end of that lease, GMC will have multiple full electric crossovers and trucks on the market, compared to zero electric models in Canada now. The transformational BEV driving feel and fuel efficiency savings – available elsewhere now – are yet to begin for GMC owners as this is written, but for those who prefer to drive gas-only, the Terrain provides a reasonable value-proposition, if you don’t mind the lack of heated seats, at least for an undetermined period.

2022 GMC Terrain AT4

BODY STYLE: Compact SUV

DRIVE METHOD: Front-engine, on-demand all-wheel-drive, nine-speed automatic transmission

ENGINE: 1.5-litre inline four-cylinder turbo (170 hp, 203 lb-ft)

FUEL ECONOMY: (Regular) 9.6/8.3/9.0L/100 km city/highway/combined

CARGO VOLUME: 838 litres (29.6 cu-ft); Seats down: 1,793 L (63.3 cu-ft)

TOW RATING: 680 kg

PRICE: Base AT4 $36,198; as tested $42,948

WEBSITE: <a href="http://www.gmccanada.ca">www.gmccanada.ca</a>
The vehicle was provided to the writer by the automaker. Content and vehicle evaluations were not subject to approval.

Tags

2022 GMC Terrain AT4 Review

2022 GMC Terrain AT4 First Drive