GMC Terrain

Design & Quality

The interior of this new facelifted Terrain takes a major advancement that its outgoing model, with now clear focus on providing greater comfort, practicality, and cutting-edge technology. The cabin design is familiar and yet you get the vibes of changes that are new. The quality of the material feels premium with soft-touch surfaces, leather upholstery and brushed aluminium accents. And, this makes it feel way above its segment due to a pretty close luxury experience that rivals pricier competitors. Most of you will like the massive 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which, by the way, runs on a Google-based interface, integrated with an 11-inch digital instrument cluster, and that is the highlight of this modern and advanced cabin.

Coming to the build quality, there are hardly any complaints, everything feels a lot durable and can be designed to last long. We loved the layout, which is intuitive, with physical controls for climate and audio settings, and gives you easy and without over-relying on the touchscreen. The ambient lighting is something cool as well.

Front Seat

The front seats are just fine, nothing much other than looking to be designed for greater comfort and support. There are 8-way power adjustments, lumbar support, and optional heating/ventilation that should help you tackle the UAE’s heat. Our experience says the driver’s seat has a superior view of not just the road but the overall surroundings as well. You feel in a commanding position, and the multi-function steering wheel has access for audio, cruise, and phone functions, which adds to your overall convenience while you drive.

Electronic Parking Brake

The Terrain, as expected, has an electronic parking brake with hill-start assist, well located on the centre console. This allows you to park easily on inclines, common in the UAE’s hilly areas, quickly, simply and hassle-free.

Rear Seat

The rear bench is such that they have ample space for three passengers, with nearly 1,000 mm of legroom and reclining function, which most of the passengers will love for their comfort. The Terrain’s rear seat is great for families or those who frequently travel with passengers, and you get enough space for adults to sit comfortably on those long family road trips.

AC Vents

Dual-zone automatic climate control with rear vents takes care of your need for a cool and comfortable cabin, no matter what the temperature hits in the peak of summer.

Storage Options

The cabin size, design and overall space, storage shouldn’t be a problem most of the time, at least that is what our impression is. With a sizable glovebox, a deep centre console, door-mounted bottle holders (up to 1-litre bottles), and a rear armrest compartment are places to keep your stuff. 

Armrest

Front and rear centre armrests with cupholders give that necessary comfort and convenience, making long drives feel relaxed. The armrests are well-padded, improving the overall cabin experience.

Charging Options

The Terrain keeps devices powered with multiple USB-C ports, a 12V socket, and an optional wireless charging pad.

Boot Space

The 2025 Terrain gets 838 litres of cargo space with the rear seats up; if you choose to expand, it goes up to 1,792 litres when folded flat. The flat-folding rear seats and cargo management system allow easy loading and unloading, with sufficient space to fit two large suitcases and additional bags, whether it's for family trips or weekend adventurers.

• Six airbags
• Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Hill-Start Assist

• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go
• Lane Departure Warning
• Automatic Emergency Braking (with pedestrian and cyclist detection)
• Blind-Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Side Bicyclist Alert
• 360-degree camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• ISOFIX child seat anchors
• Reverse Automatic Braking

One of the things that has changed in the 2025 Terrain is the exterior. It is fair to say, it has been completely revamped with the adoption of a muscular, truck-inspired design. It gets a blockier, more rugged and larger grille and curved body profiles.

The SUV now comes with 4,650 mm in length, 1,902 mm in width, and 1,661 mm in height, with a wheelbase of around 2,725 mm. These measures point towards Terrain's attempt to balance between compact agility and an adequate road stance. Its 180 mm ground clearance is just fine for light off-road trails, common across the UAE’s desert outskirts. Overall, the exterior exhibits confidence with sharp lines, bold proportions, and rugged details that are key attributes of GMC’s truck pedigree. A panoramic sunroof, available on higher trims, further provides an elegant appearance.

Front

At the front what instantly attracts attention is the C-shaped LED headlights, coupled with a sizable, bold grille. The redesigned bumper gets striking air intakes, cementing its rugged exterior, and chrome accents add elements to the look along with the standard fog lamps.

Side

From the side, the Terrain makes it easy to make out its ruggedness with sculpted body elements. The angled C-pillar is quite distinctive, while chrome window surrounds and roof rails add the premium vibe. The usual aspects like body-colored side mirrors with integrated turn signals are standard, and the Terrain rides on 17-inch or 19-inch alloy wheels that add to the overall look and feel of the SUV.

Alloy Wheels

The Terrain comes with alloy wheels ranging from 17-inch to 19-inch, and without a doubt makes the car what it is when it comes not just to look but quite efficient too. The wheels exude confidence of great grip when travelling through various terrains across the country, be it city, town or highway.

Rear

The rear is impressive because the design is suitable for the overall SUV’s exterior, and the major attraction is the modern C-shaped LED taillights, which help it appear quite integrated with the rest of the body. A roof-mounted spoiler and chrome-accented bumper are other aesthetic elements that make it sporty. The shark fin antenna and rear wiper are good functional aspects for superior visibility in dusty or rainy conditions.

Colors

The Terrain comes in Summit White, Ebony Twilight Metallic, Sterling Metallic, Volcanic Red Tintcoat, and Deep Bronze Metallic colours. 

City Performance

Your city driving is largely determined by the powertrain, and here the Terrain, with its 1.5L turbocharged engine, with an 8-speed automatic (AWD) or CVT (FWD), is just perfect. We arrived at this conclusion after taking the SUV to spin across several cities, and the power delivery is smooth and responsive, making it exciting to drive in the city. The mileage is not bad either, despite the powerful performance, and with it, a lot of buyers wish to use it for daily commuting. The Terrain is an affordable choice with a lot on offer for even families. 

Highway Performance

On highways, the Terrain’s 175 hp and 203 Nm of torque should largely be enough, if you want to cruise at speed and also overtake smoothly. The all-wheel-drive option and Drive Mode Selector (with Normal, Tow/Haul, and Off-Road modes) are great features to have, which provide greater versatility and stability. Notably, the SUV has been well-built from an NVH perspective, and so the cabin is largely quiet, which further adds to the quality of your highway driving by eliminating the noise of wind or road.

Ride and Handling

The Terrain’s suspension offers a great balance between comfort and agility, and nicely absorbs bumps on UAE roads. The option of an all-wheel-drive system and high 180 mm ground clearance add to the fun of driving with quiet handling, no matter if you’re through off-road, such as desert paths, though it’s not a dedicated off-roader. The steering isn’t the best, but it is accurate and easy to operate. With minimal body roll, the Terrain is agile in the city and highly confident on highways.

• 15-inch touchscreen infotainment with Google-based interface, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto

• 11-inch digital instrument cluster

• 17-inch or 19-inch alloy wheels
• Leather upholstery

• Dual-zone automatic climate control

• Six-speaker audio system (optional Bose premium audio)
• Keyless entry and push-button start
• Electronic parking brake with hill-start assist
• Panoramic sunroof
• Adaptive cruise control
• 360-degree camera
• Drive Mode Selector (Normal, Tow/Haul, Off-Road)
• Ambient lighting
• Power tailgate
• Wireless charging (optional)
• Wi-Fi hotspot

The GMC Terrain is available in three variants in the UAE:

GMC Terrain Elevation (AED 115,000)

Entry-level trim which comes with the bold new design, the standard 1.5L turbocharged engine, 8-speed automatic, standard all-wheel drive, 15-inch touchscreen, heated seats, advanced safety, and impressive value. If you have a tight budget, then this could be your way to get a premium compact SUV. 

GMC Terrain AT4 (AED 142,200)

With that extra price you’re paying for this variant over the base one, you get Off-road-focused features like all-terrain tires, lifted suspension, metal underbody protection, red recovery hooks, exclusive Terrain Mode, AWD, hill descent control, and rugged styling details designed for adventurous drivers. If you’re performance and enthusiasm, then this Terrain is for you. 

GMC Terrain Denali (AED 157,000)

With the considerable price hike, you would get something extra with this top-end SUV. The key features include heated front/rear seats, 19- or 20-inch wheels, exclusive Smart Frequency Dampers for a superior ride, advanced safety tech, animated lighting, and premium Denali-specific trim inside and out. 

Zigwheels Recommendation: It is rather easy for us to pick, and we recommend the GMC Terrain AT4. The reasons are simple: it has what one would expect from an SUV like this, and with a price point, which, frankly includes a lot, like a compelling mix of premium features (leather seats, panoramic sunroof, Bose audio), all-wheel-drive capability, and advanced safety systems at a price that undercuts most of its nearest luxury rivals. The AT trim is a perfect pick for families or professionals who are on the lookout for an attractive, capable, rugged and at the same tech-laden SUV to use for both city and off-road driving.

The Terrain, with its latest update this year, received a much-needed upgrade, and with some key additions to this stylish and premium SUV, GMC is promising a completely new car. It carries forward the key strengths, but also gets some extra characteristics by offering a rugged yet refined compact SUV that now has a lot of potential for buyers in this segment. The facelifted design, with its truck-like design and well-equipped cabin, bolsters the Terrain’s appeal, while the 15-inch touchscreen, comprehensive safety suite, and versatile cargo space make it a practical choice for families and professionals alike. Whether you’re driving through Dubai city or heading to Abu Dhabi, or the UAE’s desert trails are your favourite destination, the all-new Terrain is here to offer you the best look, style, comfort, and capability. If you’re in the market for a well-rounded SUV, the Terrains deserve to be on your list. Go ahead and get the test drive before you make up your mind. 

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