The GMC Terrain is GMC’s version of a midsize SUV. Closely related to the Chevrolet Equinox, the Terrain has been in production since 2010 and got a remodel in 2016. The Terrain comes in the standard SLE and SLT trims, the high-end Denali trim, and the currently featured Elevation Edition.

But with all of the bells-and-whistles that come with upgraded trim levels, consumers most want to know about the safety features that are offered. Is the GMC Terrain a safe SUV?

Safety features offered with the GMC Terrain

Safety features have come a long way, especially over the past decade. Safety is one of the first things consumers take into consideration when shopping for a new vehicle. The 2020 GMC Terrain comes standard with GMC’s Pro Safety system, which includes a number of the industry’s top safety technologies.

Automatic Emergency Braking is a feature included within the Pro Safety system. This feature alerts the driver when it senses a front-end collision is imminent, giving you an extra second in a situation when every second counts.

It also can apply the brakes for you in an emergency situation. Similarly, the Forward Collision Alert can give you an alert when you are following too closely to the vehicle in front of you.

Lane Keep Assist allows the driver to more confidently keep the vehicle in the correct lane by giving a gentle steering correction whenever it senses the vehicle start to drift out of the lane.

The IntelliBeam Headlamps automatically activate the vehicle’s high beams and turns them off when it senses an oncoming vehicle. These features do a ton to make the vehicle safer than previous models and consumers respond to technology upgrades like these.

Rear Park Assist is available for the 2020 Terrain. This system provides distance alerts as you back up your vehicle into a parking space in order to avoid objects while in reverse.

Also available is Adaptive Cruise Control, which uses camera technology to automatically adjust your vehicle’s set cruise control speed to match the vehicle in front of you. If they slow down, you automatically slow down, reducing your need to brake or accelerate.

The GMC Terrain’s safety ratings

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rates vehicles based on crash tests they perform, as well as performance tests they do. The 2020 GMC Terrain earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.

This is based on a frontal crash test, for which they received five stars, the side crash test, for which they received five stars, and the rollover probability rating, for which they received four stars. That’s just about as good as a manufacturer could hope for.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also conducts thorough reviews of new vehicles and gives them a safety rating. They go into more detail about each individual feature than the NHTSA tests do. The 2019 Terrain performed well in all areas except for the headlights test. The IIHS ranked the headlights as poor because they tend to produce too much glare while driving. The overall evaluation was good.

A good choice for safety

The 2020 Terrain has a slightly higher price tag than many of its competitors, but it does come standard with many more advanced safety features than others. That combined with its excellent ratings from the NHTSA and the IIHS makes the GMC Terrain a good choice in terms of safety.

SUVs have continued to become more and more popular over the years, and GMC has continued to bring everything to the table to keep customers coming back for more.