GMC Terrain vs Subaru Crosstrek

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek was a clever adaptation of the Impreza hatchback, designed to capture the growing interest in crossovers. It featured rugged aesthetics, standard all-wheel drive (AWD), and a higher driving position, similar to the successful Outback. The Crosstrek distinguished itself from the Impreza with black body cladding, model-specific alloy wheels, and a taller ride height, offering 22 centimetres of ground clearance. This gave it a more SUV-like appearance and character, enhanced by vibrant colour options like Plasma Yellow Pearl. Despite its SUV mimicry, the Crosstrek retained the Subaru Global Platform, ensuring a refined driving experience.

Inside, the Crosstrek's interior was largely unchanged from the Impreza, maintaining functionality but lacking flair. The Outdoor grade featured unique Plasma Yellow Pearl accents, which clashed with certain exterior colours. The simulated carbon-fibre trim felt cheap, but the water-repellant upholstery was practical for outdoor adventures. Overall, the Crosstrek offered a higher driving position and good visibility, though it didn't provide the commanding view typical of larger SUVs.

The 2022 GMC Terrain underwent a styling refresh, with updates to its front design, wheel options, taillights, and interior trim. The new AT4 trim level added a bolder grille, black alloy wheels, and sport-terrain tires, along with a steel skid plate for off-road protection. Our test vehicle featured Ebony Twilight metallic paint and a black leather interior, which proved challenging to keep clean. The Terrain AT4 came loaded with tech and safety packages, a panoramic sunroof, and OnStar services, pushing its price to $44,757 in Canada. While the Terrain offered various trim levels to suit different budgets, it remained GMC's entry-level model, evident in the quality of materials and execution.

Inside, the Terrain AT4 boasted power-adjustable and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone climate control. The perforated leather upholstery with caramel-coloured stitching added a touch of luxury. The back seat was spacious, with ample legroom and a rear USB charging port. Despite some storage limitations, GMC maximized available space with clever storage solutions. Cargo capacity was generous, with 838 litres behind the second row and 1,792 litres with the rear seats folded. The Terrain's interior was comfortable and practical, though it fell short of the premium feel GMC aimed to deliver.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek offered two engine options. The Outdoor and Limited trims featured a new 2.5-litre boxer-four engine, producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. Other trims retained the 2.0-litre boxer-four, delivering 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. The boxer engine's design, with cylinders parallel to the ground, provided a lower centre of gravity, enhancing handling. However, the SUV-like ride height diminished some of this benefit. A six-speed manual transmission was available with the 2.0-litre engine, but most buyers opted for the continuously variable transmission (CVT). All trims came with standard AWD, and the Crosstrek featured X-Mode for improved traction on loose surfaces, along with Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes on the Outdoor trim. While not a true off-roader, these features were useful in adverse weather conditions. On pavement, the Crosstrek offered predictable handling, though the higher centre of gravity resulted in noticeable body roll. The 2.5-litre engine provided adequate acceleration, but the CVT's droning was evident.

The 2022 GMC Terrain was powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. The previously available turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, known for its acceleration and towing capacity, was no longer offered. The 1.5-litre engine could tow up to 680 kilograms. While the engine's power delivery required some adjustment, the nine-speed automatic transmission kept the Terrain in the torque band. The turbocharged engine performed well at elevation, but the absence of the 2.0-litre engine was felt. The Terrain AT4 offered FWD and AWD modes, with Off-Road and Hill Descent Control systems. Torque steer was noticeable in FWD mode but disappeared in AWD. The Terrain's suspension provided a smooth ride on various surfaces, though body motion was evident on undulating roads. Off-road, the Terrain AT4 struggled with ground clearance, and the sport-terrain tires lacked grip in corners. Despite these limitations, the Terrain AT4 met fuel economy expectations, with ratings of 9.6 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 8.3 highway, and 9.0 combined with AWD.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek offered similar front and rear legroom to the Impreza hatchback, with slightly more rear headroom. Cargo space was competitive, with 588 litres behind the rear seats and 1,565 litres with them folded. While the Crosstrek provided more cargo space than some rivals, it lagged behind others like the Honda HR-V and Kia Seltos. The CVT-equipped models featured a rear-seat reminder system, though its effectiveness was debatable. Up front, a cubby hole with USB and auxiliary ports was convenient, but rear-seat passengers lacked USB access. Storage space was limited, but bottle holders in the doors were a practical touch. The driving position was higher than the Impreza's, offering good visibility, though not the commanding view of larger SUVs.

The 2022 GMC Terrain excelled in interior space and comfort. The AT4 trim featured power-adjustable and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone climate control. The perforated leather upholstery with caramel-coloured stitching added a touch of luxury. The back seat was spacious, with ample legroom and a rear USB charging port. Despite some storage limitations, GMC maximized available space with clever storage solutions. Cargo capacity was generous, with 838 litres behind the second row and 1,792 litres with the rear seats folded. The Terrain's interior was comfortable and practical, though it fell short of the premium feel GMC aimed to deliver.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek featured the Starlink infotainment system, with a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, and Bluetooth. SiriusXM satellite radio was included on all but the base model. Higher trims received an 8-inch touchscreen, with navigation standard on the Limited. Subaru's unique dual-screen setup displayed information redundantly, but the 8-inch touchscreen was user-friendly. Large analog knobs and buttons controlled vital functions, and steering wheel buttons managed EyeSight driver-assistance features.

The 2022 GMC Terrain offered two infotainment systems. The SLE trim had a 7-inch touchscreen, while higher trims featured an 8-inch high-definition screen. Both systems included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, SiriusXM, and OnStar services. The larger screen offered connected navigation and a Bose premium sound system. Our test vehicle had the Infotainment Package II, enhancing voice recognition and audio quality. The voice recognition system was impressive, accurately responding to various prompts. The head-up display, part of the Tech Package, was less sophisticated than competitors. The Terrain also featured a Tire Fill Alert system and remote engine start for added convenience.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in side crash tests and four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The IIHS awarded it a "Top Safety Pick" rating, with top marks in crash tests and front-crash prevention tech. However, this rating applied only to models with EyeSight driver-assist features and Steering Responsive Headlights. EyeSight included adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available on higher trims. While effective, EyeSight's cameras were susceptible to obstruction and sunlight interference.

The 2022 GMC Terrain came standard with the GMC Pro Safety Package, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and more. The Pro Safety Plus Package, available on higher trims, added adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Our test vehicle had all these features, which worked effectively and subtly. The IIHS awarded the Terrain mostly "Good" crash-test scores, though it received a "Marginal" rating in a new side-impact test. The NHTSA had not evaluated the 2022 Terrain's crashworthiness at the time of review.