DETROIT — With crossovers continuing to be the bright spot in GM sales, today the automaker took the wraps off the five-passenger 2010 GMC Terrain crossover that will be displayed at the 2009 New York Auto Show. GMC told Inside Line that the Terrain, a sibling to the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, will be priced under $25,000.
The GMC Terrain will go on sale in late summer, just a few months after the debut of the 2010 Equinox. The Terrain helps flesh out GMC's crossover lineup, which includes the larger GMC Acadia crossover.
Last week, Chevrolet said the base 2010 Equinox will start at $23,815, a $1,825 price cut versus the base 2009 Equinox.
"[Terrain] will include some standard content over the base Equinox," GMC spokesman Randy Fox told Inside Line in response to a pricing query on Friday.
One standard feature on the Terrain is a rearview camera.
Like the Equinox, the Terrain gets a base 182-horsepower 2.4-liter inline-4 engine. GM said it will deliver an estimated 21 mpg in city driving and 30 mpg on the highway. The EPA has yet to certify those numbers.
A second engine choice for the Terrain is a 3.0-liter V6 that delivers an estimated 264 hp. GM said that engine is expected to deliver 18 mpg in city driving and 25 mpg on the highway.
The Terrain includes two six-speed automatic transmission choices, including one with manual-shift mode.
The Terrain rides on a 112.5-inch wheelbase and features a four-wheel independent suspension. Wheel choices include 17-inch, 18-inch and 19-inch chrome-clad wheels.
GM said the Terrain is set to compete against the Ford Edge, the Hyundai Santa Fe, the Mazda CX-7 and the Nissan Murano. It has a slightly longer wheelbase than all of those competitors. The Ford Edge and Nissan Murano ride on a 111.2-inch wheelbase. The Hyundai Santa Fe rides on a 106.3-inch wheelbase, and the Mazda CX-7 has a 108.3-inch wheelbase. Among those competitors, only the Mazda CX-7 offers a four-cylinder engine, a 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-4.
Chevrolet on Wednesday reported that sales of its crossovers, like the Equinox, increased 19 percent versus February 2009 sales. Overall GM sales were down 45 percent in March versus a year ago.
Inside Line says: The 2010 GMC Terrain is shaping up as a critical crossover for the GM brand as the automaker struggles to survive. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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