Compare the2022 Chevrolet TraxVS 2022 GMC Terrain

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Chevrolet Trax are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The GMC Terrain doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

The Chevrolet Trax has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Terrain doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the Trax and the Terrain have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Trax is safer than the GMC Terrain:

	Trax	Terrain
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	122	159
Leg Forces (l/r)	363/313 lbs.	363/349 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	207	376
Chest Compression	.3 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	122 lbs.	153 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Trax is safer than the GMC Terrain:

	Trax	Terrain
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	109
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	120 lbs.	195 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	100	288
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	55 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	707 lbs.	730 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Chevrolet Trax is safer than the Terrain:

	Trax	Terrain
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	223 lbs.	290 lbs.
Neck Compression	67 lbs.	112 lbs.
Shoulder Deflection	1.69 in	1.73 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Injury Criterion	126	733
Head Peak Forces	no contact	101 G’s
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	89 lbs.
Neck Compression	245 lbs.	491 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	1.65 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	402 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	1.57 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	7 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

Warranty

There are over 73 percent more Chevrolet dealers than there are GMC dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Trax’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Trax’s reliability 24 points higher than the Terrain.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Trax third among small suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Terrain isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 10th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, GMC is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 12th in reliability, above the industry average. With 28 more problems per 100 vehicles, GMC is ranked 25th.

Suspension and Handling

The Trax handles at .80 G’s, while the Terrain Denali AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Trax LS’ turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Terrain w/17” wheels’ (35.4 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The Trax LT’s turning circle is 4.9 feet tighter than the Terrain w/19” wheels’ (36.7 feet vs. 41.6 feet).

Chassis

The Chevrolet Trax may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 pounds less than the GMC Terrain.

The Trax is 1 foot, 2.7 inches shorter than the Terrain, making the Trax easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Economic Advantages

The Trax will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Trax will retain 45.97% to 46.16% of its original price after five years, while the Terrain only retains 38.3% to 44.15%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Trax is less expensive to operate than the Terrain because it costs $509 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Trax than the Terrain, including $232 less for a muffler, $145 less for front brake pads, $147 less for a starter, $362 less for fuel injection and $185 less for a fuel pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Trax will be $3639 to $10086 less than for the GMC Terrain.

Recommendations

The Car Book by Jack Gillis recommends the Chevrolet Trax, based on economy, maintenance, safety and complaint levels.

The Chevrolet Trax outsold the GMC Terrain by 24% during 2020.