Compare the2023 Mazda CX-50VS 2022 GMC Terrain

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-50 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 Mazda CX-50 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus has standard Smart Brake Support-Reverse that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Terrain doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-50. But it costs extra on the Terrain.

The CX-50 has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Terrain’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-50 has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Terrain.

The CX-50’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Terrain doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the CX-50 and the Terrain have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The CX-50’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Terrain’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, GMC is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda first in overall reliability. GMC is ranked 16th.

The CX-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 17 more horsepower (187 vs. 170) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 86 more horsepower (256 vs. 170) and 117 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 203) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the CX-50 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder gets better fuel mileage than the Terrain AWD (24 city/30 hwy vs. 25 city/28 hwy).

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CX-50 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Terrain doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The CX-50 has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the Terrain FWD’s standard fuel tank (15.8 vs. 14.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the CX-50’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Terrain:

For better traction, the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Terrain (245/45R20 vs. 235/50R19).

The CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Terrain’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo has standard 20-inch wheels. The Terrain’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-50’s wheelbase is 3.5 inches longer than on the Terrain (110.8 inches vs. 107.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CX-50 is 2.8 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Terrain.

For better maneuverability, the CX-50’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Terrain w/17” wheels’ (36 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The CX-50’s turning circle is 5.6 feet tighter than the Terrain w/19” wheels’ (36 feet vs. 41.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-50 has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Terrain SLE (8.3 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the CX-50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-50 Premium/Turbo’s minimum ground clearance is .7 inch higher than on the Terrain SLT SLT/AT4/Denali (8.6 vs. 7.9 inches).

The CX-50 has .8 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more rear headroom, .1 inches more rear legroom and .3 inches more rear hip room than the Terrain.

The CX-50 has a much larger cargo volume than the Terrain with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 29.6 cubic feet).

The CX-50’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Terrain’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the GMC Terrain is only 1500 pounds. The CX-50 offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

The CX-50 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Terrain uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The CX-50’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Terrain’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

The CX-50 has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Terrain doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The CX-50’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Terrain’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-50 Turbo has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Terrain doesn’t offer cornering lights.