Compare the2023 GMC TerrainVS 2022 BMW X1

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Terrain are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X1 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Automatic Emergency Braking in the Terrain as “Superior.” The X1 scores only 4 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

The Terrain SLT/AT4/Denali offers an optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The X1 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Terrain’s optional blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The X1 doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Terrain’s optional rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The X1 doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the Terrain and the X1 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available all wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the GMC Terrain is safer than the BMW X1:

	Terrain	X1
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	159	328
Neck Injury Risk	17%	32%
Neck Stress	190 lbs.	360 lbs.
Neck Compression	10 lbs.	60 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	26%	31%
Neck Stress	153 lbs.	175 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	68 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	264/236 lbs.	309/268 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 GMC Terrain is safer than the BMW X1:

	Terrain	X1
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	109	143
Hip Force	357 lbs.	486 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	55 G’s	65 G’s
Hip Force	630 lbs.	637 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
Hip Force	730 lbs.	815 lbs.

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

Warranty

GMC’s powertrain warranty covers the Terrain 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X1. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X1 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 5 times as many GMC dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Terrain’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 Terrain’s reliability 16 points higher than the X1.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that GMC vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks GMC above average in initial quality. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated lower.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Terrain has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X1 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the GMC Terrain, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the X1.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Terrain’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X1 (235/50R19 vs. 225/50R18).

The Terrain has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The X1 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Terrain’s wheelbase is 2.2 inches longer than on the X1 (107.3 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Terrain SLT/AT4/Denali has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X1 (7.9 vs. 7.2 inches), allowing the Terrain to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the Terrain offers available electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The X1 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Terrain uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X1 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Terrain has .5 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, 2.7 inches more rear legroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the X1.

Cargo Capacity

The Terrain has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X1 with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 27.1 cubic feet). The Terrain has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X1 with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 58.7 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Terrain’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The X1 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The Terrain has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The X1 has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Terrain uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X1 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Terrain offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The X1 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Terrain SLT/AT4/Denali’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X1 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Terrain’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The X1 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Terrain has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X1 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Terrain’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the X1’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Both the Terrain and the X1 offer optional heated front seats. The Terrain Denali also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the X1.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Terrain Denali keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The X1 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Terrain offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X1 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Terrain owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Terrain will cost $70 to $795 less than the X1 over a five-year period.

The Terrain will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Terrain will retain 48.41% to 52.67% of its original price after five years, while the X1 only retains 47.06% to 47.87%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Terrain is less expensive to operate than the X1 because typical repairs cost much less on the Terrain than the X1, including $315 less for a water pump, $28 less for a muffler, $272 less for a starter, $84 less for fuel injection, $266 less for front struts, $493 less for a timing belt/chain and $438 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

The GMC Terrain outsold the BMW X1 by almost four to one during the 2021 model year.