Compare the2023 GMC TerrainVS 2022 Ford EcoSport

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Model Availability
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 EcoSport doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Terrain has standard Automatic Emergency Braking, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The EcoSport doesn't offer collision warning or crash mitigation brakes.

The Terrain’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

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 EcoSport only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Terrain and the EcoSport 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, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems 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 GMC Terrain is safer than the Ford EcoSport:

	Terrain	EcoSport
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	159	250
Neck Injury Risk	17%	36%
Neck Stress	190 lbs.	403 lbs.
Neck Compression	10 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	363/349 lbs.	495/441 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	26%	38%
Neck Stress	153 lbs.	200 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	74 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	264/236 lbs.	329/236 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, results indicate that the GMC Terrain is safer than the Ford EcoSport:

	Terrain	EcoSport
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	630 lbs.	685 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Terrain is .6% to 4% less likely to roll over than the EcoSport.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Terrain the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 221 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The EcoSport has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Terrain’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the EcoSport’s (6 vs. 5 years).

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 29 points higher than the EcoSport.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Terrain third among compact suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The EcoSport isn’t in the top three in its category.

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 Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks GMC above average in initial quality. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that GMC vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks GMC 6 places higher in reliability than Ford.

Engine

The Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (175 vs. 166) and 54 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 149) than the EcoSport’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Terrain FWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the EcoSport (14.9 vs. 13.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Terrain AWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the EcoSport (15.6 vs. 13.8 gallons).

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the GMC Terrain higher (7 out of 10) than the Ford EcoSport (5). This means the Terrain produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the EcoSport every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the GMC Terrain, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the EcoSport.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Terrain has larger standard tires than the EcoSport (225/65R17 vs. 205/60R16). The Terrain’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the EcoSport (235/50R19 vs. 205/60R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Terrain SLE/AT4 has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the EcoSport. The Terrain’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels optional on the EcoSport.

The GMC Terrain’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Ford EcoSport only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

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 EcoSport doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Terrain’s wheelbase is 8.1 inches longer than on the EcoSport (107.3 inches vs. 99.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Terrain is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than on the EcoSport.

The Terrain Denali AWD handles at .79 G’s, while the EcoSport SE pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Terrain Denali AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the EcoSport SE (27.5 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 29.3 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

Chassis

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

Passenger Space

The Terrain has 12.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the EcoSport (103.2 vs. 91.1).

The Terrain has .4 inches more front headroom, 2.8 inches more front hip room, 3.9 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 3 inches more rear legroom, .9 inches more rear hip room and 4.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the EcoSport.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Terrain’s rear seats recline. The EcoSport’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Terrain has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the EcoSport with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 20.9 cubic feet). The Terrain has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the EcoSport with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 50 cubic feet).

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

The Terrain’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The EcoSport’s swing out door blocks loading from the driver’s side.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Terrain offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the Terrain SLT/AT4/Denali, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a power cargo door.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Terrain SLT/AT4/Denali, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a memory 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 EcoSport 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 EcoSport does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Terrain (except SLE) offers an available heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Terrain’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The EcoSport has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Terrain’s front and rear power windows all lower 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 EcoSport’s passenger windows don’t open automatically.

On a hot day the Terrain’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the EcoSport can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Terrain detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The EcoSport doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

The Terrain’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford only offers heated mirrors on the EcoSport SES/Titanium.

When the Terrain SLT/AT4/Denali is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The EcoSport’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Terrain’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The EcoSport offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Terrain and the EcoSport offer available 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 EcoSport.

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 EcoSport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Terrain’s optional dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The EcoSport doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Terrain and the EcoSport offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Terrain has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The EcoSport doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Terrain offers an optional Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The EcoSport doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the GMC Terrain Denali has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The EcoSport doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Terrain Denali’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The EcoSport doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The Terrain is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Terrain owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Terrain will cost $515 less than the EcoSport 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 EcoSport only retains 44.94% to 46.13%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Terrain is less expensive to operate than the EcoSport because typical repairs cost less on the Terrain than the EcoSport, including $118 less for front struts, $168 less for a timing belt/chain and $132 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

The GMC Terrain outsold the Ford EcoSport by 44% during the 2021 model year.

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