Compare the2023 Lexus UXVS 2023 GMC Terrain

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus UX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The GMC Terrain doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lexus UX 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 seat belts.

The Lexus UX 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.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the UX deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The UX’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Terrain’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The UX has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Front Seatbacks, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Front Seatbacks system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Terrain doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The UX has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Terrain doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The UX offers optional Parking Support Brake 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.

The UX 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 and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Terrain’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the UX 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 UX’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 UX and the Terrain have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

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 Lexus UX is safer than the GMC Terrain:

	UX	Terrain
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	52	109
Chest Movement	.8 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	149 lbs.	195 lbs.
Hip Force	323 lbs.	357 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	96	288
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	55 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
HIC	292	377

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 UX is 2.4% to 4.5% less likely to roll over than the Terrain.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the UX the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 162 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Terrain last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

The UX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Terrain’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the UX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than GMC covers the Terrain. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Terrain ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The UX’s 6 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Terrain runs out after 100,000 miles.

Reliability

The battery on the UX is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the UX’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Terrain’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the UX second among small premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Terrain was rated third in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, GMC is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 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 Lexus vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus third in overall reliability. GMC is ranked 16th.

Engine

The UX’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 6 more horsepower (181 vs. 175) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the UX gets better mileage than the Terrain:

			MPG
UX
	FWD	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	43 city/41 hwy
	AWD	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	41 city/38 hwy
Terrain
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/29 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/28 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the UX’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Terrain doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Transmission

The UX has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Terrain doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the UX’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Terrain:

	UX	Terrain
Front Rotors	12 inches	11.8 inches

Tires and Wheels

The UX’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Terrain SLE/AT4’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the UX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Terrain SLE/AT4.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the UX can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Terrain doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The UX has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the UX flat and controlled during cornering. The Terrain’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The UX 250h F Sport Handling AWD 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 UX’s turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the Terrain w/17” wheels’ (34.2 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The UX’s turning circle is 7.4 feet tighter than the Terrain w/19” wheels’ (34.2 feet vs. 41.6 feet).

Chassis

The UX is 5.3 inches shorter than the Terrain, making the UX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The UX has 1.2 inches more front legroom and .5 inches more rear hip room than the Terrain.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the UX. The Terrain doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than GMC. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 44% lower rating, GMC is ranked 15th.

Ergonomics

The UX’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.

If the windows are left open on the UX the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Lexus service department.) The driver of the Terrain can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The UX 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 UX Premium/F Sport’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Terrain’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The UX’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Terrain’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The UX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Terrain doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the UX offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Terrain doesn’t offer cornering lights. The UX F Sport also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The UX has a standard 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. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Terrain.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lexus UX, based on reliability, safety and performance. The GMC Terrain isn't recommended.

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