Compare the2023 GMC TerrainVS 2023 Jeep Renegade

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
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 Renegade doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Renegade 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.

Both the Terrain and the Renegade have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, lane departure warning systems, 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 Jeep Renegade:

	Terrain	Renegade
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	159	207
Neck Injury Risk	17%	26%
Neck Stress	190 lbs.	332 lbs.
Neck Compression	10 lbs.	18 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	26%	35%
Neck Stress	153 lbs.	221 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	264/236 lbs.	290/322 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 Jeep Renegade:

	Terrain	Renegade
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	109	161
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
Spine Acceleration	55 G’s	73 G’s
Hip Force	630 lbs.	1157 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches

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 1.5% to 4.3% less likely to roll over than the Renegade.

Warranty

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

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Terrain has a standard 700-amp battery. The Renegade’s 500-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 Renegade.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Terrain third among compact suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Renegade 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 Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks GMC above average in initial quality. With 37 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that GMC vehicles are more reliable than Jeep With 9 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks GMC higher than Jeep.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Terrain
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/29 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/28 hwy
Renegade
	AWD	Trailhawk 1.3 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the GMC Terrain uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Renegade requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Terrain FWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Renegade (14.9 vs. 12.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Terrain AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Renegade (15.6 vs. 12.7 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 Jeep Renegade (6). This means the Terrain produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Renegade every 15,000 miles.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Terrain has larger standard tires than the Renegade (225/65R17 vs. 215/60R17).

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 Renegade doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Terrain’s wheelbase is 6.1 inches longer than on the Renegade (107.3 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Terrain is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than on the Renegade.

The Terrain Denali AWD handles at .79 G’s, while the Renegade Trailhawk pulls only .73 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Terrain Denali AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Renegade Trailhawk (27.5 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Chassis

For excellent aerodynamics, the Terrain has standard flush composite headlights. The Renegade has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

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

Passenger Space

The Terrain has 3.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Renegade (103.2 vs. 100.1).

The Terrain has 1.3 inches more front hip room, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, 4.6 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Renegade.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Terrain has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Renegade with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 18.5 cubic feet). The Terrain has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Renegade with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 50.8 cubic feet).

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

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 Renegade doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

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 Renegade 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 Renegade 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 Renegade 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 Renegade doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 Renegade’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

On a hot day the Terrain’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Renegade 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 Renegade’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the Terrain’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Renegade’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Terrain has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Renegade only offers an automatic headlight on/off feature as an extra cost option.

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 Renegade’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 Renegade offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Terrain and the Renegade 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 Renegade.

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 Renegade doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Terrain has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Renegade doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

Both the Terrain and the Renegade 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 Renegade doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

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 Renegade doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Model Availability

The Terrain is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Renegade 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 $290 less than the Renegade over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Terrain is less expensive to operate than the Renegade because typical repairs cost much less on the Terrain than the Renegade, including $303 less for a starter and $326 less for front struts.

Recommendations

The GMC Terrain outsold the Jeep Renegade by over three to one during 2022.