Compare the2024 Lexus NXVS 2023 GMC Terrain

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus NX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The GMC Terrain doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lexus NX 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 NX 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 NX offers optional Intuitive Parking Assist with Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Terrain doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The NX has a standard blind spot warning system that 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 NX has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert to warn the driver of approaching traffic and automatically engage the brakes to help avoid a collision. GMC charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Terrain and the Terrain’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

The NX’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 NX 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 and available around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Lexus NX is much safer than the Terrain:

	NX	Terrain
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	290 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	112 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	1.73 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.98 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	4 MPH	8 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Injury Criterion	252	733
Head Peak Forces	65 G’s	101 G’s
Neck Compression	134 lbs.	491 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.83 in	1.65 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	402 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.1 in	1.57 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the NX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 30 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Terrain has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

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

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 Lexus NX’s reliability 16 points higher than the Terrain and the Lexus NX Hybrid is rated 38 points higher than the Terrain.

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 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. GMC is ranked 21st.

Engine

The NX 250’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 28 more horsepower (203 vs. 175) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The NX 350h’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 65 more horsepower (240 vs. 175) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The NX 350’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 100 more horsepower (275 vs. 175) and 114 lbs.-ft. more torque (317 vs. 203) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The NX 450h’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 129 more horsepower (304 vs. 175) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the NX running on electricity gets better mileage than the Terrain:

			MPGe
NX
	AWD	450h Electric Motors	93 city/75 hwy
Terrain
			MPG
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/29 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/28 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the NX running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Terrain:

			MPG
NX
	FWD	250 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/33 hwy
	AWD	350h 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	41 city/37 hwy
		450h 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	38 city/33 hwy
		250 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy
Terrain
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/29 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/28 hwy

The NX 450h can travel with zero emissions for 37 miles. The Terrain can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the NX 350h/450h’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Terrain doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The NX has a standard locking fuel door and a locking charge port on the 450h with a power remote release convenient to the driver and which locks and unlocks with the power locks, respectively. The Terrain doesn’t offer a locking fuel filler door. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and a locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

Transmission

The NX offers an available 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 NX’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Terrain:

	NX	Terrain
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	12.5 inches	11.3 inches

The NX’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Terrain are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the NX has larger tires than the Terrain (235/60R18 vs. 225/65R17).

The NX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 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 NX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Terrain SLE/AT4. The NX’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Terrain.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the NX 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 NX has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the NX flat and controlled during cornering. The Terrain’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The NX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Terrain’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the NX is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than on the Terrain.

The NX 350 AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Terrain Denali AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the NX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Terrain SLE (7.7 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the NX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The NX has .1 inches more front legroom, 1.9 inches more front hip room and .7 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 NX. The Terrain doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the GMC Terrain is limited to 1500 pounds. The NX offers up to a 2000 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The NX 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.

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 NX’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 NX’s optional 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.

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

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

The NX 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.

The NX 350h/450h+’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Terrain Denali’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Lexus NX as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The GMC Terrain isn't recommended.

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