Compare the2024 GMC TerrainVS 2024 Mazda CX-50

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 CX-50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Terrain’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-50 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the Terrain and the CX-50 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The Terrain’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the CX-50’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 3 times as many GMC dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Terrain’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Terrain second among compact suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The CX-50 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that GMC vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks GMC above average in initial quality. With 36 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below average.

The Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 186) than the CX-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the GMC Terrain uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-50 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

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 CX-50 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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 CX-50.

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 CX-50 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For superior ride and handling, the GMC Terrain has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mazda CX-50 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Terrain Denali AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CX-50 (27.5 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

The GMC Terrain may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 300 pounds less than the Mazda CX-50.

The Terrain is 3.5 inches shorter than the CX-50, making the Terrain easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 CX-50 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 CX-50 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Terrain has 2.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-50 (103.2 vs. 100.3).

The Terrain has .9 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front hip room, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-50.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Terrain’s rear seats recline. The CX-50’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Terrain has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-50 with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 56.3 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Terrain SLT/AT4/Denali’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

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 CX-50 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

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 CX-50 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 CX-50 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 CX-50 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows standard on both the Terrain and the CX-50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Terrain is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Terrain’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the CX-50 Preferred/Premium/Turbo.

Both the Terrain and the CX-50 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 CX-50 doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

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 CX-50 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

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 CX-50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Terrain is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The GMC Terrain outsold the Mazda CX-50 by over four to one during 2022.