Compare the2024 GMC TerrainVS 2023 Toyota Rav4

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 Rav4 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Terrain and the Rav4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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 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 Toyota Rav4:

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 post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the GMC Terrain is safer than the Toyota Rav4:

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

The Terrain’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Rav4’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 34 percent more GMC dealers than there are Toyota dealers, which makes it 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 Rav4 isn’t in the top three.

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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks GMC above average in initial quality. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

The Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 19 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 184) than the Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

The Terrain AWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Rav4 (15.6 vs. 14.5 gallons).

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 Rav4 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the GMC Terrain higher (7 out of 10) than the Toyota Rav4 (6). This means the Terrain produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Rav4 every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the GMC Terrain, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Rav4.

The Terrain’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited’s 55 series tires.

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 Rav4 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Terrain’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the Rav4 (107.3 inches vs. 105.9 inches).

The Terrain Denali AWD handles at .79 G’s, while the Rav4 Limited 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 1.4 seconds quicker than the Rav4 Limited (27.5 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28.9 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

The Terrain uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Rav4 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Terrain has 4.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Rav4 (103.2 vs. 98.9).

The Terrain has .5 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front hip room, 1.9 inches more rear legroom and 4.1 inches more rear hip room than the Rav4.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Terrain’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Rav4 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

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 Rav4 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 Rav4 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 Rav4 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Terrain’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Rav4’s power window (except driver window), power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Terrain’s variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Rav4 LE’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

The Terrain’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Toyota charges extra for heated mirrors on the Rav4.

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 Rav4’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

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 Rav4 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Terrain is less expensive to operate than the Rav4 because typical repairs cost much less on the Terrain than the Rav4, including $71 less for a starter and $268 less for a timing belt/chain.