Compare the2024 GMC TerrainVS 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser

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 Land Cruiser doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Terrain has standard Automatic Emergency Braking, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The Land Cruiser doesn't offer collision warning or crash mitigation brakes.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Terrain uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Land Cruiser uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Terrain and the Land Cruiser 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, 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 Land Cruiser’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 35 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 Land Cruiser 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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks GMC above average in initial quality. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

On the EPA test cycle the Terrain gets better mileage than the Land Cruiser:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Terrain’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Land Cruiser doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

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 Land Cruiser 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 an eight-speed automatic is available for the Land Cruiser.

The Terrain SLE/AT4’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Land Cruiser 1958’s standard 70 series tires. The Terrain’s optional tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Land Cruiser’s optional 60 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 Land Cruiser doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better maneuverability, the Terrain w/17” wheels’ turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Land Cruiser’s (37.4 feet vs. 40 feet).

The GMC Terrain may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1350 to 1600 pounds less than the Toyota Land Cruiser.

The Terrain is 11.5 inches shorter than the Land Cruiser, making the Terrain easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Terrain is 5.5 inches narrower than the Land Cruiser, making the Terrain easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The Terrain is 10.7 inches shorter in height than the Land Cruiser, making the Terrain much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the Terrain’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Land Cruiser doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

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 Land Cruiser 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 Land Cruiser doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Terrain has 3.9 inches more front headroom, 7.9 inches more front legroom, 3.2 inches more rear headroom and 13 inches more rear legroom than the Land Cruiser.

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 Land Cruiser doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Both the Terrain and the Land Cruiser offer available 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 Land Cruiser.

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 Land Cruiser doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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