[DRKS1D3]

Hey guys, perhaps this will help some folks that are in the market for a new SUV.

So, my wife's lease was going to be up on her '16 BMW X1 M-Sport and she needed a new vehicle. She had always had a Jeep prior to the X1 and wanted to go back to a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Jeep didn't want to deal and I was trying to get her into a GM anyway, so it worked out.

We've had the vehicle for a week and I've driven it a few times. The longest drive was when I drove it to work on Monday, which is a ~15 mile (one-way) drive. Yes, I am a GM guy and no I'm not just a GM nut swinger. If this vehicle was an uninspiring pile of crap, I would be upfront about it.

A brief review:
(Essentially every box was checked on the order sheet of this Denali)
The AWD Denali is very nice. The performance, quality and amenities are all on par or even above the competitors in the "semi-luxury/luxury, compact SUV" market. The 2.0L Turbo with 252 hp/260 torque is smooth and is not lacking in power. In FWD mode, it will twist the tires from a stop. The 9-speed trans shifts flawlessly and is quick with the gear changes as well. The Denali gets its own suspension system and it handles itself well. My wife and I both think that it rides nicer than the X1 when it was in "BMW Comfort Mode" (sport mode on the X1 was obviously more harsh). Not only does the Denali have a comfortable ride, but you feel very connected to the road. It is almost "Sport-ish", without the harsh ride.

The quality of the materials is on par as well. Wood grain, aluminum and leather surround the driver and front passenger. The cabin is quiet. There are no rattles or noises that would suggest poor fitment or quality issues. The front and rear heated seats, along with the heated steering wheel, warm up very quickly, even in the bitter cold. Although I've experienced A/C seats in other GM vehicles, we'll have to wait for summer to test the effectiveness of the seats in the GMC.

Moving on to the amenities. The BOSE stereo, touchscreen and overall system are superb. The stereo is crisp and clear, which we expect from BOSE. The touchscreen is easy to use and can detect even the slightest tap of the finger. There's no need to pound on a setting or app multiple times in order for it to work. The system, as a whole, is easy to navigate and the system is quick, without any lag. The new 360 degree HD camera is amazing. It is a very nice touch. The panoramic sunroof is quite a sight. It practically spans the entire roof. The cover opens and closes rather quickly and I'm sure my wife will enjoy it. Having a sunroof is always a must when my wife is choosing a new SUV. A first for us in the foot-activated lift gate. It is a nice touch and my wife believes it will come in handy at the grocery and other shopping excursions. There is plenty that I'm missing here, but we've only had it a week and there are a lot of buttons that I haven't pressed yet.

Lastly, I'll touch on the size of the vehicle. You can easily fit 5 average size adults in the Terrain for a night out if you wish. I'm 5'11" and I can sit behind myself with more than enough room to spare. The passenger compartment is very generous. The cargo compartment is of a good size as well. I don't know all of the specs, but I'm certain it fits somewhere in between the X1 and the Jeep GC. One last bit of info. is the ride height. The GMC sits up higher than the low-slung X1. Being quite short, my wife welcomed the taller vehicle.

Overall, we are quite happy with the Terrain. GMC has put a solid and respectable product out there to compete with some of the more pricey European SUV's in this segment.

I'm not certain what else I can touch on here, but if anyone has any questions or comments, I'm all ears. There are plenty of pictures on the internet and in my opinion, the Denali is a sharp and classy vehicle. Thank you.