2022 GMC Terrain vs 2021 Honda Passport

The 2021 Honda Passport was essentially a shortened version of the Pilot, featuring two rows of seats instead of three. This similarity was evident in its design, both externally and internally. The Passport’s dashboard layout was visually identical to that of the Pilot, including Honda’s awkward “button shifter” design. Despite these corporate design choices, the Passport boasted a spacious interior with high-quality materials throughout.

Trim levels for the 2021 Passport included Sport, EX-L, Touring, and Elite. The entry-level Sport came with features like 20-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lights, push-button start, and a seven-speaker audio system. The EX-L added leather upholstery, a power moonroof, and a power rear liftgate. The Touring trim included front-and-rear parking sensors, a hands-free liftgate, and a WiFi hotspot. The top-tier Elite trim offered heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and wireless device charging.

For the 2022 model year, GMC updated the Terrain’s front styling, wheel designs, taillights, and interior trim. The new AT4 trim level featured a bolder grille design, black 17-inch alloy wheels, and AT4 badges. The AT4 was marketed as a “small off-road SUV” and included a steel skid plate for protection. Our test vehicle came with extra-cost Ebony Twilight metallic paint, a black leather interior, and several packages, bringing the MSRP to $41,810.

The Terrain’s SLE and SLT trim levels were more affordable and came with standard front-wheel drive, while the Denali trim added luxury features. The Terrain’s interior quality reflected its entry-level status, with some cost-cutting measures evident. The pushbutton transmission controls were not intuitive, and the storage tray was too narrow for a smartphone. Despite these drawbacks, the Terrain’s caramel-colored contrast stitching and piping added a touch of luxury.

The 2021 Honda Passport came standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. It offered standard front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive. The V6 provided strong acceleration, and the automatic transmission managed power well. The engine's stop-start system could be abrupt, but it had a switch to disable it. The Passport’s ride was a blend of comfort and refined handling, with 8.1 inches of ground clearance and drive modes for Snow, Sand, and Mud. The FWD Passport could tow up to 3,500 pounds, while the AWD model could tow up to 5,000 pounds.

The 2022 GMC Terrain featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. The previously available turbocharged 2.0-liter engine was discontinued. The 1.5-liter engine could handle a trailer weighing up to 1,500 pounds. The nine-speed automatic transmission did a decent job of keeping the Terrain in the torque band, but the engine lacked power for rapid acceleration. The Terrain AT4 offered 7.9 inches of ground clearance and had modes for FWD, AWD, Off-Road, and Hill Descent Control. The ride was smooth on highways and city streets, but the AT4 struggled off-road and had issues with torque steer in FWD mode.

The 2021 Honda Passport provided 100.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 50.5 cubic feet with the second row in use. An additional 2.5 cubic feet was available in an under-floor storage tray. The EX-L trim included a power liftgate, while the Touring and Elite trims had a hands-free power liftgate. The upright seating position offered excellent visibility, and the center console featured a deep bin and an open cargo tray. The rear seats provided ample headroom and legroom, and they could recline and slide for added comfort.

The 2022 GMC Terrain’s interior was roomy for a compact crossover, with numerous comfort-enhancing features and storage solutions. The AT4 trim included power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The back seat was spacious, with plenty of legroom and foot room, and the AT4 had a rear USB charging port. Cargo space measured 29.6 cubic feet behind the back seat, expanding to 63.3 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. The front passenger’s seat could also fold down for longer items.

For 2021, Honda made Android Auto and Apple CarPlay standard on the Passport, included with the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. However, the system had dated graphics, a confusing menu layout, and a volume dial that felt like an afterthought. Despite these shortcomings, the inclusion of smartphone connectivity features was a significant advantage.

The 2022 GMC Terrain offered two infotainment systems: a 7-inch touchscreen for the SLE trim and an 8-inch high-definition touchscreen for the SLT, AT4, and Denali trims. Both systems included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, and GMC Connected Services through OnStar. The larger screen offered connected navigation and a Bose premium sound system. The voice recognition system was excellent, accurately responding to various prompts. The Tech Package added a head-up display, front and rear park assist sensors, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2021 Honda Passport came well-equipped with advanced safety features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front-and-rear parking sensors. The Passport received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and top "Good" scores from the IIHS, with some "Acceptable" ratings for specific tests.

Every 2022 GMC Terrain came with the GMC Pro Safety Package, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following distance indicator. The GMC Pro Safety Plus Package added adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, rear parking sensors, and a Safety Alert Seat. The IIHS awarded the Terrain mostly “Good” crash-test scores, but it received a “Marginal” rating in a new side-impact test. The NHTSA had not evaluated the 2022 Terrain’s crashworthiness at the time of this review.