GMC Terrain vs Volkswagen Atlas

GMC updated the Terrain’s front styling, wheel designs, taillights, and interior trim for the 2022 model year. The new AT4 trim level featured a bolder grille design, black 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in sport-terrain tires, and AT4 badges. GMC claimed the Terrain AT4 was a “small off-road SUV,” and to support this, the automaker bolted a steel skid plate under the front end to protect vital mechanical components. The test vehicle arrived with extra-cost Ebony Twilight metallic paint, the blacked-out AT4 treatment, and a black leather interior. It was loaded with the Tech Package, Infotainment Package II, GMC Pro Safety Plus Package, a Skyscape panoramic sunroof, and a three-year subscription to OnStar services, bringing the MSRP to $41,810, including the $1,395 destination charge.

Volkswagen made numerous updates to the 2021 Atlas, so the 2022 model carried over with minor modifications. The automaker simplified the lineup, reducing the number of configurations to SE, SE with Technology, SEL, SEL R-Line, SEL R-Line Black (new for 2022), and SEL Premium R-Line trim levels. Most Atlas models had more standard features than the previous year. Pricing for the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas ranged from $34,355 to $51,505, plus a $1,195 destination charge. The test vehicle had SEL Premium R-Line trim, extra-cost Aurora Red paint, and second-row captain’s chairs, bringing the price to $53,790, including the destination charge. The SEL Premium had standard R-Line design elements, including 21-inch wheels with a machined finish, which filled out the Atlas’s exaggerated fenders and gave the SUV a more upscale look.

Every 2022 GMC Terrain had a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. The previously available turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, which gave the Terrain great acceleration and a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, did not return to the lineup. The 1.5-liter could handle a trailer weighing up to 1,500 pounds. The torque was on tap between 2,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm, and the nine-speed automatic transmission did a decent job of keeping the Terrain in the thick of the torque band once the SUV was rolling. The Terrain AT4 could run in FWD mode to conserve fuel, switch to AWD mode when necessary, and activate an Off-Road mode and a Hill Descent Control system if needed. The Terrain had four-wheel independent suspension and the AT4 model sat on 17-inch wheels with 225/65 tires, offering 7.9 inches of ground clearance. GMC tuned the Terrain AT4 to deliver a good ride and decent handling on pavement, but it was not high enough or firm enough to do its AT4 badge justice off-road.

The Atlas SE, SE with Technology, and SEL had a standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with FWD or 4Motion AWD, making 235 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 258 pound-feet of torque starting at 1,600 rpm. An eight-speed automatic transmission distributed the power to the wheels. The turbo four’s maximum towing capacity was only 2,000 pounds, but the EPA fuel economy rating was 22 mpg to 23 mpg in combined driving. The 3.6-liter V6 engine, standard for SEL R-Line, SEL R-Line Black, and SEL Premium R-Line and optional with SE with Technology and SEL trims, made 276 hp at 6,200 rpm and 266 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 rpm. The V6 could tow up to 5,000 pounds, but acceleration was leisurely even with just a driver aboard. Fuel economy estimates were 19 mpg to 20 mpg in combined driving, aligning with the 19.6 mpg test result. The Atlas offered Eco, Normal, Sport, and Individual driving modes, and the 4Motion AWD system had Active Control calibrations including On-Road, Off-Road, Off-Road Custom, and Snow. Ground clearance was modest at 7.1 inches for the turbocharged Atlas and 7.5 inches for the Atlas V6.

The Terrain’s interior was roomy for a compact crossover, offering numerous comfort-enhancing features and storage solutions combined with good cargo-carrying capability. The Terrain AT4 included power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control with rear air-conditioning vents. The back seat was roomy, offering proper support, plenty of legroom and foot room, and softly padded front seatbacks. Cargo space measured 29.6 cubic feet behind the back seat, with a large storage bin underneath the trunk floor. Folding the rear seat down created 63.3 cubic feet of cargo space, and folding the front passenger’s seat down allowed for loading long items.

The Atlas had a roomy interior and comfortable seats, seating seven people in comfort, even adults in the third row. The step-in height was relatively low, making it easy to get into and out of. The test vehicle had rear side-window sunshades to help keep sunlight out of children’s eyes. The Atlas SE with Technology added tri-zone automatic climate control, while the SEL added ambient cabin lighting, an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger’s seat, and a panoramic sunroof. Genuine leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated second-row seats came with SEL Premium R-Line trim. Cargo space was exceptional, with 20.6 cubic feet of space behind the third-row seat, 55.5 cubic feet with the third-row seats folded down, and 96.8 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded down.

GMC offered Terrain buyers two different infotainment systems. The SLE trim had a 7-inch touchscreen display, while the SLT, AT4, and Denali came with a high-definition 8-inch touchscreen. Both systems offered Bluetooth smartphone connectivity, newly wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and GMC Connected Services through OnStar, including access to a Wi-Fi hotspot. The larger screen had a connected navigation system with natural voice recognition and a Bose premium sound system. The voice recognition system was excellent, responding quickly and accurately to most prompts. The Tech Package option included a head-up display, front and rear park assist sensors, and a surround-view camera system. The Tire Fill Alert system and remote engine starting system were also useful features.

For 2022, every Atlas included the Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrument cluster as standard equipment. The SE had a 6.5-inch touchscreen and last-generation infotainment system, while all other Atlases had the next-generation MIB3 infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen, multi-device Bluetooth pairing capability, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and Car-Net connected services with Amazon Alexa integration. The MyVW smartphone app provided access to Car-Net services plus roadside assistance, maintenance scheduling, and more. The SEL trim had a navigation system, while the SEL Premium R-Line had a 12-speaker Fender premium sound system. However, the user experience was not as good as it should be, with issues such as slow loading times and a cumbersome process for tuning the radio.

Every 2022 GMC Terrain had a GMC Pro Safety Package as standard equipment, including 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, available with SLE, SLT, and AT4 trim and standard with Denali trim, added adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a lane-change assist function, rear parking sensors, and a Safety Alert Seat. The IIHS awarded the 2022 Terrain mostly “Good” crash-test scores, but it earned a “Marginal” rating in a new side-impact test. The NHTSA had not evaluated the 2022 Terrain’s crashworthiness.

Volkswagen offered an impressive list of safety features for the 2022 Atlas. The SE had standard Front Assist, Side Assist, and Rear Traffic Alert. The SE with Technology added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and front and rear parking sensors with low-speed automatic braking. The SEL trim equipped the Atlas with the full collection of IQ Drive safety features, including Lane Assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. The Atlas SEL also had brighter LED headlights with automatic high-beam operation and an adaptive front lighting system. The SEL Premium R-Line had Area View and Park Assist technology. The 2022 Atlas did not earn a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and received four-star ratings for the driver and front passenger in frontal-impact tests conducted by the NHTSA.