The 2020 Gmc Terrain, a small SUV designed for versatility and comfort, has undergone rigorous testing to ensure occupant safety. This article delves into the safety ratings of the 2020 GMC Terrain, drawing upon data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Understanding these ratings is crucial for prospective buyers and current owners alike, offering insights into how this vehicle performs in various crash scenarios. The GMC Terrain and its sibling, the Chevrolet Equinox, were redesigned in 2018, becoming smaller and lighter, which reclassified them as small SUVs. The safety evaluations provided here are based on tests conducted by both the IIHS and General Motors, offering a comprehensive overview of the 2020 GMC Terrain’s safety performance.
Small Overlap Front: Driver-Side Evaluation
The driver-side small overlap front test assesses the vehicle’s structural integrity and safety when the front corner of the vehicle collides with a narrow object. The 2020 GMC Terrain earned a “Good” rating in this demanding test.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The measurements from the test provide further details about the vehicle’s performance:
Technical Measurements: Driver-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Measurement Category | Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|---|
| Occupant Compartment Intrusion (Driver Side) | Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 6 |
| Footrest (cm) | 5 | |
| Left toepan (cm) | 4 | |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 5 | |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 1 | |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 5 | |
| Upper dash (cm) | 5 | |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 5 | |
| Driver Injury Measures | Head HIC-15 | 86 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.8 | |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 8 | |
| Maximum Nij | 0.17 | |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 22 | |
| Femur force – Left (kN) | 0.7 | |
| Femur force – Right (kN) | 0.1 | |
| Knee displacement – Left (mm) | 0 | |
| Knee displacement – Right (mm) | 0 | |
| Maximum tibia index – Left | 0.47 | |
| Maximum tibia index – Right | 0.51 | |
| Tibia axial force – Left (kN) | 1.2 | |
| Tibia axial force – Right (kN) | 0.2 | |
| Foot acceleration – Left (g) | 56 | |
| Foot acceleration – Right (g) | 43 |
About the small overlap front test
Small Overlap Front: Passenger-Side Assessment
In the passenger-side small overlap test, the 2020 GMC Terrain also achieved a “Good” overall rating, indicating robust protection for front-seat passengers in a similar collision scenario. However, the structure and safety cage received an “Acceptable” rating in this specific test.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | A |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | A |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
Action shot during the passenger-side small overlap frontal crash test of the 2020 GMC Terrain.
Post-crash dummy position in the 2020 GMC Terrain, showing good maintenance of survival space.
Effective airbag deployment in the 2020 GMC Terrain passenger-side test, protecting the dummy’s head.
Dashboard and door hinge pillar intrusion contributing to potential lower leg injury risk in the 2020 GMC Terrain.
Technical Measurements: Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Measurement Category | Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|---|
| Occupant Compartment Intrusion (Passenger Side) | Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 11 |
| Footrest (cm) | 7 | |
| Right toepan (cm) | 3 | |
| Center toepan (cm) | 2 | |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 2 | |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 11 | |
| Upper dash (cm) | 9 | |
| Right lower dash (cm) | 11 | |
| Passenger Injury Measures | Head HIC-15 | 109 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.0 | |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 16 | |
| Maximum Nij | 0.25 | |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 16 | |
| Femur force – Left (kN) | 0.0 | |
| Femur force – Right (kN) | 1.1 | |
| Knee displacement – Left (mm) | 1 | |
| Knee displacement – Right (mm) | 9 | |
| Maximum tibia index – Left | 0.43 | |
| Maximum tibia index – Right | 0.82 | |
| Tibia axial force – Left (kN) | 1.8 | |
| Tibia axial force – Right (kN) | 1.0 | |
| Foot acceleration – Left (g) | 63 | |
| Foot acceleration – Right (g) | 41 | |
| Driver Injury Measures | Head HIC-15 | 90 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.8 | |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 14 | |
| Maximum Nij | 0.16 | |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 28 | |
| Femur force – Left (kN) | 0.2 | |
| Femur force – Right (kN) | 0.2 | |
| Knee displacement – Left (mm) | 0 | |
| Knee displacement – Right (mm) | 0 | |
| Maximum tibia index – Left | 0.28 | |
| Maximum tibia index – Right | 0.19 | |
| Tibia axial force – Left (kN) | 0.2 | |
| Tibia axial force – Right (kN) | 0.2 | |
| Foot acceleration – Left (g) | 54 | |
| Foot acceleration – Right (g) | 42 |
About the small overlap front test
Moderate Overlap Front: Original Test Results
The moderate overlap front test simulates a frontal collision between two vehicles. The 2020 GMC Terrain once again demonstrated a “Good” overall rating in this assessment.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Leg/foot, left | G |
| Leg/foot, right | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
Technical Measurements: Moderate Overlap Front Test
| Measurement Category | Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|---|
| Occupant Compartment Intrusion (Driver Side) | Footrest (cm) | 5 |
| Left footwell intrusion (cm) | 7 | |
| Center footwell intrusion (cm) | 7 | |
| Right footwell intrusion (cm) | 6 | |
| Brake pedal intrusion (cm) | 7 | |
| Instrument panel rearward movement – Left (cm) | 0 | |
| Instrument panel rearward movement – Right (cm) | 0 | |
| Steering column upward movement (cm) | -3 | |
| Steering column rearward movement (cm) | 1 | |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 1 | |
| Driver Injury Measures | Head HIC-15 | 163 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.9 | |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 4 | |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 | |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 25 | |
| Femur force – Left (kN) | 1.0 | |
| Femur force – Right (kN) | 0.4 | |
| Knee displacement – Left (mm) | 0 | |
| Knee displacement – Right (mm) | 0 | |
| Maximum tibia index – Left | 0.34 | |
| Maximum tibia index – Right | 0.67 | |
| Tibia axial force – Left (kN) | 1.7 | |
| Tibia axial force – Right (kN) | 3.0 | |
| Foot acceleration – Left (g) | 54 | |
| Foot acceleration – Right (g) | 81 |
About the original moderate overlap front test
Side Impact: Original and Updated Test Performance
The side impact tests evaluate the vehicle’s ability to protect occupants in side collisions. The 2020 GMC Terrain received a “Good” rating in the original side impact test. However, in the updated side impact test, the overall rating dropped to “Marginal.”
Side: Original Test
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
Technical Measurements: Side Impact Original Test
| Measurement Category | Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|---|
| Occupant Compartment Intrusion (Driver Side) | B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -20.5 |
| Driver Injury Measures | Head HIC-15 | 151 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.2 | |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.3 | |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 38 | |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 1.4 | |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 38 | |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 33 | |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 4.51 | |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.77 | |
| Pelvis Iliac force (kN) | 0.9 | |
| Pelvis Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.2 | |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 2.0 | |
| Left femur L-M force (kN) | 0.7 | |
| Left femur L-M moment (Nm) | 19 | |
| Left femur A-P moment (Nm) | 84 | |
| Passenger Injury Measures | Head HIC-15 | 194 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.2 | |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.8 | |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 31 | |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 1.6 | |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 22 | |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 19 | |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.34 | |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.31 | |
| Pelvis Iliac force (kN) | 1.1 | |
| Pelvis Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.9 | |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 3.6 | |
| Left femur L-M force (kN) | 0.1 | |
| Left femur L-M moment (Nm) | 15 | |
| Left femur A-P moment (Nm) | 27 |
About the original side crash test
Side: Updated Test
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | M |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | M |
| Pelvis | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | A |
| Torso | A |
| Pelvis | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | M |
Vehicle condition post-updated side crash test of the 2020 GMC Terrain.
Side airbags deployed and damage to the occupant compartment of the 2020 GMC Terrain after the updated side crash test.
Greasepaint on dummy head showing airbag protection during the 2020 GMC Terrain side impact test.
Dummy head contact with the C-pillar through the airbag in the 2020 GMC Terrain updated side impact test.
Technical Measurements: Side Impact Updated Test
| Measurement Category | Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|---|
| Occupant Compartment Intrusion (Driver Side) | B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -21.0 |
| Driver Injury Measures | Head HIC-15 | 131 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.3 | |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.5 | |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 44 | |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 1.4 | |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 43 | |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 39 | |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.63 | |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.76 | |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 3.5 | |
| Passenger Injury Measures | Head HIC-15 | 733 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 101 | |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.4 | |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 2.2 | |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 42 | |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 1.8 | |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 40 | |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 36 | |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.20 | |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.60 | |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 3.0 |
Roof Strength Evaluation
The roof strength test assesses the roof’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover crash. The 2020 GMC Terrain earned a “Good” rating in roof strength.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,460 lbs |
| Peak force | 18,196 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.26 |
Head Restraints and Seats
Seat and head restraint design plays a vital role in preventing whiplash in rear-end collisions. The 2020 GMC Terrain’s power leather seats received a “Good” overall rating.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
Technical Measurements: Head Restraints & Seats
| Measurement Category | Measurement | |
|---|---|---|
| Geometry | Backset (mm) | 26 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 24 | |
| Seat design parameters | Pass/fail | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 11.9 | |
| Head contact time (ms) | 60 | |
| Force rating | 1 | |
| Neck forces | Max neck shear force (N) | 26 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 443 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Headlight Performance
Headlight effectiveness is critical for nighttime driving safety. The 2020 GMC Terrain’s headlight ratings vary by trim level, with both HID projector (SL, SLE, SLT trims) and LED projector (Denali trim) options receiving a “Poor” overall rating.
HID Projector Headlights (SL, SLE, SLT trims)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | HID projector |
| High-beam headlight type | HID projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating | P |
LED Projector Headlights (Denali trim)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating | P |
About the headlight evaluation
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
The 2020 GMC Terrain comes standard with automatic emergency braking and forward collision alert systems. In vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention tests, the system earned a “Superior” rating.
| System Details | |
|---|---|
| Standard Automatic Emergency Braking | |
| Standard Forward Collision Alert | |
| Package Name | Standard GM Pro Safety |
| Overall Evaluation | Superior |
The system successfully avoided a collision in the 12 mph test and significantly reduced impact speed in the 25 mph test.
About the original front crash prevention test
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
The 2020 GMC Terrain also features standard front pedestrian braking. This system received an “Advanced” rating for daytime pedestrian front crash prevention.
| System Details | |
|---|---|
| Standard Front Pedestrian Braking | |
| Overall Evaluation | Advanced |
The system showed effectiveness in reducing impact speeds in tests involving crossing children and adults, and avoided collision in the parallel adult scenario at 25 mph.
About the pedestrian front crash prevention test
Conclusion: 2020 GMC Terrain Safety Performance
The 2020 GMC Terrain demonstrates strong safety performance in many crash tests, achieving “Good” ratings in small overlap front (driver-side and passenger-side), moderate overlap front, roof strength, and head restraints & seats. While the original side impact test resulted in a “Good” rating, the updated side impact test yielded a “Marginal” rating. Furthermore, the headlight systems received a “Poor” rating across trim levels, but front crash prevention systems showed “Superior” (vehicle-to-vehicle) and “Advanced” (pedestrian day) performance. Overall, the 2020 GMC Terrain offers a solid level of safety, particularly in frontal and rollover crashes, with advanced crash prevention technologies enhancing its safety profile. However, the “Marginal” rating in the updated side impact test and “Poor” headlight ratings are points to consider for potential buyers.
