Noise, Ride & Handling

A defining attribute of GM's latest crossovers is improved noise insulation. Road and wind noise are hushed, leaving the cabin exceptionally quiet — at least until you hit a bump. The suspension isn't a particularly quiet one — it responds to potholes and expansion joints with loud, echoing noises — and, as we noted in the Equinox review, some may find the ride too firm overall.

The steering wheel turns with light effort at low speeds; it firms up progressively as you reach highway speeds, but I still found it a bit loose at 70 mph. Take an off-ramp quickly, and the Terrain has carlike resistance to body roll. Unfortunately, patches of rough pavement belie any cornering confidence: Steering response becomes sloppy, giving the Terrain a floaty sensation of being disconnected from the road. It reminds me more of traditional truck-based SUVs than car-based crossovers, to which the Terrain and its Chevy cohort belong.

    See also:

    Connections
    OnStar Hands-Free Calling allows calls to be made and received from the vehicle. The vehicle can also be controlled from a cell phone through the OnStar mobile app. See www.onstar.com for coverage ...

    Rear Window Defogger
    For vehicles with a rear window defogger, a warming grid is used to remove fog from the rear window. (Rear): Press to turn the rear window defogger on or off. An indicator light on the button comes ...

    Horn
    Pressa on the steering wheel pad to sound the horn. ...