2012 GMC Terrain: Car Seat Check

The GMC Terrain is a five-seat crossover and a boxier version of its corporate twin, the Chevrolet Equinox. Although it looks like a truck-based SUV, the Terrain is built on a car platform and has a comfortable ride, thanks to its four-wheel-independent suspension. Families also will appreciate the Terrain's standard backup camera.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.

Vote for the Cars.com's Shoppers' Choice Award

Cars.com's annual popularity award is back. We have found the 10 most popular new-car models that shoppers are not only searching for on Cars.com but are contacting dealers about. These models also receive positive consumer reviews.

This fervent interaction delivers a top 10 that might surprise some enthusiasts, but probably not the people who buy and sell cars.

Voting for this year’s Shoppers' Choice awards will be conducted entirely on Facebook, so go vote, share it with your network and get your favorite car the shiny trophy when it's announced Jan. 10 on the eve of the Detroit auto show.

Shoppers' Choice finalists (in alphabetical order):

• Audi Q5
• Dodge Challenger
• GMC Terrain
• Honda Accord
• Honda Pilot
• Kia Soul
• Ram 1500
• Subaru Outback
• Toyota Highlander
• Toyota Sienna

Recall Alert: 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and 2012 GMC Terrain

GM is recalling 33,964 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain SUVs from the 2012 model year because the tire pressure monitoring system doesn’t meet federal standards, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall affects Equinoxes and Terrains built from July 18 through Sept. 6. Your car’s build date can be found on a sticker affixed to the driver-side doorjamb.

The system is designed to illuminate the tire pressure warning light when the pressure in a tire is 25% below the recommended cold tire pressure. On the recalled SUVs, the warning light won’t illuminate until the tire pressure is more than 25% below the recommended cold tire pressure. An underflated tire can cause tire overloading and overheating, leading to a blowout and possible crash. Underinflated tires also can result in premature or irregular wear, poor handling and poor fuel economy.

The recall is expected to begin this month. GM dealers will update the body control module free of charge. For more info, affected owners can call Chevrolet at 800-630-2438, GMC at 866-996-9463 or NHTSA’s safety hotline at 888-327-4236.

2012 GMC Terrain Gets Accident Avoidance System

The 2012 GMC Terrain will feature a new crash avoidance system that’ll also serve as a lane mitigation system, according to GM. It will be the first such system in a GM vehicle. 

Unlike other precollision and lane mitigation systems, which typically use a series of radar or laser sensors to detect vehicles in front of them, the GMC system uses a digital camera mounted on the windshield in front of the rearview mirror. The digital camera, combined with object- and range-detecting software, determines if an accident is pre-eminent. If it is, the system illuminates a warning icon and beeps to warn the driver. The system also will pre-charge the brakes, like other systems, if an accident is unavoidable. GM doesn’t mention if the system will pre-emptively tighten seat belts, adjust seating position, raise head restraints or close the windows as similar systems do. GMC’s precollision system only works at speeds above 25 mph.

Incentives at Lowest Level in 5 Years

U.S. automakers spent less money on cash-back and financial incentives in April, according to Bloomberg. The average incentive on a new car was $2,320 in April, down about 14% from a year ago. It was the lowest level spent since October 2005.

For car shoppers, that’s not good news. The reduction in incentives was mostly the result of tight inventories, partly because of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March. Honda and Toyota have warned their dealers that inventory for vehicles would be tight throughout most of 2011, and Nissan recently postponed its big annual spring sales event.

Canadian Dispute Won't Delay Minivans, SUVs

We’ve reported extensively on the anticipated delays of Japanese imports, but are union disputes causing a similar situation in Canada? A dispute between Allied Systems Holdings — a transportation company that moves finished vehicles for automakers using those familiar tractor-trailers — and its Teamster union have held up deliveries of both Chrysler and General Motors vehicles to the U.S., according to the Windsor Star website. The issue is significant because the vehicles in question are popular ones for both companies, the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans and the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain crossovers.

GM had arranged alternative transport quickly, while Chrysler terminated its contract with Allied today, according to the Windsor Star. “We have re-sourced the business to other suppliers and are working to ensure a smooth transition. Vehicles continue to be shipped to dealers, and we do not anticipate any disruptions in production as a result of this change,” Chrysler spokeswoman Katie Helper says.

Chrysler continues to offer incentives on the refreshed minivans — both vans have $1,250 cash-back incentives or 2.9% APR for 60 months during the automaker’s “Premiere Event” campaign.

Today, the Detroit News reported that GM is suing Allied for holding more than 1,700 of its vehicles including Silverado trucks and Camaro sports cars. Some of the vehicles in question have already been purchased by customers, which we would assume means there are some unhappy folks waiting for the lawsuit to be resolved.

GM Wants More Volts, Already Building More Trucks

Word broke Monday that General Motors was contemplating yet another boost of the Chevy Volt’s production targets, in anticipation of a likely spike in gas prices. But on the same day of this fortune-telling, the automaker officially announced immediate actions to boost production of its more popular gas-thirsty heavy-duty pickups.

GM is trying to meet demand for its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pickups by adding an extra shift in the second quarter, according to PickupTrucks.com. GM is trying to nip any of the potential supply constraints, like the ones that happened with its SUVs and small crossovers last summer. The resigned Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain simply couldn’t be built fast enough to meet the demand. Months later, the plant has added capacity, and the two vehicles have seen a 60% increase in sales, for three consecutive months.

Recall Alert: 2011 Cadillac SRX, Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain

General Motors is recalling 97,843 crossover vehicles because of a defective seat belt buckle in the driver’s seat and/or front passenger seat, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The GM vehicles involved in the recall are the 2011 Cadillac SRX, 2011 Chevrolet Equinox and the 2011 GMC Terrain.
 
In the affected vehicles, the anchor of the seat belt buckle may fracture and separate near the seat attachment during a crash. As a result, the seat belt may not properly restrain the passenger, increasing the risk of injury.
 
GM will begin notifying owners on or before Jan. 18, and dealers will repair the buckles as necessary for free. For more info, owners can call Cadillac at 866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 800-630-2438, GMC at 866-996-9463 or NHTSA’s safety hot line at 888-327-4236.

Buick, Cadillac, GMC Incentives Hit 2010 Models

While Chevy has piled on a lot of deals for its 2010 models, GM’s other brands aren’t necessarily lagging behind.

GMC has a number of cash-back and financing offers, most notably up to $5,000 or zero-percent financing for 72 months on the Sierra. The Yukon and Acadia have $3,000 and $3,300 cash back, respectively, as well as zero-percent financing for 60 months.

Buick is a bit stingier, but it still offers $4,000 in customer cash on the Lucerne and 1.9% APR financing for 60 months on the Enclave.

Finally, Cadillac is offering zero-percent financing for 60 months on the CTS, CTS-V, CTS Sport Wagon, DTS, Escalade and STS.

As always, deals may vary by region, so be sure to talk to your local dealer and check out our incentives page here.

Recall Alert: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain

GM has issued a recall for 59,031 2010 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall affects certain models for failing to comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard that involves windshield defrosting and defogging systems. The software in the center instrument panel for certain vehicles can cause the heating, air-conditioning, defrosting and radio controls (as well as panel illumination) to stop working.

This can be especially dangerous if the defrosting system fails and a driver’s visibility becomes obscured, possibly leading to an accident under many different driving conditions.

Dealers will replace the computer module in the center instrument panel for free. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 800-630-2438, GMC at 866-996-9463 or the NHTSA vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.

2010|Chevrolet|Equinox

2010|GMC|Terrain