Model Year | 2014 | 2018 | |
Model | Chevrolet Malibu | GMC Terrain | |
Engine | turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 259 hp@5500 295 lb-ft@3000 |
turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 252 hp@5500 260 lb-ft@2500 |
|
Transmission | 6-speed shiftable automatic | 9-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | |
Body | 4dr Sedan | 4dr SUV | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 107.8 in | 107.3 in | 0.5 in |
Length | 191.5 in | 182.3 in | 9.2 in |
Width | 73.0 in | 72.4 in | 0.6 in |
Height | 57.6 in | 65.4 in | -7.8 in |
Curb Weight | 3635 lb. | 3563 lb. | 72 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 18.5 gal. | 14.9 gal. | 3.6 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 39.0 in | 40.0 in | -1 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 57.5 in | 57.2 in | 0.3 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 55.0 in | 54.4 in | 0.6 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 42.1 in | 40.9 in | 1.2 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 37.5 in | 38.5 in | -1 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 57.1 in | 55.6 in | 1.5 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 54.3 in | 51.8 in | 2.5 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 36.8 in | 39.7 in | -2.9 in |
Total Legroom | 78.9 in (over 2 rows) | 80.6 in (over 2 rows) | -1.7 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 16.3 ft3 | 29.6 ft3 | -13.3 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 16.3 ft3 | 63.3 ft3 | -47 ft3 |
2014 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
On paper, the Malibu's rear seat is only a little tighter than those in the 2008-2012 sedan and in competing cars. In person, rear knee room would only be marginally competitive in the compact sedan segment. Sitting behind my 5-9 self, my shins graze the front seatbacks. GM is rushing some revised seats to market. But if past attempts to fix a cramped rear seat are any indication, this won't make a substantial difference. The rear seat in the Ford Fusion is roomier, if also short of the segment's quasi-limos. see full Chevrolet Malibu review |
2014 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2014 | 4dr Sedan 196-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Both front & rear compartments very roomy & comfortable. Again, this is noted improvement over our 2009 Malibu. see full Chevrolet Malibu review |
2014 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2013 | 4dr Sedan 182-horsepower 2.4L I4 Hybrid 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
This is tight if front seats are postioned at or close to the back of their range; shorter wheelbase in this model compared to prior version. Rear seat access is excellent (i.e, for infant car seats, small item transport). see full Chevrolet Malibu review |
2018 GMC Terrain Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2018 | The first-generation GMC Terrain took advantage of a long, 112.5-inch wheelbase to offer exceptional rear legroom--nearly 40 inches of it. On paper, the 2018 Terrain has only a half-inch less combined legroom despite a wheelbase shrink of 5.2 inches (to better align the vehicle with competitors and open up space for the downsized Acadia). In reality, rear legroom seems ample but no longer outstanding. The rear seats in the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are similarly roomy. But the Terrain does pull ahead when evaluating rear seat comfort. Its high-mounted rear seat cushion provides better leg support than others. The Compass's rear seat is lower and firmer. The Terrain's rear seat can even recline a little. Based on their specs, the Jeep is nearly as roomy inside as the GMC. Headroom, shoulder room, and combined legroom specs all differ by less than an inch. In reality, the Jeep's interior feels significantly narrower. And the Jeep Cherokee? All of its interior specs are also within an inch of the Terrain's, though often in the other direction. Why does Jeep offer two crossovers so close in size? This isn't clear. In terms of specs, they differ most in combined legroom and cargo volume. The Cherokee has 1.3 inches more of the former--good to have, but hardly justification for an additional model--and about ten percent LESS of the latter. How can the larger Jeep have less cargo volume? I suspect that the Compass was measured more creatively, and cannot actually hold as much cargo. Based on their specs--and I always take cargo volume specs with more than a little salt--the new Terrain can swallow a few more cubic feet of cargo than the Compass (63.3 vs. 59.8) but falls well short of the RAV4 (70.6 in hybrid form, 73.4 otherwise). A Honda CR-V can fit a couple more cubes than the RAV4. The GMC Terrain and the Jeeps compensate for not having the most spacious cargo areas with front passenger seats that fold forward. If your cargo is long but not wide, one of these is the way to go. Though closely related to the GMC, the Chevrolet Equinox does not offer this feature. see full GMC Terrain review |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2018 GMC Terrain.