This weekend I drove out to Las Vegas for business, and the company rented me a car to get there. At first I was going to see if our corporate account would allow me to grab a Mustang for the trip out, but unfortunately that was not to be. What I was able to get was a 2010 GMC Terrain SLT-2, which was almost as good. Or was it?

Exterior styling on the Terrain is polarizing with the majority seeming to dislike it. The Chevy Equinox, which shares the same underpinnings, comes wearing much subtler and (to some) more pleasing sheet metal. When I was checking in at the rental office, the Terrain was just outside the door where the styling commanded my attention and I for one really liked it. Though I think it’s too aggressive and sporty when compared to the actual experience. More on that later.

The guy behind the counter was a bit of a car guy. We got chatting about my travel plans and he “hooked me up” with the Terrain. He was quite excited about the vehicle since they had apparently received it only a few weeks prior. He was so excited that he used the remote start feature to start it up while we were finishing up the paperwork.

The exhaust note got my attention and had me believing that I was getting behind the wheel of a sporty six cylinder. Everything about the vehicle promised an immersive and gratifying driving experience. From the sporty exterior, to the deep low set and firmly bolstered bucket seats, a thick leather wrapped steering wheel, AWD, big wheels and tires, a well placed manumatic shifter, it was all there.

Sadly all of that promise falls flat as soon as you get in the driver’s seat. The wheel has a satisfying weight but the chassis filters the vast majority of the information before it gets to your fingertips. Having assumed I was getting into a V6 powered vehicle, I had great expectations when I pulled out of the rental lot and floored the throttle. The result was a not terrible but underwhelming 9.2 second sprint to 60MPH.

I concluded that it must have been equipped with the four cylinder, a hunch which was later confirmed when I discovered that the “Eco” mode equipped on this Terrain is only available on the four cylinder. With the Eco mode enabled the torque converter locks up at a lower RPM (1125 revs to be exact) which ostensibly saves fuel on the highway, though I was never cruising on the highway at anything less than about 2100 RPM. In Eco mode the Ecotec four knocked back a respectable 25MPG on the highway. Not too shabby given the 29MPG rating for the 2.4L with an AWD drivetrain, and given that I was driving through the desert in 110F+ temperatures so the A/C was always on. Also, my heavy right foot probably had something to do with my mileage numbers.

The Terrain continued to impress with a very compliant and comfortable ride, even over the worst the US 101 between Santa Barbara and Oxnard had to offer. As a GMC and OnStar neophyte I was still able to pair my iPhone using Bluetooth in less than a minute without instruction. During nearly 800 miles of freeway driving I was very pleased with the cruise control. When you set the cruise it actually tells you the exact mile per hour that you’ve dialed in and you can increase or decrease it in one MPH increments. If you use metric to measure your speed you may not be as enamored with the cruise control as it isn’t as precise. It seems GM used miles as it’s standard unit of measurement and converted to kilometers.

While the backup camera and display integrated into the rear view mirror are not up to the standards of some other car makers, I still found it convenient and clever. The iPod integration, which worked seamlessly, was also a pleasant surprise when I discovered it about half way into the first leg of my journey.

I also discovered that the brakes were positively inspiring. This discovery comes in part thanks to how comfortable and isolated the cabin is from outside noise. I had managed to get up to nearly 20MPH above the speed limit without really noticing. That is until the traffic in front of me came to a complete stop. I applied the brakes full force and prepared to dive into the shoulder in case I could not stop in time. But my alarm was unfounded as I came to a drama free stop a full three car lengths short of the car in front of me.

Inside the gauge cluster is a multi function LCD which displays many cool things, including speed, which is good because the gauges are invisible in sunlight due to glare (an excellent opportunity for a digital dash if you ask me!).  This Terrain was equipped with the Pioneer premium audio option which performed very well, but didn’t have much “umph”. Initially I thought that there was no sub, until I opened up the cargo area to get my bags. Still, the Pioneer manufactured system is very impressive when compared to other factory audio options.

The Terrain has an available rear seat entertainment system with individual 8″ screens, one in the back of each front row seat. The one I was driving wasn’t equipped with the rear seat entertainment option, which was no real loss, since no one sat back there to enjoy them.

On my last day with the Terrain, and only a few miles from home, I reluctantly subjected the Terrain to a familiar twisty road, and something magical happened. It was like being on an awkward date where you have nothing in common with each other. The communication is strained and you struggle to find things to talk about. Then suddenly you stumble upon a topic you both have in common, the entire mood changes, and start talking much more freely. Sure, you’d each need a couple more drinks to make it a magical evening but at least you’re talking. This is what it felt like when the Terrain took to the twisties. The formerly numb and filtered steering felt like it had warmed up to me and was starting to share some of it’s thoughts and feelings. The transmission which consistently seemed lazy and reluctant was comparably responsive. So impressed was I that I hit a second familiar road.

You can get behind the wheel of a base model SLE-1 FWD Terrain for $24,250. I was driving an AWD SLT-2 without any additional options which will set you back $32,045.

At the end of the day the Terrain falls well short of it’s sporty persona, but it performed very well for the task at hand. It was generally fun to drive and as comfortable as I could have hoped for to drive out into the desert. As for the driving dynamics, I think it’s best summarized this way: my wife came to pick me up from the rental office in our our 2006 Honda Odyssey, which I then drove home. When compared directly against the Terrain the mini-van felt sporty, nimble, and connected.