Compare the2026 Acura ADXVS 2026 GMC Terrain

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Acura ADX are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The GMC Terrain doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Acura ADX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Terrain doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the ADX deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The ADX’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Terrain’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Acura ADX achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The GMC Terrain has not been tested.

The ADX’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Terrain doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the ADX and the Terrain have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Acura ADX achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Terrain has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

The ADX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Terrain’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Acura’s powertrain warranty covers the ADX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than GMC covers the Terrain. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Terrain ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The ADX’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Terrain’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Acura vehicles are better in initial quality than GMC vehicles. With 1 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Acura higher than GMC.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Acura vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Acura 15 places higher in reliability than GMC.

The ADX’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 more horsepower (190 vs. 175) than the Terrain FWD’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The ADX’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 more horsepower (190 vs. 175) than the Terrain AWD’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Acura ADX is faster than the Terrain AWD:

On the EPA test cycle the ADX gets better mileage than the Terrain:

For better stopping power the ADX’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Terrain:

The ADX stops shorter than the Terrain:

The ADX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Terrain’s standard 65 series tires. The ADX A-Spec’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Terrain Denali’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the ADX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Terrain.

The ADX has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Terrain doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The ADX has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the ADX flat and controlled during cornering. The Terrain’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The ADX has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Terrain doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The ADX A-Spec AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Terrain Elevation AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The ADX A-Spec AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Terrain AT4 (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the ADX has a 1.5 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Terrain (7.3 vs. 5.8 inches), allowing the ADX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The ADX’s minimum ground clearance is .9 inch higher than on the Terrain AT4 (7.3 vs. 6.4 inches).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the ADX easier. The ADX’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27 inches, while the Terrain’s liftover is 29.9 inches.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Acura service is better than GMC. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 12% lower rating, GMC is ranked 15th.

The ADX A-Spec’s front power windows both open or close with one touch of the switches. The Terrain’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

The ADX’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Terrain’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Both the Acura ADX and GMC Terrain offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The ADX offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Terrain’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The ADX has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Terrain.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Acura ADX has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Terrain.