MPG-o-Matic GMC Terrain Review Summary:
The 2010 GMC Terrain shares its platform with the Chevy Equinox, and like its cousin, delivers solid gas mileage results when equipped with the standard four-cylinder engine. The Terrain is a prime choice for fuel-conscious families swapping out of larger SUVs, with generous interior space, a comfortable ride, and plenty of in-cabin amenities.
GMC
Hybrid Gas Mileage Ratings
While today’s hybrid gas mileage ratings may seem impressive when compared to the majority of conventional vehicles on the market, there’s still a long way to go. This unfulfilled dream is clearly evident when studying the historical chart of hybrid gas mileage. The earliest models of the Honda Insight set the bar remarkably high (regardless of the change in the EPA’s testing procedures implemented in 2007); so high that they remain to be equaled by a production vehicle today.
Viewing the statistics, it’s easy to understand how the Insight hybrid achieved those remarkable gas mileage results. Weighing in at under a ton, Honda’s little spaceship had a big head start, with a diminutive 1.0 liter three cylinder engine providing just enough oomph and efficiency to land the micro hybrid’s gas mileage in the stratosphere.
With the Insight put out to pasture after the 2006 model year, the Toyota Prius snatched the hybrid gas mileage crown, edging out the Honda Civic Hybrid.
Best Gas Mileage Four Wheel Drive
Need a four wheel drive with the best gas mileage? Get ready to downsize. None of the best gas mileage four wheel drives (4WDs) are jumbo-sized sport utility vehicles (SUVs).
Simply put, the aerodynamics and vehicle weight of the bulkiest SUVs cause gas mileage to suffer, leading to many a painful transaction at the pump. The trick is to get small(er), lighter, and more slippery. Credit Subaru for getting the ball rolling with popularizing economical 4WD drive passenger cars in the early days. Since 1997, every vehicle Subaru’s offered in America has been all wheel drive.
These days, it’s not just Subaru. There are plenty of four wheel drive choices that are neither truck nor SUV. And forget the notion of pint-sized economy cars. You’ll find a generous helping of 4WD luxury from manufacturers including Audi, Volvo, Cadillac, and Lexus … in fact, you’ll find many of their offerings in the 2008 list of best gas mileage four wheel drives.
Purists will gladly share that there’s a difference between four wheel drive and all wheel drive (AWD). And surely there is … but for a great many folks, it comes down to two simple questions: will it go in the snow and will I go broke feeding it?
At the other end of the spectrum, the little Suzuki SX4 delivers plenty of bang for the buck, by combining the best four wheel drive gas mileage with a low sticker price (for those who don’t just think miles per gallon … but miles per dollar.)
Along with its corporate cousins, the Ford Escape Hybrid proves the exception to the rule as the highest all around mile per gallon (MPG) four wheel drive vehicle. If you can’t get a great deal on an Escape Hybrid at your local Ford dealer, take a look at the Mercury Mariner Hybrid. And if you happen to live in Southern California, the Mazda Tribute Hybrid HEV might be an option … as long as you’re able to snag one of the 350 Tribute HEVs built for this test market.)
2008 Best Gas Mileage Four Wheel Drives
- Audi A4
- Suzuki SX4
- Subaru Legacy
- Subaru Impreza
- Subaru Outback
- Jeep Compass
- Ford Escape Hybrid
- Jeep Patriot
- Subaru Forester
- Mazda Tribute Hybrid
- Mercury Mariner Hybrid
- Honda CR-V
- Volvo S60
- Volvo V50
- Volvo S40
- Toyota RAV4
- Cadillac CTS
- Cadillac STS
- Lexus IS 250
- Nissan Rogue
GMC Canyon Gas Mileage
The mid-sized GMC Canyon was introduced in 2004 as a replacement for the GMC Sonoma. Gas mileage ratings for the Canyon are good for the current crop of mid-size pickups, with the standard engine providing 24 miles per gallon (MPG) on the highway. Along with its corporate cousin, the Chevrolet Colorado, the Canyon competes with the Dodge Dakota. The Colorado also shares its platform with the Isuzu i-Series; all three trucks are built in GM’s Shreveport, Louisiana plant.
The 2008 GMC Canyon comes standard with a 185 horsepower (HP) 2.9 liter inline four cylinder engine. A 3.7 liter inline five cylinder engine producing 242 HP is also available. Although a diesel engine is not currently an option in the Canyon, Isuzu’s D-Max pickup truck is fitted with a miserly 16-valve DOHC inter-cooled 3.0 liter turbo diesel inline four cylinder engine in other parts of the world. Mid-size truck owners would welcome GMC fitting this fuel-efficient turbo-diesel in the Canyon.
GMC Sierra Gas Mileage
Like the full-size Chevrolet Silverado pickup, but want something a little different? Take a look at the Sierra, GMC’s stable mate for the Silverado. The half-ton GMC Sierra 1500 offers respectable gas mileage for a full size pickup when fitted with the base 4.6 liter six cylinder engine. When coupled with a five-speed manual transmission in a 2WD Sierra, the 4.6 liter six provides 15 city and 20 highway miles per gallon.
GMC Canyon Engine Options
GMC offers a wide range of engine options in the half-ton Sierra 1500 range. Although GMC offers diesel engine options for the heavy-duty Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD, the Sierra 1500 choices are gas-only.
- Vortec 4.3 liter V6
- Vortec 4.8 liter V8
- Vortec 5.3 liter V8 (iron-block, Active Fuel Management, with or without FlexFuel)
- Vortec 5.3 liter V8 (aluminum-block, Active Fuel Management, with or without FlexFuel)
- Vortec MAX 6.0 liter V8 (Active Fuel Management)
The 2500HD and 3500HD come standard with the Vortec 6.0 liter V8, with the Duramax Diesel 6.6 liter turbo V8 available as an option. GMC does not publish mileage ratings for the Duramax diesels, which are produced by a joint venture between GM and Isuzu.