2026 GMC Terrain

small SUV / 4-door SUV

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteriaRating
Small overlap front
A
Side: updated test
G

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Evaluation criteriaRating
Headlights
A
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0
Standard system
A
Front crash prevention: pedestrian
Standard system
G

Other available safety features

  • Standard blind spot detection
  • Standard lane departure warning & prevention
  • Standard rear automatic braking

Key

GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor

Small overlap front

The small overlap front evaluation consists of a driver-side and a passenger-side component. If the results of the two evaluations differ, then the combined small overlap rating is equal to the lower rating.

Driver-side

Tested vehicle: 2025 Chevrolet Equinox LT 4-door 2-wheel drive
Rating applies to 2025-26 models

The Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain were redesigned for the 2025 model year. Driver-side small overlap front ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test of a 2025 Equinox conducted by General Motors.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall driver-side evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTN2514
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 11
Footrest (cm) 6
Left toepan (cm) 2
Brake pedal (cm) 1
Parking brake (cm)
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 2
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column 0
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 7
Upper dash (cm) 5
Lower instrument panel (cm) 6

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTN2514
Head
HIC-15 104
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.4
Extension bending moment (Nm) 23
Maximum Nij 0.18
Chest maximum compression (mm) 18
Femur (kN)
Left 2.1
Right 0.2
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 3
Right 1
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.32
Right 0.34
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 1.4
Right 0.0
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 28
Right 41

Passenger-side

Tested vehicle: 2025 Chevrolet Equinox RS 4-door 4wd
Rating applies to 2025-26 models

The Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain were redesigned for the 2025 model year. Passenger-side small overlap front ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test of a 2025 Equinox conducted by General Motors.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall passenger-side evaluation
A
Structure and safety cage
A
Passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
A
Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
The dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag but nearly rolled off the left side, leaving the head vulnerable to contact with forward structure. The side curtain airbag did not deploy during the crash.
A
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTP2516
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 8
Footrest (cm) 5
Right toepan (cm) 4
Center toepan (cm) 3
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 1
Upper occupant compartment
Center dash (cm) 6
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 6
Upper dash (cm) 8
Right lower dash (cm) 8

Passenger injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTP2516
Head
HIC-15 95
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.7
Extension bending moment (Nm) 9
Maximum Nij 0.17
Chest maximum compression (mm) 20
Femur (kN)
Left 0.8
Right 5.0
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 7
Right 13
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 3
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.58
Right 0.94
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 1.7
Right 1.2
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 47
Right 35

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTP2516
Head
HIC-15 280
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.5
Extension bending moment (Nm) 23
Maximum Nij 0.33
Chest maximum compression (mm) 18
Femur (kN)
Left 0.1
Right 0.2
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 0
Right 0
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.22
Right 0.31
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 1.1
Right 0.8
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 30
Right 55

About the small overlap front test

Side: updated test

Tested vehicle: 2025 Chevrolet Equinox LT 4-door 2wd
Rating applies to 2025-26 models

The Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain were redesigned for the 2025 model year. Side impact ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test of a 2025 Equinox conducted by General Motors.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
A
Pelvis
G
Driver head protection
G
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis
G
Rear passenger head protection
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID VTS2519
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) -21.0
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID VTS2519
Head
HIC-15 80
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.1
Compression (kN) 0.2
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 27
Lateral force (kN) 1.0
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 32
Average deflection (mm) 30
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 4.24
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.49
Pelvis
Combined force (kN) 3.8

Passenger injury measures

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID VTS2519
Head
HIC-15 320
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.1
Compression (kN) 0.3
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 40
Lateral force (kN) 1.8
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 33
Average deflection (mm) 27
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 3.33
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.58
Pelvis
Combined force (kN) 3.3

About the side crash test

Headlights

Trim level(s): All trims, trim

Evaluation criteriaRating
Low-beam headlight typeLED projector
High-beam headlight typeLED projector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
A
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the right side of the road and fair on the left side. On curves, visibility was fair on both right curves and inadequate on both left curves.

The low beams never exceeded glare limits.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was fair in all 4 tests.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway, on both left curves and on both right curves.

Technical measurements for this test
Evaluation criteria Measurement
Trim level(s)
  • All trims
  • trim
Low-beam headlight type LED projector
High-beam headlight type LED projector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2026 models
A
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 105.5 m None
Straightaway left edge 45.9 m None
250m radius right curve, right edge 59.2 m None
250m radius left curve, right edge 43.6 m None
150m radius right curve, right edge 54.3 m None
150m radius left curve, left edge 43.9 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 150.5 m
Straightaway left edge 164.6 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 70.5 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 65.4 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 60.0 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 56.8 m

About the headlight evaluation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0

System details

  • standard Enchanced Automatic Emergencey Braking
Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
A
Rating applies to all 2025-26 models

Passenger car target

Test runSpeed reductionTimely warning?
31 mph/target centeredCollision avoided
31 mph/target off-centerCollision avoided
37 mph/target centeredCollision avoided
37 mph/target off-centerCollision avoided
43 mph/target centeredCollision avoided
43 mph/target off-centerCollision avoided

Motorcycle target

Test runSpeed reductionTimely warning?
31 mph/target centeredCollision avoided
31 mph/target off-centerCollision avoided
37 mph/target centeredCollision avoided
37 mph/target off-center13 mph
43 mph/target centered42 mph
43 mph/target off-centerAutobrake not tested

Semitrailer

Only warning is tested with the semitrailer.

Test runTimely warning?
31 mph/target centered
37 mph/target centered
43 mph/target centered

About the front crash prevention test

Front crash prevention: pedestrian

System details

  • standard Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking / Front Pedestrian and Bicyclist Braking
Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Includes high-beam assist credit
Rating applies to all 2025-26 models

Crossing child — day

  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 22 mph.

Crossing adult — night

  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision when using its high beams. When using its low beams, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision when using its high beams. When using its low beams, this vehicle avoided a collision.

Parallel adult — night

  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision when using its high beams. When using its low beams, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 37 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 23 mph when using its high beams and a warning was issued 2.4 seconds before impact. When using its low beams, impact speed was reduced by 22 mph and a warning was issued 1.3 seconds before impact.

About the pedestrian front crash prevention test