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| 252 HP | Max Horsepower | 203 HP |
| 260 LB-FT | Max Torque | 184 LB-FT |
| 3,500 LBS | Towing Capacity | 3,500 LBS |
There are a lot of reasons to choose a small SUV; in particular, you are probably interested in getting the spaciousness and power of an SUV, without taking up as much of your life as you need to with a full-size model. Within this group of vehicles, you have a lot of good options, so deciding on the right one can be difficult. When you look at two options like the 2020 GMC Terrain vs 2020 Toyota RAV4, then you can get a good idea of which one is right for you.
Overall, both of these vehicles are quite good, so figuring out which one best meets your needs will likely come down to exactly what you want and some very minor details. A powerful engine makes a big difference when driving an SUV, even in a small model, because there is so much vehicle to move forward. The 2020 GMC Terrain has a far more powerful engine available than the RAV4, so it offers a more enjoyable overall driving experience. The drivetrain in the Terrain is also a bit more refined for a really joyful and smooth ride overall.
Inside, the Terrain is everything you would expect from GMC, with fantastic details and touches throughout for a truly sophisticated and luxurious ride. While the RAV4 has a lot to offer in terms of the interior, it simply falls short in a few key ways. Both of these vehicles offer excellent safety features, which you would expect from GMC and Toyota, but the Terrain manages to pull ahead just enough to make it a better option overall. If you are still not sure which to choose, then come visit us at Rick Hendrick Buick GMC Duluth and see the 2020 Terrain for yourself.
You might not be too concerned about the engine in small SUVs like the 2020 GMC Terrain and the 2020 Toyota RAV4, or how powerful it is. With a small SUV, it is easy to focus on other things, but a powerful engine really does make a difference. The same vehicle with two different engines can drive completely differently, and a more powerful engine makes even a small SUV far more fun to drive.
The 2020 GMC Terrain has two engines available, though there are some restrictions on your choice based on trim level. With the Terrain, you start off with a 1.5L Turbo 4-Cylinder engine that offers up to 170 hp and 203 lb-ft of torque. This engine is your only option with the SL or SLE trim level, but you have a second choice with the SLT trim. The available 2.0L Turbo 4-Cylinder engine, which also comes standard on the Denali trim, offers up to 252 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque for an incredible driving experience.
By comparison, the 2020 Toyota RAV4 has only a single engine available no matter which trim level you choose. It is a 2.5L 4-Cylinder engine that provides up to 203 hp and up to 184 lb-ft of torque. If you compare this to the Terrain, you can see that the starting engine from GMC offers a bit less horsepower but more torque – it is a bit of a tradeoff really. However, when compared to the more powerful engine in the 2020 GMC Terrain, the RAV4 really falls short.
The more powerful engine in the Terrain gives you up to almost 50 more horsepower and nearly 80 lb-ft more torque. That is a significant difference – a lot of the time, manufacturers will focus on a difference of two or three horsepower and act like it is a huge distinction. In this case, however, you can see that the available power with the Terrain is significantly higher. And the Terrain comes with a 9-speed automatic transmission, while the RAV4 has an 8-speed automatic. Overall, the 2020 GMC Terrain is simply more fun to drive, especially when you have the more powerful engine.
Although towing might be a bigger consideration for you if you are looking at full-size trucks, it is still worth looking at with an SUV, even a small one. Both the 2020 GMC Terrain and the Toyota RAV4 offer up to 3,500 lbs of maximum towing capacity. That is quite good for a small SUV and gives you a lot more power to tow than you might expect. It is worth noting, however, that only a single trim for the RAV4 offers this much towing – all other trims top out at 1,500 lbs. In fairness, the Terrain with the 1.5L engine also gives you 1,500 lbs of towing capacity, but you can choose the 2.0L engine on more than one trim, which can get you up to 3,500 lbs.
In terms of cargo capacity, both of these vehicles are pretty similar and about what you would expect from a small SUV. The 2020 GMC Terrain gives you almost 30 cu.ft. of cargo space behind the second row and more than 63 cu.ft. of space behind the front row. By comparison, the 2020 Toyota RAV4 offers about 37 cu.ft. of space behind the second row and just over 69 cu.ft. of cargo room behind the front row. You do get a bit more space with the RAV4, but not by a huge margin – ultimately, the space behind the front row in the Terrain is about 92% of what the RAV4 offers.
Both the 2020 GMC Terrain and the 2020 Toyota RAV4 are very safe vehicles with a fantastic selection of standard and available safety features. For example, the Terrain Denali gives you automatic high beams, automatic emergency braking, and StabiliTrak with electronic stability and traction control. The Terrain Denali also has hill descent control, front pedestrian braking, lane change alert with side blind zone alert, front and rear park assist, and a forward collision alert. The 2020 GMC Terrain features a teen driver system that lets you enable and disable certain features to help new drivers learn safe habits behind the wheel. You can even check an in-vehicle report card to see how your teen driver is doing and determine any areas that need improvement.
The 2020 Toyota RAV4 is also a very safe vehicle and includes a number of great features, including a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, a lane departure alert, automatic high beams, and enhanced stability and traction control. The RAV4 includes a blind spot monitor with a rear cross-traffic alert, available front and rear parking assist with automatic braking, and hill start assist. A downhill assist control feature is available on the RAV4, but only on certain trims, such as the Adventure, so keep that in mind.
There is no teen driver safety system on the Toyota RAV4, however, so this is a big concern if you have a young driver that you are teaching to be safe behind the wheel. While the active safety features in the RAV4 are excellent, this can be a major issue if you are teaching someone to drive and want to ensure they are as protected as possible on the road. The ability to check the in-vehicle report card on the 2020 GMC Terrain and see if your teen driver has been pushing the speed limit or otherwise acting recklessly behind the wheel is incredibly beneficial.
When looking at different vehicles like the 2020 GMC Terrain and the 2020 Toyota RAV4, it is easy to get wrapped up in tiny details and look at an inch here or an extra mile there. Ultimately, however, what really matters is your experience driving the vehicle and if it meets all of your needs. With that in mind, we strongly recommend the Terrain because it is an absolute joy to drive thanks to its powerful engine, responsive transmission, and a luxurious interior that you can just about melt into while you are behind the wheel.
You might feel like we are biased in this regard, we are a GMC dealership after all, which is understandable. That is why we invite you to see the 2020 GMC Terrain for yourself, sit inside it, and experience everything it has to offer before making your final decision. We could brag about its features, its rich interior, and its powerful engine all day long, but none of that is necessary once you get to know the Terrain first hand. Call or come visit us at Rick Hendrick Buick GMC Duluth today to see the 2020 Terrain and the rest of GMC’s lineup, then you can make the decision that is right for you. We are conveniently located in Duluth, GA, not far from Atlanta, and able to assist beyond the buying process with our Service and Parts department to keep you on the road longer.
*Images, fuel economy, and other stats, may reflect higher trim levels, options, or features that may result in a higher cost from the starting MSRP.
MSRP excludes tax, license, registration, additional options, and possible destination charges. Dealers set own prices.