Safety Galore in the 2018 GMC Terrain

Learning to drive is an exciting time for most teenagers, and a source of angst for many parents. Not only do you want your kids to learn the safest driving techniques, but how to keep themselves safe from other drivers.

Photo: TalismanPHOTO LLC

We recently had the opportunity to drive the new 2018 GMC Terrain over the course of a few days and, in addition to its comfort and spaciousness, we were impressed with the safety features that benefit all drivers, not just new to the driver’s seat.

In addition to six standard air bags, including frontal driver and passenger, head curtain and side-impact, the Terrain features a standard rear-vision camera that provides more “eyes” when backing up.

When we drove the Terrain, we were most impressed by the Driver Alert Package which let us know when a car was in either of our blind spots, when we were crossing lanes and, perhaps most impressive, when we were too close to the car in front of us. After a car cut us off, the Terrain realized its close proximity and alerted the driver using a red flashing light in front of the steering wheel and a vibration in the driver’s seat.

What’s more: The Terrain’s Teen Driver feature allows parents to set controls and review an in-vehicle “report card” so you can encourage better driving habits if needed, even when you’re not in the car with your new driver. It’s like parents really do have eyes in the back of their heads, but in this case, eyes in the dashboard.

Photo: TalismanPHOTO LLC

While the GMC Terrain’s safety features are paramount in the smaller SUV, it’s really a functional vehicle, too. For instance, there’s plenty of room to store all of your baggage, and the front seat even folds flat to allow for more storage space — especially if your kids are moving to or from college. You can even fit a small kayak inside the Terrain!

Photo: TalismanPHOTO LLC

Family road trips get a lot more mileage with the GMC Terrain, too, with a boost to the OnStar system. In addition to providing navigation and emergency services, the OnStar 4G LTE WiFi hotspot lets your family connect up to seven devices to the internet wirelessly, so you can work on road trips while your new driver gets more experience on the road.