Compare the2025 GMC TerrainVS 2025 Acura RDX

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Terrain are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The RDX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Terrain has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The RDX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Terrain and RDX have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Terrain has Rear Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The RDX’s Rear Cross Traffic Monitor doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Terrain and the RDX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and available around view monitors.

The Terrain’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the RDX’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 6 times as many GMC dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Terrain’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that GMC vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 10 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks GMC higher than Acura.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the GMC Terrain uses regular unleaded gasoline. The RDX requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Terrain FWD has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The RDX doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better maneuverability, the Terrain’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the RDX’s (37.1 feet vs. 38.9 feet).

The GMC Terrain may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 550 pounds less than the Acura RDX.

The Terrain is 6.4 inches shorter than the RDX, making the Terrain easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Terrain uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The RDX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Terrain has .4 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more rear headroom, .8 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear hip room than the RDX.

The Terrain’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The RDX does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Terrain’s standard Keyless Open and Start allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Smart Entry standard on the RDX doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The Terrain has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the RDX Advance.

The Terrain is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The RDX doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The GMC Terrain outsold the Acura RDX by 83% during 2023.