With over 100 years of experience designing durable, reliable, and high-performance vehicles, GMC has quite the cult following. Once you’re a GMC driver, you’re usually one for life. There’s a sense of power and control behind the wheel and the knowing that decades-old expertise went into every part of your car. If you’re in the city and searching for a car that can handle the tight and busy streets, your nearest GMC dealer will have a great lineup of options ready for the urban environment.
What to Look for in a City Vehicle
Driving in a metropolitan area means encountering a special set of circumstances and challenges. It’s not like being on long stretches of road in the country, where you might not see another car for miles, make a few turns, and keep a consistent speed. City streets are busy, and city drivers can be unpredictable. When changes happen on a city road, they happen fast. There’s a lot of stop and go, and you’ll find yourself in some literally and figuratively tight spots. So there are some things to consider when shopping for a car for driving in the city.
#1 Good Fuel Economy: You won’t get as far on a tank of gas in the city as you will on the open road. You spend a lot of time idling in traffic and decelerating and accelerating. It can be frustrating to see how little ground you cover before you need to refuel. And with gas prices at a premium right now, nobody wants to find themselves at the pump too often. That’s why a car with good fuel economy is essential for city driving. An impressive city MPG is something to look for when picking out a vehicle for a metropolitan environment.
#2 Maneuverability: You never know what’s going to happen on bustling city streets. Cars change lanes suddenly. Lanes close due to accidents with no notice. There’s a lot of traffic, and you have to be pushy to get where you want to go. That’s why a car with excellent maneuverability is a must-have in an urban environment. When a rare opening appears in the next lane over, you need to be able to make your way in there quickly and with ease. You need the ability to make sharp turns and make quick moves. A bulky vehicle with a poor turning radius just won’t cut it.
#3 Good Visibility: Driving in a city is nothing like driving on a highway or country road. Out there, you pretty much know what to expect. In a city, pedestrians, cyclists, manholes, and other vehicles appear suddenly. Good outward visibility is critical to safely navigating lively city streets. You practically need eyes on the back and sides of your head or at least safety systems that act as an extra set of eyes. Claiming “I didn’t see them” doesn’t do you much good if you hit a cyclist.
#4 Safety Assist: The same reasons you need good visibility in the city are the reasons you need safety assist programs. Every time you back out of a driveway in a city, there’s a high likelihood another car, a pedestrian, or a cyclist is nearby. There’s always something around the corner, behind you or up ahead in the city. Safety assist programs like collision warning and pedestrian braking reduce the chances of an accident on busy city roads. Drivers can’t typically react fast enough to these hazards, but a good safety system can.
#5 Body Type: Traditionally, small cars are considered the gold standard for city driving. That’s why you see so many smart and mini cars in the city. They can squeeze into small parking spots and clearings in traffic. Of course, if you’re a GMC driver, you’re not about that tiny vehicle life. While GMC might be known for its trucks and large SUVs, ready for off-roading, the brand didn’t leave its city-dwelling fans behind. GMC does make compact SUVs that offer the design and engineering you love about a GMC, plus the city-friendly features you need in a crowded metropolitan environment.
The Best GMC Vehicle for City Driving: The Terrain
The 2022 Terrain SLE/SLT
This compact SUV features high definition surround vision which uses digital cameras to give the driver a clear, all-around view of what’s happening around the vehicle. This is useful on city roads when moving hazards can appear suddenly. It’s also helpful for backing into tight parking spots and out of driveways. Additionally, it offers automatic emergency braking when a collision is impending, along with a lane departure warning to keep the driver in their lane. It is available with a head-up display to show the driver important vehicle and road condition information while keeping the driver’s eyes on the road.
As for fuel economy, it achieves 25 MPG on city roads and 30 MPG on highways. A five-passenger capacity makes it ready for carpooling the kids to soccer practice or a night on the town with friends. As for style, it’s available with a SkyScape Sunroof, heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and real aluminum trim. A restyled grille and LED logo projection make it a stand-out option for GMC loyalists.
The 2022 Terrain AT4
A new addition to the GMC family, the Terrain AT4 also contains GMC’s full Pro Safety Package, including emergency braking, lane assist, forward collision alert, front pedestrian braking, and more. Each of these make navigating the unpredictable environment of the city easier. It has an optional Head-Up display to put important data within the driver’s line of vision and the high definition surround vision camera system. This vehicle achieves 25 MPG on city roads and 28 MPG on the highway.
Arguably one of the more stylish options in the compact SUV lineup, it boasts black chrome exterior accents and finishes and a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel. Available Alexa Built-In makes it easy to take calls and keep up with busy metropolitan life. Plus, the wireless charging capabilities make sure all of your important devices stay powered on. Its built-in navigation system helps you find your destinations – even those hard-to-find city locales.
The 2022 Terrain Denali
Between potholes, unpaved roads, and unfinished roads, the city can present less-than-desirable driving conditions. A bumpy ride is just as easy to find in a metropolitan area as it is on a country road. That’s why the 2022 Terrain Denali boasts premium suspension with enhanced shock control for a smooth experience inside, no matter what’s happening on the road beneath your tires. It’s also equipped with the GMC Pro Safety Plus suite of systems from emergency brakes to lane assist to help you steer clear of the many obstacles in the city environment. An eight-inch driver information center makes it easy to see important data and favorite apps in one place. This vehicle achieves 25 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway. It features a gorgeous accented interior with an available leather-wrapped steering wheel and SkyScape Sunroof.
GMC Has Your Back in the City
If you’ve long been a fan of the manufacturer known for top-of-the-line engineering and innovation but find yourself needing a city vehicle, you might have believed you’d need to betray your favorite brand. What many don’t realize is that GMC does offer an excellent line of vehicles for cosmopolitan environments. They boast safety features that every city driver needs to stay ahead of possible collisions and accidents, along with high-definition cameras that make backing out of driveways and into parking spots easy. Equipped with entertainment and data systems, GMC compact SUVs are also perfect for staying on schedule and on route. They lack nothing in style, either, and will look right at home next to more traditional city cars.
