The interior of a GMC Denali is photographed on Tuesday, Apr. 19, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Fast facts
* Model: GMC Terrain AWD Denali * Exterior color: Ebony Twilight Metallic * Interior color: Jet Black * Engine: 3.6-liter V6 * Horsepower: 301 * Transmission: six-speed automatic * Fuel economy: 23 mpg highway, 16 mpg city * Local Dealer: Integrity GMC * Price (as tested): $41,080
Our driveway is a like an Airbnb for new cars.
It’s rare that my wife comments on one of our four-wheeled visitors, so I was surprised last week when she stopped watering the hydrangeas to remark: “That’s a nice-looking SUV.”
Her compliment was directed at the GMC Terrain Denali in our driveway. Denali means “bling” in auto-ese, and our Ebony Twilight Metallic tester came with plenty of chrome jewelry. There’s something about a black SUV bedazzled with chrome that has an uptown look. The black-tie effect contrasts with its pedestrian mission as a suburban runabout. Our tester would be right at home depositing patrons at a Tivoli Theatre symphony concert.
The Terrain and its mechanical twin the Chevrolet Equinox went on sale in 2010 and have become mainstays in the mid-size SUV segment. Partly because of its bold styling and rugged good looks, the GMC Terrain sold more than 100,000 copies in each of the last two years.