By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

You are in the market for a new compact crossover SUV, but this time around you would like to stand out from the crowd, drive something different than the popular segment offerings — but without sacrificing performance, build quality, cargo space and passenger comfort.

We recommend you take a look at the all-new-from-the-ground-up 2018 GMC Terrain, which offers trendy styling and the choice of three fuel-efficient and performance-oriented turbocharged engines. The new Terrain is actually smaller and lighter than the outgoing model, but with nearly identical interior space and improved fuel economy.

This is the first complete makeover of the outstanding five-passenger crossover since the Terrain's inception in 2010. The new Terrain is a sibling of the highly regarded all-new Chevrolet Equinox — the big differentiation between the two is styling, both inside and out.

The blocky, but endearing styling of the original Terrain has been replaced by a less angular version than before. A bold, upright, mostly rectangular grille is flanked by C-shaped lighting-signature headlamps. The upscale Denali version, like our test vehicle, gets an all-chrome grille treatment. The sculpted side includes a character line that rises slightly from the hood and flows into rear taillights. And the Terrain has been given the trendy "floating roof" look with a blacked-out C/D pillar that was first used a few years ago by the Nissan Murano. It's a package that's easy on the eyes.

The new Terrain has an agile, nimble feel and drives like a smaller vehicle with excellent maneuverability. That perhaps comes in part because of GMC's weight reduction program, which resulted in the Terrain shedding around 350 pounds. The ride is comfortable and the suspension does a great job soaking up road imperfections. The steering is accurate and the brakes are consistent and reliable stopping the Terrain from 60 mph in less than 120 feet without feeling grabby.

Performance from the bigger 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is noteworthy. The outgoing 3.0-liter V-6 paired with a six-speed automatic making 301 horsepower is gone, replaced by a 252-horsepower inline turbocharged four cylinder mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Before you bemoan this change as being something less, note that the new engine can propel the Terrain from 0-to-60 in 6.4 seconds compared to the V-6 performance of 7.1 seconds. And perhaps the biggest improvement is in gas mileage. The new 2.0-liter is rated at 21 city, 26 highway and 23 overall with AWD. The downside — it burns the higher-priced premium gas.

While we prefer the power delivery of the 2.0 liter, GMC officials estimate that about 60 percent of the new crossovers will go out the door with the new 1.5-liter turbocharged four cylinder making 170 horsepower. Another 10 percent will choose the new 1.6-liter turbo-diesel making 137 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque rated at 28/38/32 on diesel fuel. We think that while the 1.5-liter brings slightly better gas mileage (24/28/26 on regular gas) it also delivers underwhelming performance. But GMC is giving customers a clear choice in engines that best fit their needs and pocketbook.

The Terrain has a spacious cabin offering good leg and headroom for taller passengers even with the panoramic sunroof. The dashboard is well laid out and controls are intuitive. While the Terrain retains the 3,500-pound towing capacity with the turbo four, the slight downsizing of the new model — while not sacrificing passenger space — did erase two cubic feet of luggage capacity dropping from 32 to 30 cubic feet. Overall cargo capacity with the second-row seatbacks folded is down just a half cubic foot to 63.5.

The Terrain comes in four trim levels — SL, SLE, SLT and Denali — starting at $26,965 for the front-wheel drive SL. While the SL comes with a decent helping of features, options are limited to just trailering equipment. Standard stuff includes keyless entry and ignition, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels, a rearview camera, 7-inch touchscreen and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

The better buy is the SLE starting at $29,870. In addition to AWD availability, it has a host of options available including one that we think is a must — Driver Alert I that includes blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert and rear parking sensors.

Our AWD Denali test vehicle is the pinnacle of the brand carrying a base price of $40,475. The bottom line after a handful of options including a $1,495 panoramic sunroof was $43,955. Included as standard equipment in the Denali are the 2.0-liter engine, navigation and 19-inch alloy wheels, leather seat trim, and a Bose sound system with seven speakers.

2018 GMC Terrain Denali

Essentials
Base price: $40,475; as driven, $43,955
Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged  4-cylinder
Horsepower: 252 @ 5,500 rpm
Torque: 260 pound-feet @ 2,500 rpm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Drive: all-wheel
Seating: 2/3
Wheelbase: 107.3 inches
Length: 182.3 inches
Curb weight: 3,801pounds
Turning circle: 37.4 feet
Towing capacity: 3,500 pounds
Luggage capacity: 29.6 cubic feet
Cargo capacity: 63.3 cubic feet
Fuel capacity: 15.6 gallons (premium)
EPA rating: 21 city, 26 highway, 23 combined
0-60: 6.4 seconds (Car and Driver)
Also consider: Acura RDX, Lincoln MKC, BMW X3

The Good
• Upscale interior
• Energetic turbocharged engine
• Contemporary styling

The Bad
• Cargo space on small side

The Ugly
• Base engine sluggish