The top-level trim in the Terrain line-up, the Denali, is new for 2013. What’s notable about the Terrain Denali is the safety bling. First off, there are the Denali exclusives: side blind zone alert and rear cross traffic alert. There are also six airbags, lane departure warning, and forward collision technologies. All those (and more) are standard equipment on Terrain Denali. The driver’s visual interface with forward collision alert is via vehicle icons above the navigation screen. A green car means no impending danger while two red cars warn of a potential forward collision. The Terrain Denali features several other notables, including a segment exclusive sliding rear seat that can be moved forward or rearward nearly 8 inches.

With its 112.5-inch wheelbase, the SUV is available in front wheel drive and all wheel drive models. Engine choices are a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder that produces 182 horsepower at 6700 rpm and 172 pounds-feet of torque at 4900 rpm, or a 3.6-liter V6 releasing 301 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 272 pounds-feet of torque at 4800 rpm. The vehicle’s maximum towing capacity is 3500 pounds; its maximum cargo capacity behind the front row with rear seat folded is 63.9 cubic feet. New dual flow dampers--which correlate to a smoother ride and better handling--are another Denali exclusive technology. The AWD Terrain Denali with V6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission collects estimated mpg of 16 city and 23 highway and carries a MSRP of $36,675.