Both finish and materials are almost surprisingly good, considering some of GM's efforts just a few years ago. Plastics in the Terraza are generally rich in touch and appearance. Some media have bashed the fake wood trim, but we find it as good as that from some luxury brands that cost considerably more. The forward seats in our Terraza CXL were upholstered in smooth, sturdy leather.
The black-and-white gauges are large, and trimmed with a nice chrome accent. The script is large, too, and sharply legible. The instrument panel, center console and door panels are well integrated, flowing nicely from one panel to the next. The design is straightforward, and nothing in here will confuse anyone for very long.
The center stack is particularly well done. Audio controls sit above the climate controls, as we like them, and the knobs are not only big, but pleasant to touch. There's a pair of pull-out cupholders and a swing-out storage bin at the bottom. There's also a folding utility table between the front seats with more cupholders and indents to keep phones or glasses handy without allowing them to slide off.
We like the Terraza's cabin, but it isn't perfect. The bins built into the back of the front seats are well designed, with secure storage for headsets and discs. Yet the plastic they're shaped from is hard, and they feel flimsy. And the view through the rear-view mirror is about as obstructed as a mainstream vehicle gets. It's noticeably restricted by the rear-seat headrests, with a relatively narrow scope.
Rear-seat DVD entertainment is standard, not a pricey option, and the system has three-mode operation, so the DVD, CD and radio can be played simultaneously through appropriate speakers and wireless headsets.
GM's PhatNoise removable hard drive remains unique in the auto industry. It snaps into Terraza's interior roof-rail system, where it's wired into the audio-video system. It removes easily and connects to any computer through a USB port. With 40 gigabytes of storage space, it can hold 40 full-length movies, video games, thousands of digital photos, up to 10,000 songs in MP3, WMA or WAV format, or any combination thereof. Voice browsing allows most songs and movies to be selected by name. All told, with a good foundation in the fundamentals and features like PhatNoise, Terraza has the conveniences that make family driving more pleasant. When it comes to passenger/cargo flexibility, Terraza does quite well, too.
The standard interior layout is familiar in minivans: four captain's chairs and a three-place rear bench. The second-row seats are as tall and supportive as those in front. They'll accommodate adults, not just kids, in real comfort. The third-row bench is no problem for passengers through age 15 or 16, even on long drives, though access is not the easiest. The pathway between the individual second-row seats is narrow. From the outboard side, there's a one-button mechanism that folds the second seatback forward and slides the entire seat toward the front. However, it doesn't make climbing in back much easier than walking between the second-row seats.
The third-row bench seat is split, and any or all of the seatbacks quickly fold forward, creating an expansive, essentially flat load floor from the driver's seat rearward. The rear seats can be removed without too much difficulty, but they don't tumble into the floor as they do in minivans from Chrysler, Ford, and Honda. With the seats in place, you get 27 cubic feet of cargo space, or a lot more than the trunk in a large sedan. With the third row folded you get 74 cubic feet, and with the rear seats removed you get 136 cubic feet. That's twice as much as what the full-size Cadillac Escalade SUV offers, but about mid-pack for minivans, which range from 130 to 160 cubic feet.
The hidden rear cargo organizer has advantages and disadvantages. It can keep items out of sight and it keeps groceries from sliding around. Yet it's not very deep, and it raises the load height for larger items a good eight inches.
GM's terrific OnStar communications system is, in important ways, a safety feature. If the airbags deploy, an OnStar operator will try to reach vehicle occupants and direct paramedics to the crash location if the occupants don't respond. More commonly, OnStar operators can provide directions, locate the nearest five-star Italian restaurant or send help if the Terraza has run out of gas. OnStar operators can also unlock the doors remotely should you leave the keys inside, and they can track the vehicle if it's stolen, directing police to the scene.
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