MODELYEARINDEX

GMC Terrain

1,446 complaints across 12 scored model years and 21 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · GMC Terrain Full report
D
Grade 2010–2021
2011 vs model median 1.6×
Model median3× median
Engine 36
Body & Interior 19
Fuel System 17
Avoid

2011 · 2018

Best

2016 · 2021

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the GMC Terrain
Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
0.85× 103 B
2011
1.62× 152 D
2012
0.97× 75 C
2013
1.02× 115 C
2014
0.73× 85 B
2015
1.08× 117 C
2016
0.41× 53 B
2017
0.58× 40 B
2018
1.51× 154 D
2019
1.33× 139 C
2020
1.13× 140 C
2021
0.38× 38 A
2022 P
0.58× 66 B
2023 P
0.79× 69 B
2024 P
0.63× 74 B
2025 P
0.27× 26 A

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

EPA fuel economy and drivetrain
Combined MPG26
City / Highway25 / 28
Engine1.5L, 4 cyl
DriveFront-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost$2,375

Recalls

21 campaigns on record.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign Component Model years Units affected
22V137000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS 2010–2017 740,581
22V165000 VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR 2014, 2015 681,509
23V339000 CHILD SEAT:VEHICLE LATCH ANCHOR 2020–2023 668,187
14V447000 SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST 2010–2012 414,333
16V582000 VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR 2013 367,808
18V576000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER 2018, 2019 210,628
20V668000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 2018–2020 194,105
10V623000 SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY 2011 97,843

+ 13 further campaigns

Others in Compact SUVs

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Other models in the same segment
Model Years to avoid Grade
Acura RDX
20192020
C
Audi Q5
20182021
C
Audi SQ5
none flagged
C
BMW X3
20132019
C
Buick Envision
2017
C
Cadillac SRX
2013
C
Cadillac XT5
2017
C
Chevrolet Blazer
none flagged
C

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Working 2011 Terrain
Complaints in window
152
Severity-weighted
273
Model median (weighted)
168
vs model median
1.62×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
4
Open investigations
0
Score 49.4 D