What are the most common problems with the 2020 GMC Terrain?

Brakes lead with 72 complaints, and the engine follows with 61. The full list is in the problems section above.

Has the 2020 GMC Terrain been recalled?

Yes. The by-year data shows 2 recalls for this model year. The Recalls section on this page lists them.

How many complaints does the 2020 GMC Terrain have?

NHTSA has 197 owner complaints on file. The by-year section shows how that compares with other years of the same model.

What is the gas mileage of the 2020 GMC Terrain?

See the fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.

Is the 2020 GMC Terrain reliable?

Owner complaints cluster around brakes and the engine. Read the problems and recalls sections, then compare model years in the by-year section.

2020 GMC Terrain Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 197 owner complaints on file for the 2020 GMC Terrain^[1]. Brakes and the engine lead the list^[2]^[3].

197owner complaints^[1]

2recalls^[4]

23–27MPG combined (EPA)^[5]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[6]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups, biggest first.

Brakes. 72 complaints^[2]. Owners describe a pedal that turns hard to press, brake assist warnings, and in some stories a car that would not slow down when they pushed the pedal. Some of these stories end in a collision.
Engine. 61 complaints^[3]. In the stories we read, owners describe sudden loss of power on the road, an engine that stops at lights sooner than they like, and a costly repair bill on a car still under warranty.
Unknown or other. 34 complaints^[7]. These reports do not fit a clear component group.
Power train. 28 complaints^[8]. Owners describe hesitation when pulling away, a car that will not shift well, and a shaking front end at road speed.
Electrical system. 27 complaints^[9]. Owners describe the radio screen and the gauges going dark while driving, then sometimes coming back on their own.
Fuel and propulsion system. 25 complaints^[10].
Speed control. 11 complaints^[11].
Forward collision avoidance. 8 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2020 Terrain is necessarily included.

Child Seat › Vehicle Latch Anchor (23V339), May 2023. About 668,187 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, stalling. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Power Train › Automatic Transmission (20V668), October 2020. About 194,105 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, a crash. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Terrain FWD, 1.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[5]	26 / 30 / 27	$2,500
Terrain AWD, 1.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[15]	25 / 28 / 26	$2,600
Terrain AWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Premium, All-Wheel Drive^[16]	21 / 26 / 23	$3,550
Terrain FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Premium, Front-Wheel Drive^[17]	22 / 28 / 24	$3,400

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[6]	5	5	5	4	16.4%
SUV FWD^[18]	5	5	5	4	18.5%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2020 GMC Terrain with 1.5L 4-cylinder^[19]	170 hp

How 2020 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Terrain model year. The 2020 is highlighted^[4].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2010	290	3
2011	386	4
2012	364	4
2013	364	3
2014	297	2
2015	298	3
2016	153	2
2017	135	1
2018	225	5
2019	186	3
2020	197	2
2021	36	2
2022	88	4
2023	41	2
2024	52	1
2025	13	0
2026	33	1
2027	1	0

NHTSA's counts for the Terrain show 197 complaints and 2 recalls for 2020^[4]. Among the 18 model years listed, 10 have fewer complaints than 2020 and 7 have more^[4]. The fewest complaints are for 2027 (1) and the most are for 2011 (386)^[4]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2020 Terrain?

The 2020 Terrain has a clear pattern in owner reports. Brakes and engine complaints sit well above the other groups^[2]^[3]. Some reports mention crashes and injuries, so the brake stories deserve a close look^[1]. These are owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not verified findings, and the counts are not adjusted for sales. Check the recalls and the by-year comparison on this page before you buy.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2020 GMC Terrain?: Brakes lead with 72 complaints, and the engine follows with 61^[2]^[3]. The full list is in the problems section above.
Has the 2020 GMC Terrain been recalled?: Yes. The by-year data shows 2 recalls for this model year^[4]. The Recalls section on this page lists them.
How many complaints does the 2020 GMC Terrain have?: NHTSA has 197 owner complaints on file^[1]. The by-year section shows how that compares with other years of the same model^[4].
What is the gas mileage of the 2020 GMC Terrain?: See the fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.
Is the 2020 GMC Terrain reliable?: Owner complaints cluster around brakes and the engine^[2]^[3]. Read the problems and recalls sections, then compare model years in the by-year section.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the GMC Terrain

2011 386 complaints, 4 recalls
2012 364 complaints, 4 recalls
2013 364 complaints, 3 recalls
2014 297 complaints, 2 recalls
2015 298 complaints, 3 recalls
2016 153 complaints, 2 recalls
2017 135 complaints, 1 recall
2018 225 complaints, 5 recalls
2020 this page
2024 52 complaints, 1 recall

Compare all model years of the GMC Terrain

All GMC models

Similar cars from 2020: small suvs

2020 Ford Edge 325 complaints, 4 recalls
2020 Ford Escape 1,902 complaints, 25 recalls
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe 217 complaints, 2 recalls
2020 Hyundai Tucson 179 complaints, 1 recall
2020 Kia Sportage 162 complaints, 2 recalls
2020 Kia Telluride 776 complaints, 7 recalls

All small suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 197 owner complaints on file for the 2020 GMC Terrain (7 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 5 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
72 complaints name the brakes component group (5 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 92,000). NHTSA vehicle records
61 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 58,500). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every GMC Terrain model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Terrain FWD, 1.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 26 city / 30 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 16.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
34 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
28 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 53,500). NHTSA vehicle records
27 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
25 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
11 complaints name the speed control component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
8 complaints name the forward collision avoidance component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 23V339, filed May 11, 2023: Child Seat › Vehicle Latch Anchor. NHTSA recall database
Recall 20V668, filed October 29, 2020: Power Train › Automatic Transmission. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Terrain AWD, 1.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 25 city / 28 highway / 26 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,600. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Terrain AWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Premium, All-Wheel Drive: 21 city / 26 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Terrain FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Premium, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 28 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 18.5%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2020 GMC Terrain with 1.5L 4-cylinder: rated 170 hp. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2020 GMC Terrain: problems, recalls and fuel economy