Is the Chevrolet Equinox more reliable than the GMC Terrain?

No, they are effectively tied. Both rate good, both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, and the chance of a major repair is 18% for the Equinox and 17% for the Terrain. The difference lies in which problems each tends to have, not in dependability.

Which has more recalls, the Equinox or the Terrain?

The Equinox has more. Federal recall records show 32 recalls across nine model years for the Equinox and 19 for the Terrain. The Equinox also has more owner complaints in total, but the Terrain has more complaints per 10,000 sold.

Which costs less to repair, the Equinox or the Terrain?

The Equinox costs slightly less. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $537 a year against about $558 for the Terrain. That is roughly $105 over five years, a small gap that a single major repair would erase.

What goes wrong with the Chevrolet Equinox fuel system?

Owners report sudden power loss at highway speed. The car drops into limp mode with an Engine Power Reduced message, and some stall and will not restart. Dealers usually blame the high-pressure fuel pump, with failures reported around 28,000 to 60,000 miles. Some replacement pumps fail again within months.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Chevrolet Equinox vs GMC Terrain: Reliability Compared

Chevrolet Equinox

Good

GMC Terrain

Good

Reliability is effectively tied between the Chevrolet Equinox and the GMC Terrain. Repair costs and shop visits are nearly identical. What separates them is the failure each is known for: Equinox brake and fuel pump faults, or Terrain vacuum pump and engine damage.

How Do the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain Generations Compare?

Most used shoppers will land in the 2018 to 2024 span, where complaint histories are long and the two models line up year for year. The Equinox third generation ran from 2018 through 2024, with a refresh in 2022, and its fourth generation arrived in 2025. The Terrain second generation also ran 2018 through 2024, refreshed in 2022, and its third generation arrived in 2025. The 2025 cars are new designs with little history, so their low complaint counts reflect limited time on the road, not proven reliability. Cars from before the 2022 refresh include the weakest years for both.

Verdict

The Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain are evenly matched with a reliability score of 73/100.

Reliability is effectively tied. Both rate good, both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, and the chance a repair is major is 18% for one and 17% for the other. The deciding question is which failure you can live with. The Equinox has more complaints and recalls in total, but the Terrain draws more complaints per vehicle sold. Its worst faults, a brake vacuum pump and engine damage, are costly. Neither car earns a clear edge on the data.

Key Differences

1Chevrolet Equinox costs $21 less per year to repair
2GMC Terrain has 13 fewer total recalls
3Chevrolet Equinox has 1.1 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

2Chevrolet Equinox

—

2GMC Terrain

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair Risk

Chevrolet Equinox vs GMC Terrain: Which Is More Reliable?

Chevrolet Equinox vs GMC Terrain at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Chevrolet Equinox	GMC Terrain
Reliability Score	73/100	73/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	32	19
Complaints per 10k Sold	3.7	4.8
Annual Repair Cost	$537/yr	$558/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	18%	17%
Year Wins	4 (2 tied)	3 (2 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain?

Brakes lead both lists, but the failures differ. Equinox owners describe a pedal sinking to the floor with ABS and ESC warnings, and 24 of those complaints are crash-linked. Terrain owners describe lost brake assist and a rock-hard pedal, tied mostly to the vacuum pump, which in several cases broke at the camshaft and ruined the engine. Equinox fuel complaints include one crash-linked report, while Terrain's engine and fuel complaints list none. Terrain's stalls trace mostly to a failed fuel pump control module. Equinox glare off the dashboard is a separate, widely reported issue.

Chevrolet Equinox vs GMC Terrain common problem areas comparison
Component	Chevrolet Equinox	GMC Terrain
SERVICE BRAKES	0.6Very Low	1Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.4Very Low	1Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.4Very Low	0.6Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.3Very Low	0.5Very Low
ENGINE	0.3Very Low	0.4Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.3Very Low	0.2Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.3Very Low	—None
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.1Very Low
WHEELS	—None	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	—None
STRUCTURE	—None	—None
VISIBILITY	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Terrain?

Repair costs are nearly identical. The Equinox runs about $537 a year and the Terrain about $558, a gap of $21 a year, or roughly $105 over five years. Both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits per year. The chance a repair turns major is 18% for the Equinox and 17% for the Terrain. That difference is too small to drive a purchase. A single engine or brake-system repair would outweigh the savings.

How Does Chevrolet Equinox vs GMC Terrain Reliability Compare by Year?

Chevrolet Equinox vs GMC Terrain year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Chevrolet Equinox	GMC Terrain	Edge
2026	82/1000R / 0C	82/1000R / 0C	Tie
2025	72/1005R / 288C	78/1000R / 8C	GMC Terrain
2024	76/1002R / 143C	77/1001R / 29C	GMC Terrain
2023	76/1003R / 70C	75/1002R / 21C	Chevrolet Equinox
2022	71/1005R / 137C	72/1004R / 65C	GMC Terrain
2021	74/1004R / 75C	74/1002R / 28C	Tie
2020	70/1004R / 255C	68/1002R / 160C	Chevrolet Equinox
2019	71/1004R / 273C	68/1003R / 163C	Chevrolet Equinox
2018	69/1005R / 382C	66/1005R / 201C	Chevrolet Equinox

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Chevrolet Equinox scored 76/100 and the 2024 GMC Terrain scored 77/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Chevrolet Equinox vs the GMC Terrain?

Pick the Equinox if you want the lower total complaint volume and can accept a brake risk that is well documented. Check that any car you test has had its brake and ABS warnings looked at, and ask whether the high-pressure fuel pump has been replaced. If you drive often in bright sun, test the windshield glare yourself before you sign. Skip 2018 and 2020, the weakest years. 2023 ranks among the strongest, though owners say its fuel pump problem is not covered by the recall that they say covers 2021 and 2022. Pick the Terrain if the Equinox's glare and its brake-pedal complaints worry you. Know the trade-off: its brake vacuum pump failures cluster between about 37,000 and 71,000 miles, and some ended in engine damage. Ask for proof that the pump and related brake parts were serviced. Avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. Facelifted 2022 to 2024 cars in either lineup are a reasonable middle ground, since they have collected more owner history than the newest years.

Chevrolet Equinox vs GMC Terrain: Common Questions

Is the Chevrolet Equinox more reliable than the GMC Terrain?: No, they are effectively tied. Both rate good, both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, and the chance of a major repair is 18% for the Equinox and 17% for the Terrain. The difference lies in which problems each tends to have, not in dependability.
Which has more recalls, the Equinox or the Terrain?: The Equinox has more. Federal recall records show 32 recalls across nine model years for the Equinox and 19 for the Terrain. The Equinox also has more owner complaints in total, but the Terrain has more complaints per 10,000 sold.
Which costs less to repair, the Equinox or the Terrain?: The Equinox costs slightly less. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $537 a year against about $558 for the Terrain. That is roughly $105 over five years, a small gap that a single major repair would erase.
What is the main brake problem on the GMC Terrain?: Owners report sudden loss of brake assist, which leaves a rock-hard pedal. Dealers most often blame the brake vacuum pump. Failures cluster between about 37,000 and 71,000 miles, often with no warning, and in several cases the pump broke at the camshaft and ruined the engine.
What goes wrong with the Chevrolet Equinox fuel system?: Owners report sudden power loss at highway speed. The car drops into limp mode with an Engine Power Reduced message, and some stall and will not restart. Dealers usually blame the high-pressure fuel pump, with failures reported around 28,000 to 60,000 miles. Some replacement pumps fail again within months.

More Chevrolet Equinox comparisons

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More GMC Terrain comparisons

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How we score the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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