Last updated: 2026-10-10
GMC Terrain vs Hyundai Ioniq 5: Reliability Compared
GMC Terrain
Hyundai Ioniq 5
The GMC Terrain is the more reliable pick over the Hyundai Ioniq 5, by a wide margin. Ioniq 5 owners file far more complaints, led by ICCU failures. The Terrain's main risk is a brake vacuum pump that can fail without warning.
How Do the GMC Terrain and Hyundai Ioniq 5 Generations Compare?
Verdict
The GMC Terrain is more reliable than the Hyundai Ioniq 5, scoring 73/100 vs 54/100.
Reliability favors the Terrain by a wide margin. Ioniq 5 owners file far more complaints per vehicle sold, and most point to one failure: a dead ICCU that drops the car into limp mode or stops it on the road. The Terrain has a serious weak spot too, the brake vacuum pump, but its overall complaint load is much lighter and its standing is good. The Ioniq 5 standing is mixed, and the ICCU problem keeps coming back even after recall work.
Key Differences
- 1GMC Terrain has 58.6 fewer complaints per 10k sold
- 2GMC Terrain scores 19 points higher in reliability
- 3Hyundai Ioniq 5 has 1 fewer total recalls
Category Scoreboard
GMC Terrain vs Hyundai Ioniq 5: Which Is More Reliable?
| Metric | GMC Terrain | Hyundai Ioniq 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability Score | 73/100 | 54/100 |
| Years Tracked | 9 | 5 |
| Total Recalls | 19 | 18 |
| Complaints per 10k Sold | 4.8 | 63.4 |
| Year Wins | 5 | 0 |
What Are the Common Problems With the GMC Terrain and Hyundai Ioniq 5?
Electrical failure drives the Ioniq 5's trouble. A pop and a "check electrical system" warning come first, then limited power and a stopped car, sometimes at highway speed. Repairs drag on because parts are back ordered. Crash-linked reports also appear in speed control (surging, sudden acceleration while parking) and forward collision avoidance, categories that do not appear among the Terrain's main problems. Terrain trouble is mechanical. Brake assist can vanish with no warning, leaving a rock-hard pedal, and a failed vacuum pump can wreck the engine. Service brakes carry the Terrain's heaviest crash-linked count. Hesitation from a stop is its other common complaint.
| Component | GMC Terrain | Hyundai Ioniq 5 |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 0.6Very Low | 36.8High |
| POWER TRAIN | 1Very Low | 12.1Above Avg |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 0.5Very Low | 2.9Low |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1Very Low | 1.2Low |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 0.2Very Low | 1.5Low |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 0.1Very Low | 1.3Low |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | —None | 1.4Low |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | —None | 0.9Very Low |
| STEERING | 0.1Very Low | 0.7Very Low |
| ENGINE | 0.4Very Low | 0.3Very Low |
| LANE DEPARTURE | —None | 0.7Very Low |
| TIRES | —None | 0.4Very Low |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | —None | 0.3Very Low |
| FUEL SYSTEM | 0.1Very Low | —None |
| AIR BAGS | 0.1Very Low | —None |
| PARKING BRAKE | —None | 0.1Very Low |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION | —None | —None |
| SUSPENSION | —None | —None |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | —None | —None |
| SEATS | —None | —None |
| VISIBILITY | —None | —None |
Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.
How Does GMC Terrain vs Hyundai Ioniq 5 Reliability Compare by Year?
| Year | GMC Terrain | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 82/1000R / 0C | 63/1002R / 3C | GMC Terrain |
| 2025 | 78/1000R / 8C | 53/1008R / 158C | GMC Terrain |
| 2024 | 77/1001R / 29C | 58/1002R / 134C | GMC Terrain |
| 2023 | 75/1002R / 21C | 50/1003R / 311C | GMC Terrain |
| 2022 | 72/1004R / 65C | 46/1003R / 349C | GMC Terrain |
Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 GMC Terrain scored 77/100 and the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 scored 58/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.
Who Should Buy the GMC Terrain vs the Hyundai Ioniq 5?
GMC Terrain vs Hyundai Ioniq 5: Common Questions
- Is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 more reliable than the GMC Terrain?
- No. The Terrain leads by a large gap. Ioniq 5 owners filed 63.4 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 4.8 for the Terrain. Most Ioniq 5 reports involve a failed ICCU that causes limp mode or a stalled car. The Terrain has a good standing, though its brake vacuum pump is a real weak spot.
- Which has more recalls, the Ioniq 5 or the Terrain?
- The two are close in total. Federal recall records show 18 recalls across five Ioniq 5 model years and 19 across nine Terrain model years. The Ioniq 5 packs its recalls into fewer years, and owners report ICCU failures recurring even after recall work was done.
- What goes wrong with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 most often?
- The ICCU is the main problem. Owners describe a loud pop and a "check electrical system" warning, then limited power and a car that often stops, sometimes at highway speed. The 12V battery stops charging, and repairs can take a week or more because replacement parts are back ordered.
- What is the biggest problem with the GMC Terrain?
- Brake assist failure. Owners report a pedal that turns rock hard, often with no warning at highway speed. Dealers most often blame the brake vacuum pump. In several cases the pump broke at the camshaft and ruined the engine. Failures cluster between about 37,000 and 71,000 miles.
- Which model years should I avoid for each car?
- For the Ioniq 5, avoid 2022 and 2023, the weakest years. For the Terrain, avoid 2018 and 2019. The newest years of both rate well, but they have had less time to collect complaints, so judge them by condition and repair history, not by a clean record alone.
Related Reliability Comparisons
More GMC Terrain comparisons
Decided between GMC Terrain and Hyundai Ioniq 5? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.
How we score the GMC Terrain and Hyundai Ioniq 5
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.
See incorrect data? Report an issue