Is the GMC Terrain more reliable than the KIA Sorento?

Slightly, yes. The Terrain has 4.8 owner complaints per 10,000 sold against 7.4 for the Sorento, and it has far fewer recalls. The Sorento is cheaper to repair each year and less likely to need a major repair, so the lead is narrow.

Which has more recalls, the Terrain or the Sorento?

The Sorento has more. Federal recall records show 43 recalls across its nine model years, compared with 19 for the Terrain over the same span. Recall counts build up with time on the road, so check any specific VIN before you buy.

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

The Sorento costs a little less. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $533 a year against $558 for the Terrain. Over five years that is roughly $125. Only 11% of Sorento repairs are major, compared with 17% for the Terrain.

What is the main problem with the GMC Terrain?

Brake assist failure is the biggest one. The vacuum pump can fail without warning and leave a very stiff pedal, often between about 37,000 and 71,000 miles. In some cases the pump breaks at the camshaft and ruins the engine. Brakes also have the most crash-linked complaints.

Do KIA Sorentos burn oil?

Owner complaints say many do. The most common report is oil disappearing between changes with no visible leak or warning light, at rates from about a quart every 400 miles. Failures tend to show up between 90,000 and 116,000 miles. Check oil records before buying.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

GMC Terrain vs Kia Sorento: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

GMC Terrain

Good

Kia Sorento

Good

Reliability favors the GMC Terrain slightly over the KIA Sorento, thanks to fewer recalls and fewer complaints per car sold. The Sorento costs less to fix. Each has one costly failure to check for before you buy: brake vacuum pumps on the Terrain, oil loss and engine failure on the Sorento.

How Do the GMC Terrain and Kia Sorento Generations Compare?

Second-generation cars will make up most of what you find on the used Terrain market. That generation began with the 2018 model year and ran through 2024, with a refresh in 2022. A third generation arrived for 2025, and its first model year has had little time to collect complaints. The weakest Terrain years, 2018 and 2019, fall in the early second generation. On the Sorento side, the third generation ran from 2016 to 2020, with a facelift in 2019. The fourth generation began in 2021 and ran through 2023, and a facelift is listed for 2024. For 2018 and newer, you will see both generations, and 2019 and 2021 are the weak years.

Verdict

The GMC Terrain is more reliable than the Kia Sorento, scoring 73/100 vs 71/100.

Slight edge to the Terrain. Owners file fewer complaints about it relative to sales, and federal recall records show far fewer recalls than the Sorento has. The Sorento answers with a lower annual repair cost and a smaller chance that a repair is major. Neither car is trouble free. The Terrain's worst failures are sudden and tied to the brake vacuum pump, while the Sorento's are engine failures after oil loss. The gap is narrow, so the specific year and service history matter more than the badge.

Key Differences

1Kia Sorento costs $25 less per year to repair
2GMC Terrain has 24 fewer total recalls
3Kia Sorento has 6% lower major repair risk

Category Scoreboard

3GMC Terrain

—

2Kia Sorento

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair Risk

GMC Terrain vs Kia Sorento: Which Is More Reliable?

GMC Terrain vs Kia Sorento at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	GMC Terrain	Kia Sorento
Reliability Score	73/100	71/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	19	43
Complaints per 10k Sold	4.8	7.4
Annual Repair Cost	$558/yr	$533/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	17%	11%
Year Wins	6	3

What Are the Common Problems With the GMC Terrain and Kia Sorento?

Brakes set the Terrain apart. The vacuum pump can fail and leave a rock-hard pedal with no warning, and in some cases the pump breaks at the camshaft and ruins the engine. Brakes carry the most crash-linked complaints of any Terrain problem area. The Sorento's trouble is oil. Owners report it disappearing between changes with no warning light, then knocking, smoke, or a stall at highway speed. Its electrical complaints carry the most crash-linked reports, including headlights that go dark at night and two reported fires. Sorento steering complaints, such as a wheel that sticks and then overshoots, have no crash links.

GMC Terrain vs Kia Sorento common problem areas comparison
Component	GMC Terrain	Kia Sorento
POWER TRAIN	1Very Low	1.5Low
ENGINE	0.4Very Low	1.4Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.6Very Low	1.1Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.5Very Low	1Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	1Very Low	0.1Very Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	0.3Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.2Very Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	0.2Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	0.1Very Low
TRAILER HITCHES	—None	0.1Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None

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

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: GMC Terrain or Kia Sorento?

Repair costs run close, with the Sorento slightly cheaper. Independent repair-cost data puts the Terrain at about $558 a year and the Sorento at about $533. That $25 gap adds up to roughly $125 over five years. Each car averages 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, so neither sends you back more often. The bigger difference is severity. Some 17% of Terrain repairs are major, against 11% for the Sorento. The Sorento is cheaper and less likely to hand you a big bill, though the margin is small.

How Does GMC Terrain vs Kia Sorento Reliability Compare by Year?

GMC Terrain vs Kia Sorento year-by-year reliability scores
Year	GMC Terrain	Kia Sorento	Edge
2026	82/1000R / 0C	80/1004R / 0C	GMC Terrain
2025	78/1000R / 8C	75/1008R / 72C	GMC Terrain
2024	77/1001R / 29C	79/1002R / 35C	Kia Sorento
2023	75/1002R / 21C	70/1007R / 120C	GMC Terrain
2022	72/1004R / 65C	66/10010R / 171C	GMC Terrain
2021	74/1002R / 28C	66/1006R / 217C	GMC Terrain
2020	68/1002R / 160C	71/1001R / 115C	Kia Sorento
2019	68/1003R / 163C	64/1002R / 383C	GMC Terrain
2018	66/1005R / 201C	68/1003R / 232C	Kia Sorento

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 GMC Terrain scored 77/100 and the 2024 Kia Sorento scored 79/100 — 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 Kia Sorento?

Choose the Terrain if you want a compact SUV with fewer recalls and fewer complaints per vehicle sold. Ask whether the brake vacuum pump has been dealt with, since failures cluster between about 37,000 and 71,000 miles. Steer clear of 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. Do not pick a 2025 or 2026 just because the complaint count looks low. Those years have had little time to collect reports. Choose the Sorento if you need midsize space and want the lower yearly repair cost and the smaller chance of a major repair. Avoid 2019 and 2021, its weakest years, and 2024 is among its stronger ones. Ask for oil change records on any car nearing 90,000 miles, because engine failures tend to appear between 90,000 and 116,000 miles. At night, test the headlights in Auto mode and with the turn signal on.

GMC Terrain vs Kia Sorento: Common Questions

Is the GMC Terrain more reliable than the KIA Sorento?: Slightly, yes. The Terrain has 4.8 owner complaints per 10,000 sold against 7.4 for the Sorento, and it has far fewer recalls. The Sorento is cheaper to repair each year and less likely to need a major repair, so the lead is narrow.
Which has more recalls, the Terrain or the Sorento?: The Sorento has more. Federal recall records show 43 recalls across its nine model years, compared with 19 for the Terrain over the same span. Recall counts build up with time on the road, so check any specific VIN before you buy.
Which costs less to repair, the Terrain or the Sorento?: The Sorento costs a little less. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $533 a year against $558 for the Terrain. Over five years that is roughly $125. Only 11% of Sorento repairs are major, compared with 17% for the Terrain.
What is the main problem with the GMC Terrain?: Brake assist failure is the biggest one. The vacuum pump can fail without warning and leave a very stiff pedal, often between about 37,000 and 71,000 miles. In some cases the pump breaks at the camshaft and ruins the engine. Brakes also have the most crash-linked complaints.
Do KIA Sorentos burn oil?: Owner complaints say many do. The most common report is oil disappearing between changes with no visible leak or warning light, at rates from about a quart every 400 miles. Failures tend to show up between 90,000 and 116,000 miles. Check oil records before buying.

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How we score the GMC Terrain and Kia Sorento

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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