GMC Terrain vs Hyundai Santa Fe
Two compact SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.
// VERDICT
Our verdict
Buy the GMC Terrain based on your priorities for this class.
Buy the Hyundai Santa Fe based on your priorities for this class.
// COST HEAD TO HEAD
Maintenance and ownership cost
| GMC Terrain | Hyundai Santa Fe | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual maintenance | — | $515 |
| 5-year total cost | — | $2,575 |
| Reliability score | — | 8 / 10 |
| Major repair risk (5yr) | — | 10% |
| Cargo space | — | — |
| Starting price (new) | $32,200winner | $35,050 |
| Best years to buy | 2023, 2025 | 2011, 2018 |
// RELIABILITY
Which is more reliable?
| GMC Terrain | Hyundai Santa Fe | |
|---|---|---|
| RepairPal score | — | 8 / 10 |
| NHTSA complaints / 100k | 217.3winner | 251.5 |
| Years to avoid | 2011, 2012, 2013 | 2017, 2019, 2023 |
| Value retained · 3 yr | — | 72.5% |
| Value retained · 5 yr | — | 54.4% |
| Value retained · 7 yr | — | 42% |
// COMMON PROBLEMS
What breaks — and what it costs
| GMC Terrain | Hyundai Santa Fe | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 37.8%winner | 45.2% |
| Electrical | 6.0% | 5.1%winner |
| ADAS | 4.9%winner | 8.8% |
| Brakes | 5.7%winner | 5.7% |
| Steering | 1.8%winner | 4.5% |
| Fuel system | 3.7% | 2.0%winner |
| Tires/Wheels | 0.7%winner | 2.3% |
| Glass/Windows | 14.5% | 2.9%winner |
| Airbags | 5.6% | 2.1%winner |
| Lighting | 2.8% | 1.2%winner |
One major repair on either model can run $1,500–4,000. A warranty caps your exposure, especially on known problem years.
// INSURANCE
Which is cheaper to insure?
| GMC Terrain | Hyundai Santa Fe | |
|---|---|---|
| Avg annual premium | — | $2,430 |
// FULL MODEL PAGES
// FAQ
Common questions
How we calculated this. Maintenance costs and reliability scores from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →