Ford Escape vs GMC Terrain
Two compact SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.
// VERDICT
Our verdict
Buy the Ford Escape based on your priorities for this class.
Buy the GMC Terrain based on your priorities for this class.
// COST HEAD TO HEAD
Maintenance and ownership cost
| Ford Escape | GMC Terrain | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual maintenance | $600 | — |
| 5-year total cost | $3,000 | — |
| Reliability score | 8 / 10 | — |
| Major repair risk (5yr) | 11% | — |
| Cargo space | — | — |
| Starting price (new) | $30,350winner | $32,200 |
| Best years to buy | — | 2023, 2025 |
// RELIABILITY
Which is more reliable?
| Ford Escape | GMC Terrain | |
|---|---|---|
| RepairPal score | 8 / 10 | — |
| NHTSA complaints / 100k | 0winner | 217.3 |
| Years to avoid | None identified | 2011, 2012, 2013 |
| Value retained · 3 yr | 71.1% | — |
| Value retained · 5 yr | 52.5% | — |
| Value retained · 7 yr | 40.2% | — |
// COMMON PROBLEMS
What breaks — and what it costs
| Ford Escape | GMC Terrain | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 39.4% | 37.8%winner |
| Electrical | 4.6%winner | 6.0% |
| ADAS | 7.3% | 4.9%winner |
| Brakes | 2.1%winner | 5.7% |
| Suspension | 0.7% | —winner |
| Steering | 9.0% | 1.8%winner |
| Fuel system | 5.9% | 3.7%winner |
| Tires/Wheels | 1.5% | 0.7%winner |
| Glass/Windows | 1.7%winner | 14.5% |
| Airbags | 1.4%winner | 5.6% |
| Lighting | —winner | 2.8% |
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?
| Ford Escape | GMC Terrain | |
|---|---|---|
| Avg annual premium | $2,054 | — |
// FULL MODEL PAGES
// FAQ
Common questions
The Escape costs $600/year to maintain — $79 above the compact segment average of $521. Repair frequency of 31% is slightly above the class average of 30%. Reliability score of 8 and major repair probability of 11% both match the segment average. It's an above-average cost with an average reliability profile.
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 →