What is the best year for a GMC Terrain?

The weakest years by those same measures are 2021, 2025, and 2026 — worth closer inspection before buying, not an automatic pass. Verdict: no standout year — any of the stronger years is a reasonable buy.

How much does GMC Terrain insurance cost?

Full-coverage insurance for the GMC Terrain averages $2,011 a year, about $168 a month (industry average). That is less than the compact segment average of $2,056. Actual rates vary by trim, location, and driving record — compare quotes before buying.

Is the GMC Terrain or Chevrolet Equinox cheaper to maintain?

Maintenance runs $558 a year on the GMC Terrain versus $537 on the Chevrolet Equinox. Reliability scores are 7.0/10 and 7.0/10. Unscheduled repairs average 0.26 versus 0.31 times per year. Verdict: the Chevrolet Equinox is the cheaper of the two to run.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a GMC Terrain?

The chance of a major repair in a given year is 17%, so roughly 83 in 100 owners will not face one — above the compact segment norm of 11%. Reliability sits at 7.0/10. Verdict: optional — worth it only if you want predictable costs.

Is the Subaru Forester expensive to maintain?

The Forester costs $632/year to maintain — $111 above the compact segment average of $521. Repair frequency of 37% is above the class average of 30%. Reliability score of 7 is below the class average of 8, and major repair probability of 13% is above the 11% norm. It trails the compact class average on every ownership-cost metric.

What is the best year for a Subaru Forester?

The 2024 Forester (28 complaints, 10/10 safety, 4 severe) is the standout year — the best on record. Avoid 2014 (402 complaints, 53 severe) and 2018-2019 (483 and 831 complaints respectively), which coincide with documented engine oil consumption and EyeSight recall issues. The 2022-2024 window shows significant improvement.

How much does Subaru Forester insurance cost?

Forester insurance averages about $2,035/year — roughly $170/month.

Is the Subaru Forester or Toyota RAV4 cheaper to maintain?

The RAV4 is $203/year cheaper — $429 versus $632 for the Forester, over $1,000 in savings over five years. The RAV4 also has higher reliability (8 vs. 7), lower major repair probability (10% vs. 13%), and lower repair frequency (26% vs. 37%). The RAV4 has a significant advantage on every maintenance metric.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a Subaru Forester?

Reliability score of 7, major repair probability of 13%, and repair frequency of 37% — all above the compact class average — make extended warranty worth considering, particularly for 2014-2019 models with severe documented complaint spikes. For 2022 and newer, the risk profile improves substantially but still trails the class average.

GMC Terrain vs Subaru Forester

Two compact SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.

// VERDICT

Our verdict

Buy the GMC Terrain to minimise 5-year ownership cost.

Buy the Subaru Forester if long-term reliability matters most.

// COST HEAD TO HEAD

Maintenance and ownership cost

	GMC Terrain	Subaru Forester
Annual repairs	$558winner	$632
5-year repair cost	$2,790winner	$3,160
Scheduled service (to 150k mi)	$8,013winner	$13,377
Reliability score	7 / 10	7 / 10
Major repair risk (5yr)	17%	13%winner
Cargo space	63.5 cu ft	74.4 cu ftwinner
Starting price (new)	$32,200	$29,600winner

// RELIABILITY

Which is more reliable?

	GMC Terrain	Subaru Forester
RepairPal score	7 / 10	7 / 10
NHTSA complaints / 100k	219.5	204.1winner
Strongest years	2016, 2017, 2023	2023, 2026
Weakest years	2010, 2011, 2013	2011, 2012, 2013
Value retained · 3 yr	74.3%	86.9%winner
Value retained · 5 yr	55.1%	67.5%winner
Value retained · 7 yr	44%	54.4%winner

// COMMON PROBLEMS

What breaks — and what it costs

	GMC Terrain	Subaru Forester
Engine	43.4%	16.1%winner
Electrical	6.0%winner	9.5%
ADAS	5.6%winner	11.0%
Brakes	5.7%	3.2%winner
Suspension	—winner	3.8%
Steering	1.8%winner	1.9%
Fuel system	3.8%	—winner
Glass/Windows	14.3%winner	23.3%
Airbags	5.5%winner	12.5%
Lighting	2.7%	—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	Subaru Forester
Avg annual premium	$2,011winner	$2,035

// FULL MODEL PAGES

GAS

GMC Terrain

$558/yr maint · 7 reliability

Full model page

GAS

Subaru Forester

$632/yr maint · 7 reliability

Full model page

// FAQ

Common questions

The GMC Terrain averages $558 a year in maintenance. That is $37 above the compact segment average of $521. Owners bring it in for unscheduled repairs an average of 0.26 times per year, below the compact segment at 0.3. Its reliability score is 7.0/10. Verdict: costlier than the segment, budget accordingly.

How we calculated this. Repair costs, reliability scores, and maintenance schedules from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA and fuel prices from the EIA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →