Your vehicleHome›GMC›Terrain› 2021

GMC · Compact SUV

2021 GMC Terrain

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints4 crash · 4 injured reported 36

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 27 mpg

2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2021 GMC Terrain is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Terrain FWD, is EPA-rated at 27 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 36 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

GMC Terrain — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — GMC Terrain · Photo: Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Terrain FWD	Gas	FWD	1.5L 4-cyl turbo	25	30	27	$2,500
Terrain AWD	Gas	AWD	1.5L 4-cyl turbo	25	28	26	$2,600

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 43369, 43374.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Terrain AWD, Terrain FWD	7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	1.5 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	9

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Optional: Blind-spot monitoring, Rear cross-traffic alert

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: SLE, SLT). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	183.1 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.4 in
Height	65.4 in
Wheelbase	107.5 in
Track, front	62.2 in
Track, rear	62.2 in
Curb weight	3,448–3,801 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	57/43 to 58/42

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 3 configurations: 4-door SUV AWD, 4-door SUV AWD Denali, 4-door SUV FWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Child Seat

N232403240

668,187 vehicles 84% reported repaired

Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being installed with the anchorage bars. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems." Risk The inability to install a child seat with the LATCH anchorage bars could result in an unsecured child seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. Fix Owners are advised to install child seats using the vehicle's rear seat belts until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect the latch anchorage bars, and remove and replace the finish, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232403240.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V339000 reported May 11, 2023 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Tires

N212343560

9,597 vehicles 97% reported repaired

Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles equipped with certain Hankook tires. The tires may have been manufactured with an insufficient amount of curative agent, which could cause tread separation. Risk Tread separation can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will inspect the tire DOT numbers, and replace any affected tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 31, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782; and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212343560.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 21V612000 reported Aug 5, 2021 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Terrain

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2021 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. GMC publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →GMC’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 GMC Terrain, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

36complaints filed

4 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 4 injuries · 0 deaths reported

6.8 per 10,000 built · GMC reported 53,290 Terrain built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2021: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2025: 9 · 2026: 10

Most-cited components

Engine 12

Power Train 8

Service Brakes 8

Electrical System 7

Forward Collision Avoidance 4

Fuel/Propulsion System 4

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

around chirstmas, Was driving on the highway and the car threw a "reduced engine power" warning and went into limp mode. Check engine light came on. Car asymptomatic prior. got the code pulled and it said turbocharger under boost. The next day the check engine light went out and car was running appropriately.

Engine Jan 22, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11712586

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Terrain. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V339000 (Child Seat); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.

Child Seat Oct 31, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11696797

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The failure had occurred intermittently.

Service Brakes at 78,843 miles Sep 17, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11687881

Driving my vehicle with no warnings, messages, or symptoms on adaptive cruise control Sunday on in Michigan. I changed lanes into the right lane when the vehicle abruptly, without notification, and with force, caused braking that unexpectedly and dangerously slowed the vehicle then released braking before doing the same a moment later.

Electrical System Jul 1, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11670483

First time I had problems with my 2021 Terrain I took it to victory GMC on 9/20/24. At the it had 45,000 miles. Every time I would drive and accelerate it would shake extremely bad in the floorboard. There was also transmission fluid leaking.

Power Train May 28, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11663450

I was in a in a 70 miles an hour highway accident and was hit in front driver side door, went up embankment and hit a tree then rolled backwards onto the highway. No airbags deployed

Air Bags Jan 29, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11568581

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by GMC itself: 21 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 23 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 39 per 100,000 built. Every Terrain model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	18%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · GM warranty extension 22-NA-244This warranty administration service bulletin provides information about GM Accessories - Dealer-Installed, Repaired or Replaced During Warranty Coverage Period.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every GM warranty extension (33) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 696

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 688 service bulletins, 3 service campaigns, 2 over-the-air updates

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Power Train.

PIT5698F Service bulletin
2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
PIP4902W Service bulletin
2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIC6551C Service bulletin
2026-08-20 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues
PIT5099J Service bulletin
2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT5966F Service bulletin
2026-06-23 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still displayed after an OTA event and how to reset/clear the message.
PIC6423A Service bulletin
2026-05-11 · Unknown Or Other
Pi created to provide GM dealers with information on gathering information for projection issue
PIC6551B Service bulletin
2026-05-11 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues
PIT5812G Service bulletin
2026-04-08 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information announces the end of an engineering investigation into a brake pad noise.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0299 P0299 on GMC →	The turbocharger or supercharger is not making the boost the computer asked for.	Engine	20 bulletins · 1 owner report
P0300 P0300 on GMC →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	18 bulletins
P12A6 P12A6 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	16 bulletins
P2227 P2227 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Structure	11 bulletins
P0172 P0172 on GMC →	The engine is running rich on bank 1: too much fuel for the air going in.	Engine · Oxygen sensor →	7 bulletins
P1101 P1101 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	7 bulletins
B3925 B3925 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	6 bulletins
B3926 B3926 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	6 bulletins
B3927 B3927 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	6 bulletins
P0101 P0101 on GMC →	The mass air flow sensor is reporting a figure the engine computer does not believe for the conditions.	Engine · Mass air flow sensor →	6 bulletins
P0506 P0506 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine · Throttle body →	6 bulletins
P023F P023F on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	5 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 1.7%

failed emissions

2,426 initial inspections of 2,386 vehicles.

Measure	The 2021 Terrain	Every 2021 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	1.7%	1.9%	2,421
Failed the safety inspection	1.8%	1.5%	2,426
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.08%	0.19%	2,426
Miles driven a year	10,918	10,343	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	57,948	54,681	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Terrain by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2027 A 0 1 26 mpg 2026 A 1 33 27 mpg 2025 A 0 13 27 mpg 2024 A 1 53 26 mpg 2023 B 2 41 26 mpg 2022 C 4 88 27 mpg 2021 this page B 2 36 27 mpg 2020 B 2 197 27 mpg 2019 C 3 186 32 mpg 2018 C 5 225 32 mpg 2017 A 1 135 25 mpg 2016 A 2 153 26 mpg

Common questions about the 2021 Terrain

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2021 GMC Terrain have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2021 GMC Terrain. The most serious on file is 23V339000, covering Child Seat. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2021 GMC Terrain?

NHTSA gave the 2021 GMC Terrain 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (85/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2021 GMC Terrain?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2021 GMC Terrain, the best EPA combined figure is 27 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2021 GMC Terrain?

Transport Canada measured it at 183.1 in long, 72.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 65.4 in tall, on a 107.5 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,448–3,801 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2021 GMC Terrain?

Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 GMC Terrain, most often about engine, power train, service brakes. Of those, 4 involved a crash, 4 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2021 GMC Terrain?

The EPA smog rating for the 2021 GMC Terrain is 7 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2021 GMC Terrain?

The manufacturer has filed 696 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 GMC Terrain, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2021 GMC Terrain do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 GMC Terrain failed the emissions check on 1.7% of first inspections — close to the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.8% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	2 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	2 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	36	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	696	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	12 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API