Which has fewer problems, the 2016 GMC Terrain or the 2016 Honda HR-V?

2016 GMC Terrain has 6 documented failure points and 152 NHTSA complaints; 2016 Honda HR-V has 5 and 238.

2016 GMC Terrain vs 2016 Honda HR-V

Q: Which is better, the 2016 GMC Terrain or the 2016 Honda HR-V?

2016 Honda HR-V scores higher on Milo's 10-point buy score (2016 GMC Terrain: 4/10, 2016 Honda HR-V: 6/10). 2016 GMC Terrain: Great cabin space and depreciation-fueled bargain pricing, undermined by a 2.4L Ecotec that has a real shot at eating its own timing chain before 100k 2016 Honda HR-V: Great commuter bones, Honda badge, and a CVT that can turn into a $4k surprise if you skip fluid changes.

Two compact SUVs, compared on what actually matters when you're buying used: what breaks, when it breaks, and what it costs you.

2016 GMC
Terrain

4/10

Great cabin space and depreciation-fueled bargain pricing, undermined by a 2.4L Ecotec that has a real shot at eating its own timing chain before 100k.

2016 Honda
HR-V

6/10

Great commuter bones, Honda badge, and a CVT that can turn into a $4k surprise if you skip fluid changes.

Milo scores the 2016 Honda HR-V higher — 6/10 against 4/10.

By the numbers

Green is the better number — higher on every score, lower on failures, complaints and recalls.

	GMC Terrain	Honda HR-V
Known failure points	6	5
NHTSA complaints	152	238
Safety recalls	2	2
Service bulletins	12	12
Reliability	38	62
Cheap to own	35	58
Fun factor	30	38
Holds value	32	60
Enthusiast cred	10	22

The most expensive thing that goes wrong

2016 GMC Terrain

2.4L Ecotec (LE9/LEA/LTG) timing chain stretch/failure — chain, guides, and tensioners wear prematurely, sometimes snapping outright and destroying the engine

$1,500–$6,00040k–80k mi

2016 Honda HR-V

CVT failure/limp mode (belt slippage, torque converter, valve body wear) — code P271E common

$3,500–$4,80060k–100k mi

If you buy one, buy this one

✅ 2016 GMC Terrain

A 2016 Terrain SLT-2 or Denali with the 3.6L V6 (RPO LFX), AWD, and full dealer service records — the V6 sidesteps the timing chain/oil consumption saga entirely and the extra trim level usually means a more pampered previous owner.

✅ 2016 Honda HR-V

A 2016-2017 HR-V EX-L AWD (or the rare 6-speed manual LX/EX FWD) with full CVT fluid change records — AWD models get a slightly different CVT tune that some owners report holds up marginally better under load, and EX-L adds leather, sunroof, and the better camera.

Narrowed it down? Get the full report

This comparison is model-level. Milo's report goes car-level — the one you're actually looking at:

A line-by-line negotiation script
The pre-purchase inspection checklist
VIN-specific open recalls
What it's really worth right now
Your next 15,000 miles, forecast
Hidden features & money-savers

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Scores and findings blend documented NHTSA recalls and complaints with patterns synthesized from owner communities. Always inspect the specific vehicle and verify open recalls by VIN before buying.

2016 GMC Terrain problems · 2016 Honda HR-V problems · All vehicles