Which has fewer problems, the 2016 GMC Terrain or the 2016 Mazda CX-5?

2016 GMC Terrain has 6 documented failure points and 152 NHTSA complaints; 2016 Mazda CX-5 has 8 and 510.

2016 GMC Terrain vs 2016 Mazda CX-5

Q: Which is better, the 2016 GMC Terrain or the 2016 Mazda CX-5?

2016 Mazda CX-5 scores higher on Milo's 10-point buy score (2016 GMC Terrain: 4/10, 2016 Mazda CX-5: 8/10). 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 Mazda CX-5: A Miata on stilts with a Corolla's maintenance bill — the last CX-5 before Mazda got fancy.

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 Mazda
CX-5

8/10

A Miata on stilts with a Corolla's maintenance bill — the last CX-5 before Mazda got fancy.

Milo scores the 2016 Mazda CX-5 higher — 8/10 against 4/10.

By the numbers

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

	GMC Terrain	Mazda CX-5
Known failure points	6	8
NHTSA complaints	152	510
Safety recalls	2	5
Service bulletins	12	12
Reliability	38	82
Cheap to own	35	80
Fun factor	30	72
Holds value	32	70
Enthusiast cred	10	58

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 Mazda CX-5

Rear subframe / trailing arm corrosion in salt-belt cars

$800–$3,50080k–140k 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 Mazda CX-5

2016.5 (built April 2016+) Touring trim, AWD, in Soul Red or Machine Gray, with the Preferred Equipment Package and clean service records from a non-salt state. Manual transmission Sport FWD exists and is a unicorn for enthusiasts.

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 Mazda CX-5 problems · All vehicles