Which has fewer problems, the 2016 GMC Terrain or the 2016 Nissan Rogue?

2016 GMC Terrain has 6 documented failure points and 152 NHTSA complaints; 2016 Nissan Rogue has 7 and 536.

2016 GMC Terrain vs 2016 Nissan Rogue

Q: Which is better, the 2016 GMC Terrain or the 2016 Nissan Rogue?

Both score 4/10. 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 Nissan Rogue: The Rogue does everything a family crossover should — until the transmission decides it's done, usually somewhere between 70k and 110k miles.

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 Nissan
Rogue

4/10

The Rogue does everything a family crossover should — until the transmission decides it's done, usually somewhere between 70k and 110k miles.

Dead heat: both score 4/10. The tiebreaker is which specific car you find.

By the numbers

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

	GMC Terrain	Nissan Rogue
Known failure points	6	7
NHTSA complaints	152	536
Safety recalls	2	7
Service bulletins	12	12
Reliability	38	42
Cheap to own	35	40
Fun factor	30	25
Holds value	32	45
Enthusiast cred	10	8

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 Nissan Rogue

JATCO JF017E CVT torque converter shudder — feels like driving over rumble strips at 30–45 mph under light throttle

$400–$5,50040k–80k 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 Nissan Rogue

2016 Rogue SL AWD, 5-seat configuration (no 3rd row), under 60k miles, with documented CVT fluid changes and a clean ownership record — bonus if the CVT was already replaced under warranty (fresh unit resets the clock).

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 Nissan Rogue problems · All vehicles