Should you buy a used GMC Terrain? Probably not.

By Jason Allan, former head of vehicle reviews and ratings at Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader

The GMC Terrain is one of the most reliable compact SUVs in the group and the one every reviewer puts at the bottom. The dependability record is hard to argue with: Consumer Reports' reliability prediction for the 2023 and 2024 cars is tied for second among the 13 compact SUVs Bestest scores, and in NHTSA's records for the 2021 to 2024 models, complaints that mention a fire, a crash or an injury, counted per 10,000 cars sold in the first two years on sale, run lowest of the 13. It's also quiet inside, with standard active noise cancellation, roomy for four adults, and better-looking than the Chevrolet Equinox it shares its platform with.

The reviewers don't want one because of how it drives: the 1.5-liter turbo is the only engine since 2021 and it's slow, the nine-speed is slow-witted, the steering is numb, and the push-button shifter sits low on the console where reverse takes a second look. The cabin's hard plastics don't match GMC's upscale pricing until you reach the Denali. The GMC Terrain is also the most fleet-worn car in the segment on Orange County lots: two in three of the two- and three-year-olds have more than 40,000 miles, averaging about 17,500 miles a year, the highest of the 13.

So the GMC Terrain isn't a Bestest car. It's fine, and a low-mile one-owner car should give you years of dependable service, but the reviewers are unanimous and most of the inventory in Orange County carries fleet-level wear. If you want a Terrain anyway, here's how I'd shop for one.