Showing the 2017 Terrain SLE 2. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
18–25 mpgcombined; city 16–21, highway 23–31; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,990–$18,050U.S. average; Ohio $11,610–$16,120 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2017 Terrain. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 135 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Terrain. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
79
0
1
0
Power train
24
0
0
0
Unknown or other
20
3
0
2
Air bags
12
9
1
6
Electrical system
9
1
1
0
Exterior lighting
7
0
0
0
Structure
7
4
0
2
Fuel/propulsion system
4
0
0
0
Seat belts
4
1
0
0
Visibility/wiper
3
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
2
0
0
0
Equipment
2
0
0
0
7 more parts
Service brakes
2
1
0
1
Steering
2
0
1
0
Vehicle speed control
2
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
1
1
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Wheels
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2017 Terrain over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles. A reflection caused by the headlight housings may illuminate areas above the vehicle and outside of the driver's view with excessively bright light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: The bright reflection may cause a glare for other drivers, reducing their visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install headlamp appliques, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222363740.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 1,065 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2017 Terrain, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (414), electrical system (199), engine and engine cooling (132), engine (112), power train (84).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2017 Terrain.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 3–5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Terrain Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
21 / 31 / 25
Terrain Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline or E85
21 / 31 / 25
Terrain All-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 28 / 23
Terrain Front-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
17 / 24 / 20
Terrain All-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 23 / 18
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data