Chevrolet Equinox vs GMC Terrain: Which Used Buy Wins?

As used buys (August 2026), the Chevrolet Equinox typically lists for $26,900 against $23,958 for the GMC Terrain (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The GMC Terrain takes fuel economy (24 MPG combined vs 23 MPG). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the LS at $21,498 vs the SLE at $23,285; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.

Verdict: for most used-car buyers the GMC Terrain is the stronger pick right now — it wins 2 of the scored dimensions below (prices judged on the same model years, 2024–2026). Choose the Chevrolet Equinox if you care most about fewer recalls per year.

Head to head

Typical used price (2024–2026)GMC Terrain
Chevrolet Equinox$26,900
GMC Terrain$23,958
EPA combined (typical version)GMC Terrain
Chevrolet Equinox23 MPG
GMC Terrain24 MPG
NCAP overall (avg of rated years)
Chevrolet Equinox4.5★
GMC Terrain4.5★
NHTSA recalls / model yearChevrolet Equinox
Chevrolet Equinox2.2
GMC Terrain2.4
For sale on VehiSales now
Chevrolet Equinox28,524
GMC Terrain10,523

Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)

A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Chevrolet Equinox LS ($21,498) faces the GMC Terrain SLE ($23,285); the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) (28.1% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the SLE (29.7% of GMC Terrain listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($32,881) faces the AT4 ($35,135). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.

Chevrolet Equinox GMC Terrain
TrimTypical priceShare TrimTypical priceShare
LT (2FL) $19,998 2.7% SLEMost popularCheapest $23,285 29.7%
LSCheapest $21,498 5.3% SLT $24,291 24.2%
LT (1LT)Most popular $22,576 28.1% ELEVATION $29,694 28.7%
PREMIER (1LZ) $25,224 3.0% DENALI $32,822 7.2%
1LT $26,795 27.7% AT4Priciest $35,135 10.1%
2LT $29,887 8.9%
RS $31,295 10.6%
ACTIVEPriciest $32,881 3.2%

Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Chevrolet Equinox prices · GMC Terrain prices.

Used price by model year

YearChevrolet Equinox typicalGMC Terrain typicalDifferenceChevrolet Equinox MPGGMC Terrain MPG
2026 $30,595 $31,798 GMC Terrain +$1,203 26–27 MPG 25–27 MPG
2025 $26,900 $28,145 GMC Terrain +$1,245 26–27 MPG 25–27 MPG
2024 $23,280 $23,958 GMC Terrain +$678 26–28 MPG 25–26 MPG
2023 $21,497 $24,500 GMC Terrain +$3,003 26–28 MPG 26 MPG
2022 $19,047 $21,995 GMC Terrain +$2,948 27–28 MPG 26–27 MPG
2021 $16,988 $18,653 GMC Terrain +$1,665 27–28 MPG 26–27 MPG
2020 $15,995 $17,782 GMC Terrain +$1,787 24–28 MPG 23–27 MPG
2019 $14,667 $15,698 GMC Terrain +$1,031 24–32 MPG 23–32 MPG
2018 $12,900 $14,053 GMC Terrain +$1,153 24–32 MPG 23–32 MPG
2017 $9,999 $11,275 GMC Terrain +$1,276 18–25 MPG 18–25 MPG
2016 $9,349 $10,841 GMC Terrain +$1,492 18–26 MPG 18–26 MPG
2015 $8,299 $8,995 GMC Terrain +$696 19–26 MPG 19–26 MPG
2014 $7,500 $8,497 GMC Terrain +$997 19–26 MPG 19–26 MPG
2013 $6,995 $7,775 GMC Terrain +$780 19–26 MPG 19–26 MPG
2012 $6,650 $6,996 GMC Terrain +$346 19–26 MPG 19–26 MPG
2011 $6,015 $6,258 GMC Terrain +$243 19–26 MPG 19–26 MPG
2010 $6,050 $5,999 Chevrolet Equinox +$51 20–26 MPG 20–26 MPG

Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (August 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper to buy used — Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Terrain?

Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the GMC Terrain is cheaper: it typically lists for $23,958 versus $26,900 for the Chevrolet Equinox (national medians, August 2026).

Which gets better fuel economy — Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Terrain?

The GMC Terrain: its typical rated version returns 24 MPG combined versus 23 MPG for the Chevrolet Equinox (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).

Which is more reliable — Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Terrain?

NHTSA lists an average of 2.2 recalls per model year for the Chevrolet Equinox and 2.4 for the GMC Terrain — an edge for the Chevrolet Equinox. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.

Which trims should I actually compare?

Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Chevrolet Equinox LS typically lists for $21,498 vs $23,285 for a GMC Terrain SLE; the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) ($22,576, 28.1% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the SLE ($23,285, 29.7% of GMC Terrain listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($32,881) faces the AT4 ($35,135). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.

About this data: prices and availability are national aggregates of live VehiSales inventory (August 2026), refreshed daily. Fuel economy: U.S. EPA/DOE (fueleconomy.gov). Safety & recalls: NHTSA. How to cite: “VehiSales Research, Chevrolet Equinox vs GMC Terrain” with a link to https://vehisales.com/research/compare/chevrolet/equinox/vs/gmc/terrain.

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See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.

© 2026 VehiSales · Data from live US vehicle listings · Methodology · Editorial policy · About · Press: cite as “VehiSales Used Car Price Index” with a link to this page.