Is GMC more reliable than Chevrolet?
Chevrolet comes out ahead: GMC 2.90 vs Chevrolet 1.77 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold (model years 2015–2022). GMC owners filed 1.6× as many complaints per vehicle sold as Chevrolet owners.
By CarWhere Research · Updated November 2026 · Method
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA per 1,000 vehicles sold (model years 2015–2022; published U.S. sales). Not a survey, not Consumer Reports' method, and not repair frequency.
GMC vs Chevrolet at a glance
| GMC | Chevrolet | |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints per 1,000 sold | 2.90 | 1.77 |
| Serious-safety complaints per 1,000 | 0.12 | 0.10 |
| Rank of 19 brands | #13 | #7 |
| Models covered | 6 | 15 |
| Vehicles sold (rated model years) | 4,313,327 | 14,288,009 |
| Owner complaints | 12,516 | 25,345 |
| Share of brand U.S. sales covered | 100% | 95.5% |
| Top complaint areas | Engine 27% · Powertrain / transmission 20.7% · Electrical system 15.8% | Engine 25.8% · Powertrain / transmission 20.8% · Electrical system 18.3% |
| Recall campaigns (vehicles covered) | 156 (924,536) | 266 (2.5 million) |
Model years 2015–2022. Lower is better. Serious-safety complaints are those where the owner reported a crash, a fire or at least one injury. Recall campaigns are NHTSA campaigns filed January 2016 to September 2026; vehicles covered counts a vehicle once per campaign.
What drives the numbers
- GMC's count is driven most by 2015 Yukon (incl. XL) complaints about lighting and electrical system (977, 7.8% of GMC's complaints). Other models with rates above GMC's overall 2.90: Acadia (3.42), Canyon (3.17).
- Chevrolet's count is driven most by 2015–2017 Silverado complaints about brakes and powertrain / transmission (3,310, 13.1% of Chevrolet's complaints). Other models with rates above Chevrolet's overall 1.77: Malibu (2.80), Tahoe (2.55), Suburban (2.97).
GMC vs Chevrolet complaints per 1,000 sold, by model year
Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are still growing. Compare the two lines within a year, not one year against another.
| Model year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMC | 4.93 | 3.01 | 3.14 | 2.15 | 2.58 | 2.00 | 2.94 | 2.36 |
| Chevrolet | 2.59 | 2.19 | 1.77 | 1.50 | 1.53 | 1.38 | 1.70 | 1.20 |
What GMC and Chevrolet owners complain about
Share of each brand's NHTSA complaints naming the area (a complaint can name more than one).
GMC
- Engine27% · 3,377
- Powertrain / transmission20.7% · 2,590
- Electrical system15.8% · 1,982
- Brakes13.2% · 1,655
- Steering9.2% · 1,147
- Lighting9.1% · 1,138
Chevrolet
- Engine25.8% · 6,535
- Powertrain / transmission20.8% · 5,280
- Electrical system18.3% · 4,640
- Brakes14.1% · 3,586
- Steering10.6% · 2,684
- Fuel / propulsion7.4% · 1,886
Model matchups
Each brand's best-selling model in the classes both sell, on the same per-1,000-sold measure.
Full-size pickups: GMC Sierra vs Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: GMC Sierra 2.67 vs Chevrolet Silverado 1.71 complaints per 1,000 sold. Engine is the most-cited area for both (32.6% and 26.3% of complaints).
GMC Sierra(whole line)
2.67 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 4,956 complaints / 1,859,099 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016
- Years to avoid:
- 2015, 2019–2024
- Top complaint areas:
- Engine 32.6% · Powertrain / transmission 22.1% · Brakes 17.3%
Chevrolet Silverado(whole line)
1.71 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 7,794 complaints / 4,566,193 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2009, 2011–2013
- Years to avoid:
- 2014, 2019–2022
- Top complaint areas:
- Engine 26.3% · Powertrain / transmission 24.8% · Brakes 19.7%
Compact SUVs: GMC Terrain vs Chevrolet Equinox
The Chevrolet Equinox has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: GMC Terrain 1.84 vs Chevrolet Equinox 1.26 complaints per 1,000 sold. Engine is the most-cited area for both (32% and 36.8% of complaints).
GMC Terrain
1.84 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 1,324 complaints / 721,253 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- None flagged
- Top complaint areas:
- Engine 32% · Brakes 19.3% · Powertrain / transmission 15%
1.26 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 2,685 complaints / 2,137,303 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2008, 2009
- Years to avoid:
- 2010–2013, 2018, 2020
- Top complaint areas:
- Engine 36.8% · Visibility / wipers 16.4% · Brakes 14.1%
Three-row SUVs: GMC Acadia vs Chevrolet Traverse
The Chevrolet Traverse has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: GMC Acadia 3.42 vs Chevrolet Traverse 2.30 complaints per 1,000 sold. The Acadia's most-cited area is powertrain / transmission (27.8%); the Traverse's is air bags (27%).
GMC Acadia
3.42 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 2,288 complaints / 669,663 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- 2008–2010, 2014, 2017–2019, 2021
- Top complaint areas:
- Powertrain / transmission 27.8% · Electrical system 23.9% · Air bags 14.6%
Chevrolet Traverse
2.30 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 2,278 complaints / 992,299 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- None flagged
- Top complaint areas:
- Air bags 27% · Powertrain / transmission 23.9% · Engine 17.2%
Full-size SUVs: GMC Yukon (incl. XL) vs Chevrolet Tahoe
The Chevrolet Tahoe has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: GMC Yukon (incl. XL) 5.01 vs Chevrolet Tahoe 2.55 complaints per 1,000 sold. Engine is the most-cited area for both (31.5% and 21.5% of complaints).
GMC Yukon (incl. XL)(whole line)
5.01 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 3,148 complaints / 628,149 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019
- Years to avoid:
- 2008, 2015, 2016, 2021–2024
- Top complaint areas:
- Engine 31.5% · Lighting 25.3% · Powertrain / transmission 16.3%
2.55 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 2,033 complaints / 795,960 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2014
- Years to avoid:
- 2008, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2021–2024
- Top complaint areas:
- Engine 21.5% · Brakes 19.8% · Powertrain / transmission 17.7%
Midsize pickups: GMC Canyon vs Chevrolet Colorado
The Chevrolet Colorado has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: GMC Canyon 3.17 vs Chevrolet Colorado 2.42 complaints per 1,000 sold. Steering is the most-cited area for both (56% and 46.3% of complaints).
GMC Canyon
3.17 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 768 complaints / 242,288 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- None flagged
- Top complaint areas:
- Steering 56% · Powertrain / transmission 18.5% · Electrical system 15.1%
Chevrolet Colorado
2.42 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 1,991 complaints / 821,137 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- None flagged
- Top complaint areas:
- Steering 46.3% · Powertrain / transmission 22.3% · Electrical system 15.6%
How these numbers are calculated
complaints per 1,000 sold = NHTSA owner complaints filed for model years 2015–2022 ÷ U.S. vehicles sold in calendar years 2015–2022 × 1,000
Complaints come from NHTSA's public owner-complaint database (NHTSA data), counted once per complaint and matched across NHTSA's trim and body-style names. Vehicles sold are published U.S. calendar-year sales per nameplate. Model years with fewer than 5,000 sold are too few to rate and are left out. A brand gets a score only when its covered models number at least 3 and make up at least 70% of its U.S. sales; rates under 10% apart are called close.
This is the federal complaint rate, not an owner survey or repair-frequency figure. Consumer Reports publishes a survey-based ranking that measures something different. Full method and brand ranking.
Questions
Is GMC more reliable than Chevrolet?
Chevrolet comes out ahead: GMC 2.90 vs Chevrolet 1.77 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold (model years 2015–2022). GMC owners filed 1.6× as many complaints per vehicle sold as Chevrolet owners.
Which has more serious complaints, GMC or Chevrolet?
Counting only complaints that report a crash, fire or injury, GMC logs 0.12 per 1,000 sold and Chevrolet 0.10. Those are 4% of GMC's complaints and 6% of Chevrolet's.
Where do GMC and Chevrolet rank overall?
GMC ranks #13 and Chevrolet #7 of the 19 brands with enough sales data, ranked by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold for model years 2015–2022.
What do GMC and Chevrolet owners complain about most?
GMC: engine (27%), powertrain / transmission (20.7%), electrical system (15.8%). Chevrolet: engine (25.8%), powertrain / transmission (20.8%), electrical system (18.3%). Shares are of each brand's complaints for model years 2015–2022; one complaint can name more than one area.
Which has more recalls, GMC or Chevrolet?
From January 2016 to September 2026, NHTSA lists 156 GMC recall campaigns covering 924,536 vehicles and 266 Chevrolet campaigns covering 2,542,618. Vehicles covered counts each vehicle once per campaign, so one car in three recalls counts three times. Recalls are fixes the maker files, a different signal from owner complaints.
Is the GMC Sierra more reliable than the Chevrolet Silverado?
The Chevrolet Silverado has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: GMC Sierra 2.67 vs Chevrolet Silverado 1.71 complaints per 1,000 sold. Based on 1,859,099 and 4,566,193 vehicles sold. Years to avoid on the Sierra: 2015, 2019–2024. Years to avoid on the Silverado: 2014, 2019–2022.
Is the GMC Terrain more reliable than the Chevrolet Equinox?
The Chevrolet Equinox has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: GMC Terrain 1.84 vs Chevrolet Equinox 1.26 complaints per 1,000 sold. Based on 721,253 and 2,137,303 vehicles sold. Years to avoid on the Equinox: 2010–2013, 2018, 2020.