Reliable Auto DB

2016 Chevrolet Cruze reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze has 250 complaints with NHTSA after 11 years, or 23 per year. That is about even with the other Cruze years here. Their median is 22 complaints per year. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Fuel system, gasoline, Front seat head restraint, and Ignition.

2012 Chevrolet Cruze
Photo by MercurySable99, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

250

Per year

23

Recalls

4

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (102 of 250), then Electrical system (59) and Fuel and propulsion system (35). Those filings include 19 that report a crash, 6 that report a fire, and 12 that report an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Cruze has 252 complaints, 20 per year, and the 2017 has 201 complaints, 22 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall Fuel system, gasoline 2018-05-10 · NHTSA campaign 18V304000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Cruze LS vehicles, equipped with a gasoline engine and a tire inflator kit instead of a spare tire. The vehicles may leak gasoline following a rear-impact crash and a rollover. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a lock-ring on the fuel tank that will shield the fuel tank vapor pressure sensor from damage in a rear-impact crash, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18159.
Recall Front seat head restraint 2017-01-26 · NHTSA campaign 17V057000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. A bracket used in the driver or front passenger seat-back recliner mechanism may have been incorrectly welded to the seat-back frame, as a result, in the event of a crash, the head-restraints may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 202a, "Head Restraints."
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seats, replacing any with seat-back frames that are incorrectly welded, free of charge. The recall began on February 28, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17035.
Recall electrical system, ignition 2016-07-05 · NHTSA campaign 16V502000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
Recall exterior lighting, headlights 2016-07-01 · NHTSA campaign 16V498000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Cruze vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to May 26, 2016. The headlight assemblies are not marked with a three-digit identifier code used to properly aim the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Assoc. Equipment."
Remedy GM will mail owners instructions and adhesive labels, with the correct code, to install on their headlight assemblies. Owners may also bring the vehicle to a GM dealership for any assistance with applying the label, free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet Customer Service Department at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 50190.

Complaints by component (250 total)

Engine
102
Electrical system
59
Fuel and propulsion system
35
Powertrain
31
Air bags
21
Service brakes
18
Steering
18
Electronic stability control (ESC)
16
Speed control
11
Structure
8
Engine and engine cooling
6
Exterior lighting
6
Wheels
5
Seats
4
Seat belts
3
Fuel system, gasoline
2
Back-over prevention
1
Equipment
1
Forward collision avoidance
1
Fuel system, other
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Lane departure
1
Suspension
1
Tires
1
Visibility
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 18 more Show less
Crash-flagged

19

Fire-flagged

6

Injury reports

12

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

2120161720173220184220194420202420212720222020231120244202582026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "I am filing this complaint due to repeated mechanical and safety problems with my 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. The vehicle has had ongoing acceleration problems, including times when it would not accelerate properly even with…"
    Electrical system, Structure, Speed control · filed 2026-09-17
  • "car has been overheating run while i take the keys out doors will lock with keys in the ignition lots of lights will come on car will slow way down constantly adding antifreeze in it heat and air will stop working i…"
    Service brakes, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-08-27
  • "Manufacturer: General Motors / Chevrolet Vehicle: 2016 Chevrolet Cruze LT (VIN: [XXX]) Corporate Case Number: XXX Nature of Dispute: Premature mechanical failure of a major drivetrain assembly and administrative bad…"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-24
  • "After 3 years of having this car it’s overheating each summer requiring the coolant system, hoses, thermostat, and water pump to be replaced each summer. As well as major oil leaking after full tune ups."
    Unknown or other, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-06-22
  • "Coolant system and engine fan"
    Unknown or other, Engine · filed 2026-06-09

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2016 Chevrolet Cruze 4 DR FWD 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Cruze 1.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 30 40 34 MPG $1900
Cruze 1.4L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 28 39 32 MPG $2050
Cruze Limited 1.8L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 25 35 29 MPG $2250
Cruze Limited 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 22 34 26 MPG $2500
Cruze Limited 1.4L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 26 37 30 MPG $2150
Cruze Limited 1.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 26 36 30 MPG $2150
Cruze Limited Eco 1.4L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 28 40 33 MPG $1950
Cruze Limited Eco 1.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 26 37 30 MPG $2150
Cruze Premier 1.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 30 40 34 MPG $1900

Specs and fitment

2nd generation, 2012–2016
Body styles Sedan, Hatchback
Oil 5W-30 (1.8L); 5W-30 (1.4L turbo where equipped) , 4.2 qt capacity
Tire size 215/60R16 to 225/45R18 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 12V-288 covers certain 2011-2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles: spilled or dripping oil may collect in the engine shield near hot surfaces and ignite. Recall 13V-360 covers certain 2011-2012 Cruze vehicles with the 1.4L turbo and electric vacuum brake assist pump: the pump may not activate, reducing brake assist on some starts. Recall 14V-151 covers certain 2013-2014 Cruze vehicles with the 1.4L turbo: the right front half shaft may fracture and separate.

Compare

Previous year 2015 Chevrolet Cruze Next year 2017 Chevrolet Cruze See every Chevrolet Cruze model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze reliable?

The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze has 250 complaints with NHTSA after 11 years, or 23 per year. That is about even with the other Cruze years here. Their median is 22 complaints per year. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Fuel system, gasoline, Front seat head restraint, and Ignition.

What are common problems with a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (102 of 250), then Electrical system (59) and Fuel and propulsion system (35). Those filings include 19 that report a crash, 6 that report a fire, and 12 that report an injury.

Is the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 Cruze has 252 complaints, 20 per year, and the 2017 has 201 complaints, 22 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017.

Has the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze been recalled?

The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

Owners have filed 250 complaints about the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is 30.9 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

When did Chevrolet stop selling the Cruze in the US?

The US catalog ends with the 2019 model year.

What engine oil does a Chevrolet Cruze use?

5W-30 (1.8L); 5W-30 (1.4L turbo where equipped)

What does NHTSA recall 12V-288 cover on the Chevrolet Cruze?

Recall 12V-288 covers certain 2011-2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles: spilled or dripping oil may collect in the engine shield near hot surfaces and ignite.