Reliable Auto DB

2014 Chevrolet Sonic reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2014 Chevrolet Sonic has 150 complaints with NHTSA after 13 years, or 14 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Sonic years here — over the median of the other years, which is 5. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Radio, Air bags, and Electrical.

2012 Chevrolet Sonic
Photo by Cosmic Console, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY 4.0
Complaints

150

Per year

14

Recalls

4

Years on the road

13

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (49 of 150), then Engine (38) and Air bags (24). Those filings include 11 that report a crash, 4 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

Next to 2013 and 2015

The 2013 Sonic has 217 complaints, 22 per year, and the 2015 has 114 complaints, 13 per year. The 2014 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013. The 2014 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2015.

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 2014 Chevrolet Sonic. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall equipment, electrical, radio 2016-04-28 · NHTSA campaign 16V257000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax vehicles and 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver, after turning off the ignition and leaving the key in the cylinder, waits 10 minutes or longer to open the door. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114 "Theft Protection."
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17130.
Recall Air bags 2014-09-09 · NHTSA campaign 14V543000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured July 28, 2014, to August 1, 2014. Due to a loss of electrical connection in the steering column, in the event of a severe crash, the driver's frontal air bag deployment may be limited to the first-stage deployment only instead of the intended first-stage and second-stage deployments.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will test the terminals in the IP harness clock spring coil connector and replace any loose terminals, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14537.
Recall equipment, electrical 2014-07-02 · NHTSA campaign 14V417000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.
Recall gasoline fuel system, storage, tank, mounting 2013-09-26 · NHTSA campaign 13V464000
Summary General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured August 2, 2013, through August 12, 2013. Due to insufficient welds, the front fuel tank strap bracket may separate from the vehicle.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front fuel tank strap bracket, and repair it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November 7, 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 13296.

Complaints by component (150 total)

Electrical system
49
Engine
38
Air bags
24
Powertrain
20
Fuel and propulsion system
15
Steering
13
Electronic stability control (ESC)
8
Service brakes
6
Exterior lighting
5
Speed control
3
Structure
3
Equipment
2
Seat belts
2
Seats
2
Suspension
2
Wheels
2
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Tires
1
Visibility
1
Show 11 more Show less
Crash-flagged

11

Fire-flagged

4

Injury reports

5

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

13201414201514201613201733201824201992020820216202242023620242202542026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "A new EverStart Maxx lead-acid battery (Group Size H5/47, 12V, 650 CCA) was bought at Walmart on 07/14/2026 and installed the same day in a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic. It was installed correctly: correct polarity, both…"
    Electrical system · filed 2026-09-10
  • "Power steering light came on while Driving and lost power steering assist control. Almost crashed while turning down the street."
    Steering · filed 2026-04-30
  • "Electric My coolant And leaking issues My car door look when keys are inside ignition"
    Electrical system, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-03-02
  • "It gets hot fast when idle Radiator leaks , leaks coolant burns oil"
    Unknown or other, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-02-21
  • "Around April of 2025, I noticed loud engine noises and cold start loud noises coming from the engine. My car has been in the shop multiple times since then and I opened a case with GM about multiple repair issues with…"
    Engine · filed 2025-12-31

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2014 Chevrolet Sonic 4 DR FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2014 Chevrolet Sonic 5 DR FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 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
Sonic 1.4L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 28 38 32 MPG $2050
Sonic 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 24 34 28 MPG $2300
Sonic 1.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 27 36 30 MPG $2150
Sonic 1.8L, 4-cyl Manual 5-speed Front-wheel drive 26 34 29 MPG $2250
Sonic 5 1.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 27 36 30 MPG $2150
Sonic 5 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 24 34 28 MPG $2300
Sonic 5 1.8L, 4-cyl Manual 5-speed Front-wheel drive 26 34 29 MPG $2250
Sonic 5 1.4L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 28 38 32 MPG $2050
Sonic 5 RS 1.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 25 33 28 MPG $2300
Sonic 5 RS 1.4L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 26 33 29 MPG $2250
Sonic RS 1.4L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 26 33 29 MPG $2250
Sonic RS 1.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 25 33 28 MPG $2300

Specs and fitment

1st generation, 2012–2020
Body styles Sedan, Hatchback
Oil 5W-30 (all temps); 0W-30 below -29°C , 4.2 qt capacity
Tire size 195/65R15, 205/55R16, 205/50R17 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 16V-257 covers certain 2013-2016 Sonic vehicles (and Trax/Spark models named in the campaign) with Bring Your Own Media radios: the radio may fail to sound the key-in-ignition warning chime. Dealers update radio software. Recall 16V-422 covers certain 2015-2016 Sonic vehicles with the same radio type: the radio may fail to chime for an unfastened seat belt; dealers update software. Recall 18V-342 covers certain 2018 Sonic vehicles: a joint in the driver seat-back frame may not be properly welded; dealers replace the seat-back.

Compare

Previous year 2013 Chevrolet Sonic Next year 2015 Chevrolet Sonic See every Chevrolet Sonic model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic reliable?

The 2014 Chevrolet Sonic has 150 complaints with NHTSA after 13 years, or 14 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Sonic years here — over the median of the other years, which is 5. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Radio, Air bags, and Electrical.

What are common problems with a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (49 of 150), then Engine (38) and Air bags (24). Those filings include 11 that report a crash, 4 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

Is the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Sonic has 217 complaints, 22 per year, and the 2015 has 114 complaints, 13 per year. The 2014 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013. The 2014 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2015.

Has the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic been recalled?

The 2014 Chevrolet Sonic 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 2014 Chevrolet Sonic?

Owners have filed 150 complaints about the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic is 29.3 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic?

1st generation (2012-2020) for the US years this site tracks.

What oil does a Chevrolet Sonic take?

US notes list 5W-30 for all temperatures, with 0W-30 as an alternative below -29°C.

What tire sizes does a Chevrolet Sonic use?

Common US sizes include 195/65R15, 205/55R16, and 205/50R17 depending on trim.