Reliable Auto DB

2016 Chevrolet Sonic reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic holds 48 complaints after 11 years, a rate of 5 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Sonic years here — under the median of the other years, which is 9. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Electrical system, software and Radio.

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

48

Per year

5

Recalls

2

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (13 of 48), then Electrical system (11) and Air bags (8). Those filings include 8 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Sonic has 114 complaints, 13 per year, and the 2017 has 37 complaints, 4 per year. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than 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 Sonic. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall electrical system, software 2016-06-10 · NHTSA campaign 16V422000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax, and 2013-2015 Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver fails to fasten their seatbelt or if the driver leaves the key in the ignition. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208 "Occupant Crash Protection" and 114 "Theft Protection."
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 45340.
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.

Complaints by component (48 total)

Engine
13
Electrical system
11
Air bags
8
Fuel and propulsion system
5
Electronic stability control (ESC)
3
Powertrain
3
Suspension
3
Engine and engine cooling
2
Seats
2
Service brakes
2
Speed control
2
Steering
2
Structure
2
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Seat belts
1
Wheels
1
Show 8 more Show less
Crash-flagged

8

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

5

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

22016620178201892019122020420211202222023120241202522026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "This car overheated and a head gasket blew. I am on a Facebook forum, and it seems like all of these cars have these problems. The Chevy Sonic ltz turbo 1.4 2016 is known for coolant issues and head gasket failures. My…"
    Engine · filed 2026-02-18
  • "Radio malfunctions. Channels automatically change and touch screen doesn't work all the time. I believe 2015 Sonic has a recall for this issue , but not 2016. It appears to be the same issue."
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-01-26
  • "The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that the driver's side door was stuck, and extra force was needed to open the door. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. There were no warning…"
    Steering, Latches, locks, and linkages · filed 2025-08-26
  • "The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The ESC and oil pressure warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the…"
    Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine · filed 2024-06-20
  • "My car lock and unlocks when I did not hit any buttons. The remote start does not work sometimes. The battery loses connection from time to time with a brand new battery. I own 2 of these cars and the same exact thing…"
    Electrical system · filed 2023-08-28

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2016 Chevrolet Sonic 4 DR FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2016 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 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 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 24 34 28 MPG $2300
Sonic 1.4L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 28 38 32 MPG $2050
Sonic 5 1.4L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 28 38 32 MPG $2050
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 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 Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 25 33 28 MPG $2300
Sonic RS 1.4L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 26 33 29 MPG $2250

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 2015 Chevrolet Sonic Next year 2017 Chevrolet Sonic See every Chevrolet Sonic model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic holds 48 complaints after 11 years, a rate of 5 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Sonic years here — under the median of the other years, which is 9. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Electrical system, software and Radio.

What are common problems with a 2016 Chevrolet Sonic?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (13 of 48), then Electrical system (11) and Air bags (8). Those filings include 8 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

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

The 2015 Sonic has 114 complaints, 13 per year, and the 2017 has 37 complaints, 4 per year. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.

Has the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic been recalled?

The 2016 Chevrolet Sonic has 2 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 Sonic?

Owners have filed 48 complaints about the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Chevrolet Sonic get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 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.