MODELYEARINDEX

Chevrolet Bolt EV

968 complaints across 5 scored model years and 13 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Chevrolet Bolt EV Full report
D
Grade 2017–2021
2017 vs model median 1.4×
Model median3× median
Electrical 75
Fuel System 56
Drivetrain 17
Avoid

2017

Best

2018 · 2021

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2017
1.40× 245 D
2018
0.38× 71 B
2019
1.11× 201 C
2020
1.00× 178 C
2021
0.54× 90 B
2022 P
0.50× 91 B
2023 P
0.67× 92 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

Combined MPG120
City / Highway131 / 109
Engine—
DriveFront-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost$650

Recalls

13 campaigns on record, 5 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
18V576000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER 2018, 2019 210,628
22V930000 STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS 2017–2023 111,242
21V560000 Park it ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY 2017–2019 57,414
21V650000 Park it ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY 2020–2022 52,414
20V701000 Park it ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY 2017–2019 50,932
23V845000 STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS 2017–2023 6,771
20V184000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH 2019, 2020 897
20V811000 SEAT BELTS 2020 470

+ 5 further campaigns

Others in Compact Cars

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Model Years to avoid Grade
Acura ILX
20142016
C
Audi A3
20152017
C
BMW 1 Series
none flagged
C
BMW I3
none flagged
C
Buick Verano
none flagged
C
Chevrolet Cobalt
none flagged
C
Chevrolet Cruze
20112012
C
Chevrolet HHR
none flagged
C

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2017 Bolt EV
Complaints in window
245
Severity-weighted
337
Model median (weighted)
241
vs model median
1.40×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
8
Open investigations
0
Score 50.1 D