Chevrolet Sonic

777 complaints across 8 scored model years and 16 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Chevrolet Sonic Full report

Grade 2012–2020

2012 vs model median 4.0×

Model median3× median

Drivetrain 79

Engine 52

Electrical 33

Avoid

2012 · 2013

Best

2018 · 2020

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.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Chevrolet Sonic
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2012	4.00×	307	F
2013	2.10×	166	F
2014	1.49×	108	D
2015	1.19×	82	C
2016	0.81×	49	B
2017	0.52×	32	A
2018	0.19×	19	A
2020	0.14×	13	A

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

EPA fuel economy and drivetrain
Combined MPG	29
City / Highway	26 / 34
Engine	1.4L, 4 cyl
Drive	Front-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost	$2,100

Recalls

16 campaigns on record.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
16V257000	EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.	2013–2016	317,572
15V416000	EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.	2015	45,785
12V408000	VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER	2012	44,668
14V300000	AIR BAGS	2012	31,520
14V315000	POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION	2012	21,567
16V422000	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE	2015, 2016	18,780
13V220000	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2013	10,210
12V454000	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2013	4,716

+ 8 further campaigns

Others in Subcompact Cars

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

Other models in the same segment
Model	Years to avoid	Grade
Chevrolet Aveo	none flagged	B
Chevrolet Spark	20132014	B
Fiat 500	20122014	C
Fiat 500L	2014	C
Ford Fiesta	20112013	C
Honda FIT	20132015	C
Hyundai Accent	20122013	C
Hyundai Ioniq	none flagged	B

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 2012 Sonic

Complaints in window: 307
Severity-weighted: 496.5
Model median (weighted): 124
vs model median: 4.00×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 7
Open investigations: 1

Score 6.7 F