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Research · Compact Cars

2016 Chevrolet SonicRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 48 owner complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. Most complaints involve engine (13) and electrical system (11). The EPA rates it 28–32 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

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Combined MPG
28–32mpg
EPA · 12 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
2campaigns
Latest Jun 2016
Owner complaints
48
Top: engine
Fuel cost / yr
$2,000est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

2 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Electrical system: software

Free remedy

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."

Electrical systemReported Jun 10, 2016NHTSA 16V422000

Equipment: radio

Free remedy

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."

EquipmentReported Apr 28, 2016NHTSA 16V257000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 28, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

48 complaints filed with NHTSA · May 2016 – Feb 2026
  1. Engine13
  2. Electrical system11
  3. Air bags8
  4. Fuel/propulsion system5
  5. Electronic stability control (esc)3
  6. Power train3
  7. Suspension3
  8. Steering2
  9. Vehicle speed control2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Sonic model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2012354
2013217
2014150
2015114
201648
201737
201815
20198
202010
Crashes reported
8
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
6
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Engine

13 reports
“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 car only had 104,000 miles on it. It should last a lot longer than that, but this is a common issue. For some reason there was a recall but they stopped fixing cars with 1.4 engines that came out after 2014. There cars don't have temperature gauges and when they overheat they don't tell you until a light comes on the dash and by then it's too late and your engine is blown. This should be illegal. Chevrolet needs to fix this.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 18, 2026EngineODI 11718737

Electrical system

11 reports
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2023Electrical systemODI 11541260

Air bags

8 reports5 crashes
“Hello, I need you guys help. I got into a car wrecked which wasn’t my fault. The airbags they deployed and my child car seat was damage. I got a police report stating that the car accident wasn’t my fault and it’s the fault of a 16 year old. He merge straight into my Car and I have all these expeensives that I cannot pay for.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 30, 2021Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11438724
All 2016 Sonic problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

12 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Compact Cars, Small Station Wagons, Midsize Cars
Engines
1.4L 4-cyl turbo · 1.8L 4-cyl
Transmissions
Manual 6-spd · Automatic (S6) · Manual 5-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 28, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Sonic
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
283832$2,000276
Sonic 5
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
283832$2,000276
Sonic
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
273630$2,150295
Sonic 5
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
273630$2,150295
Sonic
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive
263429$2,200305
Sonic 5
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive
263429$2,200305
Sonic 5 RS
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
263329$2,200302
Sonic RS
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
263329$2,200302
Sonic
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive
243428$2,300318
Sonic 5
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive
243428$2,300318
Sonic 5 RS
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
253328$2,300321
Sonic RS
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
253328$2,300321
  • Sonic
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo
    28 city · 38 hwy · $2,000/yr
    32
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic 5
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo
    28 city · 38 hwy · $2,000/yr
    32
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo
    27 city · 36 hwy · $2,150/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic 5
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo
    27 city · 36 hwy · $2,150/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    26 city · 34 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic 5
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    26 city · 34 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic 5 RS
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo
    26 city · 33 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic RS
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo
    26 city · 33 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    24 city · 34 hwy · $2,300/yr
    28
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic 5
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    24 city · 34 hwy · $2,300/yr
    28
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic 5 RS
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo
    25 city · 33 hwy · $2,300/yr
    28
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic RS
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo
    25 city · 33 hwy · $2,300/yr
    28
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 28, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Chevrolet Sonic 4 DR FWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
12.6%
Overall
5 / 5
Chevrolet Sonic 5 DR FWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
12.6%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 28, 2026Vehicle 10048Vehicle 10047
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2016 Sonic questions

How many recalls does the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic have?

2 safety recalls as of Oct 28, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2016 Chevrolet Sonic problems?

Owners filed 48 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine (13), electrical system (11), air bags (8). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic get?

The EPA rates the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic at 28–32 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (12 versions rated).

How safe is the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 28, 2026