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2016 Chevrolet Sonic

Gas
Compact Cars
12 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11
A
Safety Signal
94 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns2
Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA48
Crash ratingNHTSA overall5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA32 mpg
20202019201820172016

The 2016 Chevrolet Sonic is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact car with 12 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sonic, is EPA-rated at 32 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 48 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
SonicGasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo283832$1,950
Sonic 5GasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo283832$1,950
SonicGasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo273630$2,100
Sonic 5GasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo273630$2,100
SonicGasFWD1.8L 4-cyl263429$2,150
Sonic 5GasFWD1.8L 4-cyl263429$2,150
Sonic 5 RSGasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo263329$2,150
Sonic RSGasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo263329$2,150
SonicGasFWD1.8L 4-cyl243428$2,250
Sonic 5GasFWD1.8L 4-cyl243428$2,250
Sonic 5 RSGasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo253328$2,250
Sonic RSGasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo253328$2,250

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 36447, 36482, 36449, 36483, 36452, 36485, 36463, 36448, 36451, 36484.

Factory warranty running out?

The 2016 Chevrolet Sonic is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database
○minor

Equipment

45340
18,780 vehicles
ProblemGeneral 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."RiskWithout audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.FixGM 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.
NHTSA campaign 16V422000reported Jun 10, 2016General Motors LLC
○minor

Equipment

17130
317,572 vehicles
ProblemGeneral 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."RiskWithout audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.FixGM 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.
NHTSA campaign 16V257000reported Apr 28, 2016General Motors LLC

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
48complaints filed

8 involved a crash · 1 a fire · 6 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2016: 2 · 2017: 6 · 2018: 8 · 2019: 9 · 2020: 12 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 2

Most-cited components

Engine13
Electrical System11
Unspecified8
Air Bags8
Fuel/Propulsion System5
Suspension3

What owners describe

“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. …”Feb 18, 2026 · Engine · NHTSA owner report
“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 lights illuminated. The contact stated that the power locks functioned as designed. Additionally, th…”Aug 26, 2025 · Steering · NHTSA owner report
“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 residence. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the Intake Pl…”Jun 20, 2024 · Engine · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆13%
5 HB FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆13%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Other Sonic model years

A

2020 Chevrolet Sonic

0 recalls · 10 complaints

A

2019 Chevrolet Sonic

0 recalls · 8 complaints

A

2018 Chevrolet Sonic

1 recalls · 14 complaints

A

2017 Chevrolet Sonic

0 recalls · 37 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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