Chevrolet Sonic
Owners filed 953 complaints across 10 model years of the Chevrolet Sonic. The 2012 drew the most (354); the 2011 the fewest (1).
Model years10
Complaints953
Recalls23
Fires18
Deaths2
Every Chevrolet Sonic model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 10 | 0 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2019 | 8 | 0 | — | — | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2018 | 14 | 1 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2017 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 6 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2016 | 48 | 2 | 1 | 8 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2015 | 114 | 3 | 3 | 15 | Electrical System | Fatalities reported | |
| 2014 | 150 | 4 | 4 | 11 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2013 | 217 | 6 | 4 | 24 | Engine | Above average | |
| 2012 | 354 | 7 | 5 | 27 | Power Train | Fatalities reported | |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Unknown or Other | Routine |
Which Chevrolet Sonic years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2012 is the weakest year on record, with 354 complaints concentrated in the power train. It carries 7 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.