Chevrolet Sonic
Owners filed 954 complaints across 10 model years of the Chevrolet Sonic. The 2012 drew the most (354).
Model years10
Complaints954
Recalls23
Fires18
Deaths2
Which Chevrolet Sonic years should you avoid?
Going by 954 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the Chevrolet Sonic years to avoid are 2012.
- 2012354 complaints, 2.7× a typical Sonic year, most often about the transmission.
How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →
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 | 15 | 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 | |
| 2012Avoid | 354 | 7 | 5 | 27 | Power Train | Fatalities reported | |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Unknown or Other | Routine |
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.