Chevrolet Cruze
Every model year 2016–2019: recalls, owner complaints, NHTSA crash ratings and EPA efficiency side by side, each value traced to the file it came from.
Which model year the record favours
Source: recalls and complaints per year on the roadOn the filed record so far, the 2017 is the cleanest Cruze year we hold, and the 2016 the one to check hardest.
Both figures are divided by the number of years the car has been on sale, because otherwise the oldest year on the page loses every time simply for having been around longer. The current model year and any year under three on the road are left out: their records are not finished.
Which Chevrolet Cruze years reported which system early
Source: NHTSA complaints, odometer at reportEarliest on the record: 2018 engine complaints at 0.38× the mileage of same-age vehicles (median 19,000 miles). Latest: 2016 engine at 1.07× (66,445 miles).
Each cell is that model year’s median odometer when owners reported the system, divided by the median for the same system across every make’s complaints on the same model year. under 0.67× reported early; 1.5× or more late; a dash means too few readings. When problems get reported, not how often — complaint counts are in the table above. Across the whole fleet: which systems go first.
What owners filed about the Chevrolet Cruze, by system
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsEvery system, every year →The systems the federal record is deep on for this nameplate: the complaints per model year, the mileage owners reported them at, and every recall, investigation and manufacturer bulletin filed under the heading — each one linked, none a failure rate.
What changed year to year
Source: computed from the filed record- 2019: 10 → 7 EPA configurations
- 2018: 8 → 10 EPA configurations
- 2017: added diesel; best combined mpg 34 → 37; 9 → 8 EPA configurations
Common questions about the Chevrolet Cruze
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich Chevrolet Cruze year is the best used buy?
On the recall record, the 2017 Cruze comes out top of the years before the current one: Safety Signal grade B (85/100), 2 recalls and 201 owner complaints on file. That ranks paperwork, not condition — a specific car's history and service record still decide it.
What Chevrolet Cruze years should I avoid?
No Cruze model year carries a D or F Safety Signal or a standing advisory. The ranking page orders every year on recalls and complaints per year on the road, and says why.
How many recalls does the Chevrolet Cruze have?
Across model years 2016–2019, NHTSA has posted 11 recall campaigns for the Chevrolet Cruze. They are counted per model year in the table above, because a campaign almost never covers the whole run — it covers a build range.