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Chevrolet · Compact Sedan

2016 Chevrolet Cruze

Gas

Midsize Cars
9 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

78 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 4

Complaints19 crash · 6 fire · 14 injured reported 250

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 34 mpg

2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact sedan with 9 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Cruze, is EPA-rated at 34 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 250 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Chevrolet Cruze — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Chevrolet Cruze · Photo: Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Cruze	Gas	FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	30	40	34	$1,950
Cruze Premier	Gas	FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	30	40	34	$1,950
Cruze Limited Eco	Gas	FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	28	40	33	$2,050
Cruze	Gas	FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	28	39	32	$2,100
Cruze Limited	Gas	FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	26	36	30	$2,250
Cruze Limited	Gas	FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	26	37	30	$2,250
Cruze Limited Eco	Gas	FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	26	37	30	$2,250
Cruze Limited	Gas	FWD	1.8L 4-cyl	25	35	29	$2,300
Cruze Limited	Gas	FWD	1.8L 4-cyl	22	34	26	$2,600

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 37276, 37278, 36462, 37277, 36465, 36467, 36464, 36364, 36468.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Cruze, Cruze Limited, Cruze Limited Eco, Cruze Premier	6 / 10	Bin 4	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay
Cruze Limited	6–8 / 10	Bin 4 / Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 85 / LEV-III SULEV30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay
Cruze Limited	6–8 / 10	Bin 4 / Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 85 / LEV-III SULEV30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	1.4 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Manual/Standard

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: 1LT, LS, LT, LTZ). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	181.1–183.9 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	70.9 in
Height	57.5–58.3 in
Wheelbase	105.5–106.3 in
Track, front	60.6–61.4 in
Track, rear	61.0–61.4 in
Curb weight	2,756–3,084 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	61/39

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door Sedan New Generation, Limited 4-door Sedan Ls/Lt/Ltz/Eco. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

18159

111,966 vehicles 83% reported repaired built Nov 9, 2015 – May 1, 2018

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Cruze LS vehicles, equipped with a gasoline engine and a tire inflator kit instead of a spare tire. The vehicles may leak gasoline following a rear-impact crash and a rollover. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity." Risk A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a lock-ring on the fuel tank that will shield the fuel tank vapor pressure sensor from damage in a rear-impact crash, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18159.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 18V304000 reported May 10, 2018 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Seats

17035

17,197 vehicles 92% reported repaired built Jun 28, 2016 – Jul 21, 2016

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. A bracket used in the driver or front passenger seat-back recliner mechanism may have been incorrectly welded to the seat-back frame, as a result, in the event of a crash, the head-restraints may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 202a, "Head Restraints." Risk In a crash, the seat-backs for the front seats may break, increasing the risk of injury to the occupants. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seats, replacing any with seat-back frames that are incorrectly welded, free of charge. The recall began on February 28, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17035.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 17V057000 reported Jan 26, 2017 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Power Train

50490, 50491

8,367 vehicles 98% reported repaired built Jan 11, 2011 – Aug 14, 2015

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention." Risk If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V502000 reported Jul 5, 2016 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

○minor

Exterior Lighting

50190

32,913 vehicles 100% reported repaired built Nov 5, 2015 – May 26, 2016

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Cruze vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to May 26, 2016. The headlight assemblies are not marked with a three-digit identifier code used to properly aim the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Assoc. Equipment." Risk Without the identification code, the headlights may be improperly aimed during service, reducing nighttime visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Fix GM will mail owners instructions and adhesive labels, with the correct code, to install on their headlight assemblies. Owners may also bring the vehicle to a GM dealership for any assistance with applying the label, free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet Customer Service Department at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 50190.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V498000 reported Jul 1, 2016 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Cruze

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Chevrolet publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Chevrolet’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

250complaints filed

19 involved a crash · 6 a fire · 14 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2016: 21 · 2017: 17 · 2018: 32 · 2019: 42 · 2020: 44 · 2021: 24 · 2022: 27 · 2023: 20 · 2024: 11 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 8

Most-cited components

Engine → 108

Electrical System → 59

Unspecified 43

Fuel/Propulsion System 38

Power Train 31

Air Bags 21

In depth: engine problems → · electrical problems →

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

My son was involved in a car accident involving a 2016 chevy Cruze. Airbags were deployed as they hit another car sitting at a red light. The vehicle my son was in was turning left causing most of the impact to the front passenger side of the car. He was in the passenger seat and was the only one injured.

Air Bags May 1, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10981547

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17v057000 (seats); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Seats Apr 7, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10971082

Took my car in to have recall work done (high mount stop lamp fasteners leak ) chmsl. And I have had a water leak ever since. My car has been to the dealership 3 times in the past month.

Structure Mar 2, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10957974

I was parked in an outdoor parking lot. When I got to my vehicle I could not enter my it even though I had the key fob in my hand (keyless entry). I used the Chevrolet mylink app to gain access to the vehicle. Then I could not start my car using the start button.

Electrical System at 5,000 miles Feb 1, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10948927

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. While driving at any speed and attempting to make a turn, the steering column locked. The dealer repaired the steering gear. The failure recurred and all the instrument panel indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a different dealer who was unable to diagnose the failure.

Steering at 12,000 miles Dec 8, 2016 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10933978

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. While driving the vehicle, the "start, stop" feature was activated when the contact approached a red light. When the accelerator pedal was applied while making a right turn, the vehicle lost power and was almost struck by another vehicle from the rear. The failure recurred multiple times.

Engine at 1,400 miles Dec 2, 2016 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10929617

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.

Reported by Chevrolet itself: 146 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 4 killed, 205 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every Cruze model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 59k

miles, typically

Half the 144 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 25,000 and 72,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 23

10k–20k 8

20k–30k 10

30k–40k 10

40k–50k 9

50k–60k 14

60k–70k 24

70k–80k 14

80k–90k 13

90k–100k 6

100k–150k 12

150k + 1

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Engine	61	66,445	1.07×
Electrical System	39	45,000	1.0×
Unspecified	24	53,825	—
Fuel/Propulsion System	18	60,000	1.28×
Power Train	16	53,825	1.04×
Steering	15	57,000	1.19×
Air Bags	13	71,000	1.68×
Electronic Stability Control	13	60,000	1.5×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2016-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported later: air bags (1.68×), electronic stability control (1.5×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	11%
4 DR FWD	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	11%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 1,325

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 1323 service bulletins, 1 service campaign, 1 other

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Power Train, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility.

PIT5698F Service bulletin
2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
PIP4902W Service bulletin
2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5099J Service bulletin
2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT3271Q Service bulletin
2026-04-01 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIP6104 Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP4902V Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902U Service bulletin
2026-01-08 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5214G Service bulletin
2025-11-20 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does no

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0299 P0299 on Chevrolet →	The turbocharger or supercharger is not making the boost the computer asked for.	Engine	25 bulletins · 1 owner report
P0234 P0234 on Chevrolet →	The turbocharger or supercharger is making more boost than the computer asked for.	Engine	25 bulletins
P0300 P0300 on Chevrolet →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	22 bulletins
P050D P050D on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	13 bulletins
B3055 B3055 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
B3060 B3060 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
B3935 B3935 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
P1101 P1101 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	8 bulletins · 1 owner report
P00C7 P00C7 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	7 bulletins
P0236 P0236 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	7 bulletins
P0308 P0308 on Chevrolet →	Cylinder 8 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	7 bulletins
P2227 P2227 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	7 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 9.1%

failed emissions

4,562 initial inspections of 4,427 vehicles.

Measure	The 2016 Cruze	Every 2016 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	9.1%	4.2%	4,549
Failed the safety inspection	2.3%	2.2%	4,562
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.15%	0.27%	4,562
Miles driven a year	9,442	10,028	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	97,045	103,109	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Cruze by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2019 B 2 23 37 mpg 2018 C 3 109 37 mpg 2017 B 2 201 37 mpg 2016 this page C 4 250 34 mpg

Common questions about the 2016 Cruze

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. The most serious on file is 18V304000, covering Fuel System, Gasoline. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

NHTSA gave the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (78/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

Across the 9 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, the best EPA combined figure is 34 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

Transport Canada measured it at 181.1–183.9 in long, 70.9 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.5–58.3 in tall, on a 105.5–106.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 2,756–3,084 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

Owners have filed 250 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, most often about engine, electrical system, unspecified. Of those, 19 involved a crash, 6 a fire, 14 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze runs 6 to 8 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Bin 4, Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 85, LEV-III SULEV30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

The manufacturer has filed 1325 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze failed the emissions check on 9.1% of first inspections — higher than the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.3% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	9 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	9 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	4	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	250	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	1325	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	8 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

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). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

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

JSON for this page · API

2016 Chevrolet Cruze

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Fuel Economy

Transmission

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (4)

Fuel System, Gasoline

Seats

Power Train

Exterior Lighting

Whether any of this applies to one specific Cruze

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

When owners reported it

miles, typically

Median mileage by component

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

At the New York inspection station

failed emissions

Cruze by model year

Common questions about the 2016 Cruze

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze have any recalls?

How safe is the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

How clean is the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

How does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze do at state inspection?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method