Model year 2016 · Compact Cars, Small Station Wagons, Midsize Cars

2016 Chevrolet Sonic: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic at 28–32 mpg combined across 12 versions. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 48 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

28–32

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Chevrolet dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2016 Chevrolet Sonic recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic, newest first.

Electrical system: Software and 1 more component

NHTSA 16V422000 Reported Jun 10, 2016

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. 45340)
Components: Electrical system: Software; Equipment: Electrical: Radio/tape deck/cd etc.
Units affected: 18,780 (estimate)
Problem: General 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."
Risk: Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: GM 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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Electrical system: Software and 1 more component

NHTSA 16V257000 Reported Apr 28, 2016

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. 17130)
Components: Electrical system: Software; Equipment: Electrical: Radio/tape deck/cd etc.
Units affected: 317,572 (estimate)
Problem: General 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."
Risk: Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.
Remedy: GM 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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2016 Chevrolet Sonic fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2016 Chevrolet Sonic EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Sonic	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Manual 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	28/38/32 mpg	$2,100	276
Sonic	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	27/36/30 mpg	$2,250	295
Sonic	1.8L 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	24/34/28 mpg	$2,400	318
Sonic	1.8L 4-cyl	Manual 5-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	26/34/29 mpg	$2,300	305
Sonic 5	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Manual 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	28/38/32 mpg	$2,100	276
Sonic 5	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	27/36/30 mpg	$2,250	295
Sonic 5	1.8L 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	24/34/28 mpg	$2,400	318
Sonic 5	1.8L 4-cyl	Manual 5-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	26/34/29 mpg	$2,300	305
Sonic 5 RS	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Manual 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	26/33/29 mpg	$2,300	302
Sonic 5 RS	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	25/33/28 mpg	$2,400	321
Sonic RS	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Manual 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	26/33/29 mpg	$2,300	302
Sonic RS	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	25/33/28 mpg	$2,400	321

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2016 Chevrolet Sonic crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2016 Chevrolet Sonic NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2016 Chevrolet Sonic 4 DR FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	12.6%	Optional
2016 Chevrolet Sonic 5 DR FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	12.6%	Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2016 Chevrolet Sonic owner complaints

Owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic, most recently on Feb 18, 2026. 8 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 6 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2016 Chevrolet Sonic complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Engine	13
Electrical system	9
Air bags	8
Unknown or other	8
Fuel/propulsion system	5
Electronic stability control (ESC)	3
Power train	3
Suspension	3
Engine and engine cooling	2
Seats	2

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Chevrolet Sonic model years

Chevrolet Sonic by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2020 Sonic	29 mpg	0	10	5/5
2019 Sonic	29–31 mpg	0	8	5/5
2018 Sonic	28–32 mpg	1	15	5/5
2017 Sonic	28–32 mpg	0	37	5/5
2015 Sonic	28–32 mpg	3	114	5/5

All Chevrolet Sonic years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2016 Chevrolet models

2016 Chevrolet Camaro 2016 Chevrolet City Express Cargo Van 2016 Chevrolet Colorado 2016 Chevrolet Corvette 2016 Chevrolet Cruze 2016 Chevrolet Equinox 2016 Chevrolet Express Passenger 2016 Chevrolet Impala 2016 Chevrolet Malibu 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2016 Chevrolet Spark 2016 Chevrolet SS 2016 Chevrolet Suburban 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe 2016 Chevrolet Traverse 2016 Chevrolet Trax

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Chevrolet.