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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is associated with 249 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 4 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 42 reports (17% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 9 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1.4l 4-cyl and 1.8l 4-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 26 to 34 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 249 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 4 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine (42 / 17%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 19 crash / 6 fire / 12 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 4 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 26–34 MPG across 9 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Cruze 1.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 30 MPG 40 MPG 34 MPG — $1,800 / yr
Cruze Premier 1.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 30 MPG 40 MPG 34 MPG — $1,800 / yr
Cruze Limited Eco 1.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 28 MPG 40 MPG 33 MPG — $1,850 / yr
Cruze 1.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 28 MPG 39 MPG 32 MPG — $1,900 / yr
Cruze Limited Eco 1.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 6-spd 26 MPG 37 MPG 30 MPG — $2,050 / yr
Cruze Limited 1.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 26 MPG 36 MPG 30 MPG — $2,050 / yr
Cruze Limited 1.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 26 MPG 37 MPG 30 MPG — $2,050 / yr
Cruze Limited 1.8L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 25 MPG 35 MPG 29 MPG — $2,100 / yr
Cruze Limited 1.8L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 22 MPG 34 MPG 26 MPG — $2,350 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
4 DR FWD 10.7%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2016 Chevrolet Cruze models.
View complete 2016 Chevrolet Cruze crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

Summary of 249 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
249
Crash Reports
19
Fire Reports
6
Complaints w/ Injury
12
Total Injuries
14

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 42 complaints
Air Bags 15 complaints (10 crashes)
Electrical System 14 complaints
Powertrain 12 complaints
Service Brakes 9 complaints (2 crashes)

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2016 Chevrolet Cruze problems & component breakdown (80 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #18V304000 Active Recall
Affected Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Defect Summary: 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."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
NHTSA Campaign #17V057000 Active Recall
Affected Component: SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT

Defect Summary: 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."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
NHTSA Campaign #16V502000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

Defect Summary: 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."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
View all 2016 Chevrolet Cruze recalls & campaign history (4 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze

How many safety recalls does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze have?

The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is associated with 4 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

NHTSA records list 249 consumer defect complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine, appearing in 42 filings (17% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze earned an Overall Safety Rating of 4 out of 5 stars across 1 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze range from 26 to 34 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.