Chevrolet Cruze reliability by year
22 recalls and 3,700 owner complaints across 10 model years. Best year to buy: 2018. Year to avoid: 2014.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 5 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 . Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 10 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Cruze aggregated across 10 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Chevrolet Cruze?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze scores 7.6/10 — the strongest in the 2010–2019 range. 108 complaints on file, 1 active recall. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Chevrolet Cruze year should I avoid?
The 2014 Chevrolet Cruze scores 5.2/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 697 owner complaints with NHTSA, 8 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2014 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Chevrolet Cruze should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2017 (avoid — the powertrain — powertrain: 39 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 24,788–80,000 mi); 2014 (avoid — the electrical system — 6 fire-related complaints and 4 crash-related complaints on the electrical system); 2012 (avoid — the engine — 7 fire-related complaints and 2 crash-related complaints on the engine); 2011 (avoid — the cruise-control — 13 fire-related complaints on the engine); 2013 (high-risk ownership — engine: 118 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 46,000–110,357 mi). The cleaner years on the data are 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Chevrolet Cruze are tracked?
10 model years (2010 through 2019) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 22 recalls and 3,700 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Chevrolet Cruze?
engine is the most-reported category — 732 complaints across 8 model years. Average shop repair runs about $3,100.