Chevrolet Cruze: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Chevrolet Cruze: 9 model years scored from 3,958 NHTSA owner complaints and 44 recall campaigns. Worst year 2012, best year 2017.
Chevrolet Cruze: which years to avoid
Across 9 scored model years the Chevrolet Cruze ranges from 54/100 in 2012 to 92/100 in 2019 — a 38-point spread, so which year you buy matters more than whether you buy a Cruze at all. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Engine (268 of them).
Safest years: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 — scored 70 or better.
Check carefully: 2011, 2012, 2014.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Editor's note
The first-generation Cruze (2011–2015) carries the 1.4-litre turbo's coolant-leak, water-pump and turbocharger complaints, plus the six-speed automatic's shudder; the 2012 and 2014 years are the worst. The second generation from 2016 is a better car in the data, with the 2017–2019 years scoring 86 to 93. The diesel Cruze has a small separate record. Chevrolet ended the Cruze in 2019.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Malibu, Cruze and Equinox: the four-cylinder years to watch — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2017 (score 87). Worst: 2012 (score 54, CAUTION).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 92 | BUY | $3,529 | 22 | 2 |
| 2018 | 85 | BUY | $3,718 | 109 | 3 |
| 2017 | 87 | BUY | $3,974 | 201 | 2 |
| 2016 | 72 | BUY | $4,621 | 490 | 4 |
| 2015 | 79 | BUY | $4,463 | 251 | 4 |
| 2014 | 54 | CAUTION | $5,982 | 702 | 10 |
| 2013 | 72 | BUY | $5,216 | 586 | 5 |
| 2012 | 54 | CAUTION | $5,624 | 865 | 7 |
| 2011 | 63 | CAUTION | $5,816 | 732 | 7 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the Cruze, through the years →
Cruze sub-models & family
Variants & trims on record
Body, powertrain and trim variants of the Cruze on the federal record. Variants folded into this nameplate are counted in this page's data; the rest have too thin a record for a page of their own yet.
What goes wrong on the Chevrolet Cruze
Across every Cruze model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Engine1,356 complaints across all Cruze years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System816 complaints across all Cruze years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Power Train707 complaints across all Cruze years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other424 complaints across all Cruze years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Steering303 complaints across all Cruze years · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement$1,020–$2,500
- Electronic Stability Control (Esc)275 complaints across all Cruze years · typical job: Yaw sensor or ESC module replacement$660–$1,560
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Chevrolet Cruze years to buy?
2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2019 at 92/100, on 22 complaints and 2 recall campaigns.
Which Chevrolet Cruze years should I avoid?
The 2012 is the weakest year we score, at 54/100 (CAUTION), on 865 complaints and 7 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Chevrolet Cruze problem?
1,356 of the complaints filed against the Cruze across all its model years sit in the Engine group — more than any other component.
Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04