Dodge Dart vs Chevrolet Sonic: which is more reliable?
The Chevrolet Sonic is ahead of the Dodge Dart on the federal record, 77/100 against 71/100 — a real but narrow gap that a bad model year on either side closes.
The record, side by side
Dodge Dart
- 4 model years scored
- 2,315 owner complaints on record
- about 48 complaints per year on the road
- 16 recall campaigns, 3 safety-critical
- best year 2016 (84/100) · worst 2013 (47/100)
Chevrolet Sonic
- 8 model years scored
- 941 owner complaints on record
- about 7 complaints per year on the road
- 23 recall campaigns, 20 safety-critical
- best year 2019 (95/100) · worst 2012 (32/100)
Mean score is the average across model years from 2013 on, where both records are comparable. How the score works.
Year by year: Dart against Sonic
The comparison that decides the purchase. A nameplate is not one car — a redesign can move the record sixty points inside two years, and the two nameplates rarely move together.
What owners actually complain about
Dodge Dart
- Power Train — 907 complaints
- Engine — 483 complaints
- Service Brakes — 446 complaints
Chevrolet Sonic
- Engine — 237 complaints
- Power Train — 224 complaints
- Electrical System — 219 complaints
They do not fail the same way: the Dart's complaints concentrate in Power Train, the Sonic's in Engine. That difference matters more to a buyer than the score gap, because it says which repair bill you are taking on.
Years to avoid on each
Dodge Dart — avoid: 2013.
Chevrolet Sonic — avoid: 2012, 2013.
A year scores below 45 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. Every car’s years to avoid.
What each costs today
A recent used Dodge Dart prices at about $10,800 and a Chevrolet Sonic at about $14,300 — the Dodge Dart is roughly $3,500 less, and they return 30.0 against 29.0 MPG combined.
Class-level estimates re-priced to your country, not a valuation of one car. Method.
FAQ
Is the Dodge Dart or the Chevrolet Sonic more reliable?
On the NHTSA record the Chevrolet Sonic scores 77/100 against the Dodge Dart's 71/100, averaged across every model year we hold. The gap is small enough that the model year matters more than the badge.
Which Dodge Dart and Chevrolet Sonic years should I avoid?
Dodge Dart: 2013. Chevrolet Sonic: 2012, 2013. Each of those scores under 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns.
What goes wrong on the Dodge Dart and the Chevrolet Sonic?
The largest complaint group on the Dodge Dart is Power Train (907 complaints); on the Chevrolet Sonic it is Engine (237).
Is the Dodge Dart or the Chevrolet Sonic cheaper to own?
A recent used Dodge Dart prices at about $10,800 and a Chevrolet Sonic at about $14,300, before insurance and the maintenance band. Both pages carry the five-year running-cost figure.