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2015 Chevrolet Sonic

Verified July 23, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
3
on record
MPG
30
combined

Fatalities reported

Owner complaints to NHTSA include 1 report involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.

Vehicle Summary

2015 Chevrolet Sonic

3 recalls
114 complaints
30 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

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Review consumer complaints
Verify no crash-related complaints
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Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
3
Owner complaints
114
Complaints citing a crash
15

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalised by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

3 Recalls on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

3 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 16V422000high

    Electrical issue

    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

    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."

  • 15V416000high

    Electrical issue

    EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured April 30, 2014, to May 20, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured June 18, 2014, to June 10, 2015. In the affected vehicles, equipped with the base radio and OnStar, the radio may lock up due to a software issue, causing the display to go blank and all audio functions to cease. Because of this, there may be no warning chimes such as the reminder to buckle the seat belt and the key being left in ignition when the driver goes to exit the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208 "Occupant Crash Protection", and 114 "Theft Protection."

  • 16V257000low

    Electrical issue

    EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

    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."

Consumer complaints

114 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

114
Total
15
Crashes
3
Fires
19
Injuries

Most reported components

  • ENGINE35
  • AIR BAGS27
  • ELECTRICAL20
  • OTHER12
  • FUEL SYSTEM5

Serious Concerns

114 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a death. 19 reports involve injuries. 15 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)35
airbag concerns (warning light, deployment issues)27
electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)20

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Compact Cars
Drive type
Front-Wheel Drive
Engine
1.4L 4-cyl
Fuel type
Unknown
Transmission
Automatic (S6)
Seats
0

Fuel economy

27

City

36

Hwy

30

Comb

Annual cost
$2,000
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Adjacent model years

All Chevrolet Sonic years

Common problems

Chevrolet Sonic problems

231 owner complaints analysed

Systems recalled

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 16V422000

    Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

  2. Recall

    Recall 16V257000

    Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.

  3. Recall

    Recall 15V416000

    Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft. If a driver or front passenger does not buckle their seat belt, there would be no chime to remind them to fasten their seat belts. If a driver or passenger does not buckle their seat belt there is an increased risk that they will be injured in a crash.