2016 Chevrolet Spark
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Brakes
Brakes leads by volume: 20 of 42 complaints (48%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more crash reports (2) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 83 in 2015 to 42 in 2016.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | vs. 2016 Subcompact Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 1,850–1,900 | 1,850–1,900 | 1,850–1,900 | 1,900–1,950 | 1,900–1,950 | |
| Combined MPG | 33–34 | 33–34 | 33–34 | 32–33 | 32–33 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 30–31 / 37–38 | 30–31 / 37–38 | 30–31 / 39–40 | 29–30 / 37–38 | 29–30 / 37–39 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 264–270 | 264–270 | 259–266 | 268–278 | 267–278 | |
| Complaints filed | 176 | 83 | 42 | 29 | 9 | |
| Recalls issued | 8 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 13 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 0 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 9 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2016 Chevrolet Spark have?
3 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2016 Chevrolet Spark?
Brakes: 20 of 42 NHTSA complaints (48%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2016 Chevrolet Spark get?
EPA rates it 33–34 MPG combined across 2 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2016 Chevrolet Spark?
EPA estimates $1,850–$1,900 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (3)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | Front-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Subcompact Cars | 128 MPGe | 109 MPGe | 119 MPGe | $650 | 0 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 4 | 1.4L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Subcompact Cars | 31 mpg (high) | 40 mpg (high) | 34 mpg (high) | $1,850 (low) | 259 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 3 | Manual 5-spd | 4 | 1.4L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Subcompact Cars | 30 mpg (low) | 39 mpg (low) | 33 mpg (low) | $1,900 (high) | 266 g/mi (high) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 20 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (3)
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE; SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER · Campaign 17V437000 · Jul 12, 2017
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Consequence: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · Campaign 17V307000 · May 11, 2017
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Spark vehicles. In the event of a crash, if a young child is seated improperly and not wearing a seat belt while in the front passenger seat, deployment of the front passenger air bag may injure the occupant's neck. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: In the event of a crash with a frontal air bag deployment, an unbelted child in the front passenger seat has an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2017. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17199.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE; SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER · Campaign 16V651000 · Sep 8, 2016
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Consequence: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.