Home · 2016 · Chevrolet
2016 Chevrolet Spark
Solid pick. The complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
42 owner complaints · 1 recalls · data verified July 15, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Brakes problems dominate (48% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
2 open NHTSA defect investigations on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2016 Chevrolet Spark, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Brakes (20) · Electrical system (5) · Airbags (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Brakes
48%20 complaints
“Both Brake Assist and stabilitrack go out in conjunction with failure lights (no fore-warning). The vehicle was repaired by a Chevrolet dealership with qualified EV te…”
Electrical system
12%5 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“RANDOMLY WHEN I GET INTO MY CAR AND CRANK THE LIGHTS ON MY DASH,SCREEN WILL APPEAR- OTHER TIMES THEY WILL NOT. RANDOMLY WHEN DRIVING SHE WILL JUST BE DRIVING NORMAL AN…”
Airbags
12%5 complaints
“I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND HIT A POT HOLE WHICH RESULTED IN THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG CURTAINS DEPLOYING. THERE IS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO TIRE OR…”
Transmission & drivetrain
10%4 complaints
“RANDOMLY WHEN I GET INTO MY CAR AND CRANK THE LIGHTS ON MY DASH,SCREEN WILL APPEAR- OTHER TIMES THEY WILL NOT. RANDOMLY WHEN DRIVING SHE WILL JUST BE DRIVING NORMAL AN…”
Recalls (1)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Air Bags · 17V307000
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."
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2016 Chevrolet SPARK beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2016? See how every Spark model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 Chevrolet Spark against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.