Chevrolet Spark Reliability by Year
Based on 2M+ real complaints filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
744 NHTSA complaints (2013–2022).Complaint rate: 47.9 per 1,000 vehicles.
Compare Chevrolet Spark vs:
Should I buy a Chevrolet Spark?
Quick answer from 744 NHTSA complaints · 2013–2022
Chevrolet Spark reliability depends heavily on the model year. Several years show complaint spikes well above the model's own average, while others are meaningfully cleaner. The most commonly reported issue across all years is transmission / drivetrain. Pick the right year and this Spark can be a reasonable used buy; pick the wrong one and you're inheriting known problems.
- 2022 Chevrolet Spark· 5 complaints
- 2018 Chevrolet Spark· 11 complaints
- 2021 Chevrolet Spark· 12 complaints
- 2014 Chevrolet Spark· 268 complaints
- 2013 Chevrolet Spark· 224 complaints
Keep scrolling for year-by-year complaint trends, recall campaigns, and component breakdowns — or click any year above for a full report.
Why these years are worse
The most common issues driving the complaint spikes:
- transmission / drivetrain — 119 complaints (2.5% involved a crash)
- engine problems — 110 complaints (2.7% involved a crash)
- electrical faults — 96 complaints (0.0% involved a crash)
- airbags — 55 complaints (54.5% involved a crash)
- unintended acceleration — 48 complaints (8.3% involved a crash)
What Happened to 15,540 Chevrolet Sparks On the Road
Complaints record what owners reported. These are the outcomes actually recorded against 15,540 Chevrolet Spark VINs built 2013–2022 — accidents, title brands and odometer flags from our vehicle-history database, not from the NHTSA complaint file.
Do the complaint spikes show up in real accident history?
The Chevrolet Spark averages 31.1% accident history across all model years. Here is how the years flagged above compare on real records:
- 2014 — 37.1% of 1,135 VINs on record show accident history, above the 31.1% model average. The complaint spike is backed by real damage records.
- 2013 — 40.2% of 592 VINs on record show accident history, above the 31.1% model average. The complaint spike is backed by real damage records.
Typical Chevrolet Spark on record: 1.7 owners on average, 55,472 average miles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Rankings based on raw NHTSA complaint counts. Sales volume data not yet available for this model.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2013–2015 Chevrolet Spark. The 2021–2022 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: Transmission / Drivetrain.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $8.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Chevrolet Spark Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA. Bar length = volume; color = crash-involvement rate.
Show full table
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 119 | 2.5% |
| Engine Problems | 110 | 2.7% |
| Electrical Faults | 96 | 0.0% |
| Airbags | 55 | 54.5% |
| Unintended Acceleration | 48 | 8.3% |
| Brakes | 43 | 16.3% |
| Fuel System | 41 | 0.0% |
| Body Structure | 23 | 21.7% |
| Latches / Locks | 17 | 0.0% |
| Steering Defects | 17 | 35.3% |
When Each Problem Spiked
Year × component heatmap. Darker cells = more complaints that year. Reveals which model years a specific defect concentrated in — useful for spotting redesign-cycle quality dips.
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Tap any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
Data Sources & Methodology
Complaints: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation consumer complaint database (744 records for this model). Public domain data, updated monthly.
Sales data: Not yet available for this model. Complaint counts are shown as raw numbers.
On-road outcomes: Accident, title-brand, theft and odometer records for 15,540 Chevrolet Spark VINs in our vehicle-history database. Independent of the NHTSA complaint file — a complaint is what an owner reported, these are what was recorded against the vehicle. Year-level figures are shown only for model years with at least 200 VINs on record.
Rate calculation: Complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold = (complaint count / US annual sales) x 10,000. This normalizes for sales volume so high-volume models like Civic or Camry aren't unfairly penalized.
Year classifications: AVOID = 1.5x+ the model's median complaint count. GOOD = 0.6x or below. Years less than 3 years old are marked TOO NEW (insufficient data).
Buying a Chevrolet Spark?
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