Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 109 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze, and it carries 3 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 16 | 15% |
| Unknown or other | 13 | 12% |
| Engine | 10 | 9% |
| Service brakes | 6 | 6% |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 4% |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 4% |
| Power train | 3 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 3% |
| Air bags | 3 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
My 2018 Chevy Cruz has developed a sticky or tacky surface discovered when I was cleaning my interior. I used warm water and soap to clean all plastics. Tried to dry off my dash with paper towels and discovered the issue
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
Coming to a stop sign or red light the car won’t accelerate or will go in traction control making it difficult to move or not accelerate. Had 2-3 fuel leaks this year also having problems to keep the car going sometimes
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the windshield wiper compartment inadvertently opened. There was a failure with the seat belts. The contact stated t
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
Unknown. The car seems to stall or slip when accelerating as is misfiring. It cuts off in the middle of the streets after coming out of auto stop mode. Pcv valve keeps popping up as issue. I had the pcv changed o2 sensor
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
-The engine experienced internal failure resulting in low compression in cylinder 1. The failure has rendered the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle and engine are currently available for inspection upon request. The issue
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The steering started to shake. The car seat started to shake as well. It felt very unsafe, but there was no serious injury. John from Feldman Chevrolet in New Hudson, Michigan said that there is a "Cylinder 1 misfire
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Hesitate to change gears properly. Engine stalling. RPM will rive up. Sounds like the transmission wants to slip.
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
My vehicle would jerk while driving and sometimes not want to even go at a stop light when it turned green. Check engine light has been on. Even when I was at a stop light it would just start jerking forward. I took it
NHTSA complaint: Engine
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. Th
Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the p
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contac
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insuf
Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac cus
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Cruze LS vehicles, equipped with a gasoline engine and a tire inflator kit instead of a spare tire. The vehicles may leak gasoline following a rear-impact crash and a rollover. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirem
Risk: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a lock-ring on the fuel tank that will shield the fuel tank vapor pressure sensor from damage in a rear-impact crash, free of charge. The recall began
| Reliability raw | 69 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 70 | good |
| Maintenance | 79 | good |
| Depreciation | 82 | excellent |
| Performance | 45 | below average |
| Efficiency | 55 | average |
| Safety | 62 | average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 109 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 16 of them (15%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 69/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 70/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2018 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 62/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.