Showing the 2017 Cruze L. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
31–37 mpgcombined; city 28–31, highway 37–52; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$9,550–$12,520U.S. average; Ohio $8,540–$12,690 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2017 Cruze. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 201 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Cruze. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
73
1
3
2
Power train
39
0
1
2
Electrical system
33
0
2
0
Unknown or other
31
2
0
1
Service brakes
18
1
1
1
Structure
16
1
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
15
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
12
1
0
0
Vehicle speed control
10
0
0
0
Air bags
7
3
1
1
Electronic stability control (ESC)
7
0
0
0
Steering
6
0
0
0
11 more parts
Seats
5
1
0
1
Engine and engine cooling
4
0
0
0
Suspension
4
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
4
0
0
0
Wheels
4
0
0
0
Tires
2
1
1
0
Forward collision avoidance
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, air
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2017 Cruze over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
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 requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
Risk: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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 June 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18159.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. A bracket used in the driver or front passenger seat-back recliner mechanism may have been incorrectly welded to the seat-back frame, as a result, in the event of a crash, the head-restraints may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 202a, "Head Restraints."
Risk: In a crash, the seat-backs for the front seats may break, increasing the risk of injury to the occupants.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seats, replacing any with seat-back frames that are incorrectly welded, free of charge. The recall began on February 28, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17035.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 1,234 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2017 Cruze, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (484), electrical system (259), engine and engine cooling (196), engine (130), power train (99).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2017 Cruze.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: compact cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 7–8 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Cruze Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic 9-spd
Diesel
31 / 47 / 37
Cruze Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Diesel
30 / 52 / 37
Cruze Front-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
30 / 40 / 34
Cruze Front-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
29 / 38 / 32
Cruze Front-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
28 / 39 / 32
Cruze Front-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
28 / 37 / 31
Cruze Premier Front-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
29 / 39 / 33
Cruze Premier Front-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
28 / 37 / 31
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data