2016 Chevrolet Cruze

2016 Chevrolet Cruze Overview

Is the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze a Good Used Car?

A used 2016 Chevy Cruze is an excellent choice for compact car shoppers. It has a smooth ride, a powerful engine, and some of the highest fuel economy estimates in the segment. Additionally, the Cruze has an upscale interior with roomy, supportive front seats. However, it has a below-average reliability rating, and tall passengers won’t be happy with its poor back-seat headroom.

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Why You Can Trust Us

Our used car rankings and reviews are based on our analysis of professional automotive reviews, as well as data like crash test scores, reliability ratings, and ownership expenses. We researched 23 Chevy Cruze reviews to help you decide if it’s the right used car for you.

The U.S. News Best Cars team has been ranking cars, trucks, and SUVs since 2007, and our staff has a combined 75 years of automotive industry experience. To ensure our impartiality, our staff never takes expensive gifts or trips from car companies, and an outside team handles the advertising on our site.

Pricing

How Much is a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

Based on more than 4,800 listings, the average price for a used 2016 Chevy Cruze ranges from about $11,000 to $16,000. The average price paid for a used 2016 Cruze is about $13,300. However, your pricing will vary depending on the car’s condition, mileage, location, and features.

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How Much Does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze Cost to Own?

The 2016 Cruze has estimated five-year ownership costs of more than $23,000, including gas, insurance, maintenance, and repairs. Some competing compact cars are less expensive over time, including the 2016 Mazda3 , which has five-year ownership costs of just over $20,350.

Is It Better to Buy a Used or New Cruze?

A new 2018 Chevrolet Cruze will typically cost you about $19,200, while a used 2016 Cruze has an average price of nearly $13,300. Purchasing a used model could save you nearly $6,000 over a new model. For the additional cost, the 2018 model gets you a slight bump in fuel economy, and it comes standard with Chevy’s Teen Driver Safety monitoring system, which limits the car’s maximum speed limit and stereo volume for others driving your car. The 2018 model is also available in a hatchback body style or with a diesel engine, neither of which the 2016 model offers. However, if you’re not interested in a hatchback and can do without the diesel engine and minor feature updates, the 2016 model is the better value.

Read about the new Chevrolet Cruze »

If you’d prefer a new 2018 compact car, know that it will cost you more than a used 2016 Cruze. There are few compact cars that are cheaper than a 2016 Cruze. In fact, many top-ranked 2018 subcompact cars are also more expensive.

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How Reliable Is the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

The 2016 Cruze has a reliability rating of three out of five from J.D. Power. This is an average score across the automotive market, but it’s a bit below average for the class. Rivals like the Kia Forte and Toyota Corolla have slightly higher reliability scores of 3.5.

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2016 Chevrolet Cruze Recalls

As of this writing, the 2016 Cruze has three safety recalls. One relates to the electronic park lock lever allowing the driver to remove the key from the ignition without putting the car in park. That increases the risk that the car will roll away. Another recall reports misaligned headlights, which could reduce nighttime visibility. The third recall involves the increased risk of injury during a crash; the front seatbacks can break due to incorrect welding.

See more information on Chevrolet Cruze safety recalls »

Which Model Year of the Chevrolet Cruze Is Best?

The Cruze was fully redesigned for 2016, so it’s a great used model to consider to get many of the car’s latest features. The 2016 model received a lighter frame for better handling and an all-new turbocharged four-cylinder engine that increased fuel economy over previous models. The 2016 Cruze comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and it’s available with safety features like side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert, lane keep assist, and forward collision warning. Aside from the addition of the Teen Driver safety system, a diesel engine, and a hatchback model, the 2017 Cruze is largely the same as the previous model year. Therefore, you may want to consider a nearly identical 2016 Cruze to save money.

Compare the 2014, 2015, and 2016 Cruze »

Which Used Chevrolet Cruze Model Is Right for Me?

The 2016 Chevy Cruze sedan is available in four trims: L, LS, LT, and Premier. The Cruze L comes with a vast standard features list that includes a 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hot spot, and remote keyless entry. Few rivals come with as much standard technology. The Cruze LS trim has an available automatic transmission. The Cruze LT comes with cruise control and satellite radio, while the Cruze Premier adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, proximity keyless entry, and a remote car starter.

See 2016 Chevrolet Cruze trims and specs »

2016 Chevrolet Cruze Safety

Score: 9.3/10

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze the highest rating of Good in its side and moderate front overlap crash tests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Cruze a perfect five-star rating in front crash testing, and four out of five stars in its overall, side, and rollover safety evaluations.

The Cruze comes standard with a rearview camera. There are many available active safety features, including rear parking sensors, rear cross traffic alert, and blind spot monitoring. These features are part of the Driver Confidence package, which is available only in LT and Premier models. The Driver Confidence II package, available only in the Premier trim, adds forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and lane keep assist.

2016 Chevrolet Cruze Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: 2016 Chevrolet Cruze or 2016 Ford Focus?

If you prefer spirited driving to comfortable cruising, the Ford Focus will better suit you. It has a range of powerful engines and sharp driving dynamics. Still, the Cruze is the more practical option for daily commuting. It features a more user-friendly infotainment system, a larger cabin, a better reliability rating, and more available active safety features.

Which Is Better: 2016 Chevrolet Cruze or 2016 Toyota Corolla?

Both the Cruze and Toyota Corolla have smooth, cushioned rides. In addition, these compact cars deliver great gas mileage and have easy-to-use infotainment systems. Still, the Cruze has a bit more to offer, including a livelier engine and a larger suite of standard and available technology and safety features. However, those in the back will prefer the Corolla’s roomier rear seats.

Which Is Better: 2016 Chevrolet Cruze or 2016 Kia Forte?

The Kia Forte has a few advantages over the Cruze. The Forte comes with more options, including three available engines and three body styles. It also has a spacious interior, and even tall passengers can fit comfortably in the back seats. The Kia sedan has a similar trunk capacity to the Chevy, but the Forte hatchback offers several more cubic feet of space. A Cruze hatchback is available with the 2017 model, but not the 2016. Still, the Cruze offers a more comfortable ride than the Forte, along with several additional standard and available features.

Compare the Cruze, Focus, and Corolla »

2016 Cruze Performance

How Does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze Drive?

The front-wheel-drive 2016 Cruze is powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 153 horsepower and delivers more than enough power for getting up to highway speeds. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, though most models come with the available six-speed automatic. The Chevy Cruze glides smoothly over bumps, delivering good ride comfort. It handles well around corners, though its steering could use better feedback.

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze Get Good Gas Mileage?

Fuel economy numbers are excellent; the Cruze can earn up to 30 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway.

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2016 Cruze Interior

How Many People Does the 2016 Cruze Seat?

The Chevrolet Cruze seats five on cloth upholstery. Those seated up front will enjoy plenty of headroom and legroom, as well as good thigh and back support. However, back-seat occupants may wish for more legroom. Heated front seats, heated rear seats, and leather upholstery are available.

How Many Car Seats Fit in the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?

For securing child seats, there are two sets of lower anchors on the rear outboard seats and three top tether anchors behind the rear seats. The 2016 model was not rated by the IIHS, but the very similar 2017 model received a Marginal rating for its ease of use. The IIHS noted that attaching car seats can be difficult because the lower anchors are located deep in the seats.

2016 Chevrolet Cruze Features

Chevy equips the Cruze with a long list of standard tech and convenience features, including a 7-inch touch screen, a Wi-Fi hot spot, Bluetooth, a USB port, a rearview camera, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which integrates some smartphone functions into the infotainment system. The user-friendly touch-screen system responds quickly to inputs and has straightforward menus. The Cruze Premier is available with an 8-inch touch screen and a navigation system.

See 2016 Chevrolet Cruze specs »

Read more about Cruze interior »

2016 Chevrolet Cruze Dimensions

Chevrolet Cruze Cargo Space

The base Chevy Cruze has a 14.8-cubic-foot trunk, which is one of the largest in the class. Its rear seats also fold to further expand the cargo area. However, upper trims lose a few inches of space, dropping to 13.9 cubic feet.

2016 Cruze Length and Weight

The Chevrolet Cruze has an overall length of 183.7 inches and a curb weight of 2,932 pounds.

Where Was the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze Built?

The 2016 Cruze was manufactured in Lordstown, Ohio.