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Chevrolet: reliability & common problems

#14 of 24
Longevity rank#1 Tesla holds up to ~176k
~115k
Trouble-free mileageacross all body styles
264
Chevrolets inspectedreal pre-purchase inspections
57/100
Average conditionall cars we check: 60/100



Based on 264 used Chevrolets we inspected, they tend to be in slightly worse shape than average — average condition 57/100 vs 60 for all cars we check. Every number on this page comes from real pre-purchase inspections — cars people were about to buy and paid an independent inspector to go through point by point, engine to underbody, paint depth to error codes. Not owner surveys, not warranty statistics, not forum lore: what we actually found.

What we found

Most common faults

Oil leaks · Engine
51%
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
40%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
36%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
31%
Low coolant / cooling system issues · Engine
27%

Share of inspected Chevrolets where each item was flagged.

How they score

Excellent 15% Good 36% Mediocre 31% Poor 19%
Hidden history

What the seller might not mention — how often we find it on Chevrolets.

68%had a repainted or replaced panelall cars: 76%
4%showed structural repairall cars: 4%
25%had fault codes recently clearedall cars: 23%

Compare with another brand:

Cross-shopping? Chevrolet vs Toyota · Chevrolet vs Honda · Chevrolet vs Ford

How long does a Chevrolet last?

Across every Chevrolet body style we've inspected — sedans, SUVs and anything else pooled together — the average one's condition dips below decent (a 55/100 score) around ~115k miles. It ranks Chevrolet #14 of 24 brands we have enough data to rate; the longest-lasting, Tesla, holds up to ~176k. Shopping a Chevrolet near that mileage? Expect more wear ahead — see which makes give the best odds at your budget.



Good cars by mileage
0 25 50 75 100 0–20k mi: 91% in good shape (22 cars) 20–40k mi: 89% in good shape (28 cars) 40–60k mi: 69% in good shape (39 cars) 60–80k mi: 66% in good shape (35 cars) 80–100k mi: 38% in good shape (34 cars) 100–120k mi: 38% in good shape (29 cars) 120–140k mi: 41% in good shape (17 cars) 140–160k mi: 17% in good shape (6 cars) 160–180k mi: 13% in good shape (15 cars) 180–200k mi: 22% in good shape (9 cars) 40k 80k 120k 160k 200k mileage when we inspected it
Good cars by age
0 25 50 75 100 1 years old: 100% in good shape (5 cars) 2 years old: 94% in good shape (18 cars) 3 years old: 100% in good shape (7 cars) 4 years old: 74% in good shape (19 cars) 5 years old: 68% in good shape (22 cars) 6 years old: 63% in good shape (24 cars) 7 years old: 55% in good shape (11 cars) 8 years old: 65% in good shape (17 cars) 9 years old: 41% in good shape (17 cars) 10 years old: 29% in good shape (14 cars) 11 years old: 44% in good shape (9 cars) 12 years old: 57% in good shape (7 cars) 13 years old: 18% in good shape (11 cars) 14 years old: 20% in good shape (5 cars) 15 years old: 25% in good shape (8 cars) 2y 4y 6y 8y 10y 12y 14y 16y vehicle age when we inspected it

Share of Chevrolets in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). The dashed grey curve is all cars we check.

Is Chevrolet getting better?
▼ Newer Chevrolets aren't holding up as well 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 56% in good shape (age-adjusted; 20 cars, raw 55%) 56 2015–17: 57% in good shape (age-adjusted; 45 cars, raw 56%) 57 2018+: 43% in good shape (age-adjusted; 34 cars, raw 53%) 43 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+

Share of Chevrolets in good shape (60+/100) when inspected at the same age — 5–10 years old, age-adjusted — by model-year generation; the dashed line is the all-brand average. Compare every brand's trajectory →



Chevrolet models we've inspected
Silverado 42 cars · 62% good Corvette 50 cars · 58% good Camaro 19 cars · profile soon Tahoe 18 cars · profile soon Express 18 cars · profile soon Equinox 15 cars · profile soon Malibu 12 cars · profile soon Suburban 10 cars · profile soon Cruze 10 cars · profile soon

Recently inspected:

2013 Chevrolet Corvette · 28k mi — flagged: battery condition, fault codes recently cleared, clutch fluid. Inspected Jul 8.
2020 Chevrolet Bolt · 96k mi — flagged: oil leaks. Inspected Jul 8.
The bottom line

Chevrolet buyers should zero in on the engine first, because oil leaks, fuel-trim problems and cooling issues dominate the fault list and can turn a decent-looking car into a money pit. Skip the 2018-and-newer ones if you can; they land in good shape far less often than the 2015–17 generation that holds up best. Aim for examples under 115,000 miles where the brand still tends to stay decent, and treat any active codes or visible leaks as hard negotiation leverage or a reason to walk.

FAQ
?
Is Chevrolet reliable?
51% of the 264 Chevrolets we inspected scored 60/100 or higher, averaging 57/100 — they tend to be in slightly worse shape than average.
?
What are the most common problems with a used Chevrolet?
Across the Chevrolets we inspected, the items we flag most often are oil leaks (51%), fuel trim out of range (40%), tires condition & wear (36%).
?
Are newer Chevrolets more reliable than older ones?
No — comparing generations at the same age (5–10 years old), newer Chevrolets actually score lower than the early-2010s ones.
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Based on 264 inspections · updated Jul 12, 2026