Every Bolt model year from 2017 to 2023, scored on reported failures weighted against how many were sold — and ranked against every other Small Passenger Car of the same year.
Across 7 scored model years the Bolt needs fixing more often than its class, but when it does, repairs cost about what you would expect. The spread between years is what matters: 2021 is its strongest, 2017 its weakest.
Longer bar is better. Rank is against every Small Passenger Car sold that same model year.
| Year | Relative standing | Class rank | Pctl | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | #13 /13 | 0th | Avoid | |
| 2018 | #12 /12 | 0th | ||
| 2019 | #10 /11 | 10th | ||
| 2020 | #9 /9 | 0th | ||
| 2021 | #5 /5 | 0th | Best year | |
| 2022 | #5 /5 | 0th | ||
| 2023 | #5 /5 | 0th |
Across all 7 model years on record, the line has held a weak position in its class.
All 12 systems, measured against the class average for each model year.
Every Bolt model year is scored across 12 separate systems — engine, transmission, brakes, electrical, steering and suspension, structure, interior, and five more. Each system is compared against how often that same system fails on the average Small Passenger Car of the same year, so a common failure is judged against how common it is everywhere else.
Across the last three model years (2021–2023), the trouble concentrates in one place: electrical & electronics. That system draws issue reports more often than the same system on the average Small Passenger Car of its year — which changes what you should be inspecting before you buy.
Real charts, sample vehicle. Open the lookup to see these for your Bolt.
Your Bolt is plotted against 5 rivals from 2023.
Look up your Bolt →Your Bolt is scored the same way, for every model year.
Look up your Bolt →2021 is the strongest Bolt model year on record, ranking #5 of 5 Small Passenger Cars that year.
2017 is the weakest year in the model's history, ranking #13 of 13.
The 2023 Bolt ranks #5 of 5 Small Passenger Cars — the lower half of its class.
Failure reports filed with NHTSA — submitted by vehicle owners and repair shops alike — weighted against US sales volumes so a high-volume model is not penalised for selling well, then benchmarked within segment and model year.
All 12 systems scored, the whole class plotted, and a downloadable Full Model Report for any year — 6,000+ vehicles in the dashboard.
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