Best-of list
Highest NHTSA Overall Ratings: Hatchbacks (2015–2019)
Ranked by NHTSA crash-test ratings across 56 model-years of federal data.
Safety and fuel-economy results are ranked from NHTSA and EPA federal data. Owner-complaint lists (raw volume, not exposure-adjusted) remain unpublished until exposure and time-at-risk normalization are available.
NHTSA says overall scores should only be compared within the same vehicle class and at roughly similar curb weights. Treat this as a shortlist, not a complete safety verdict; 2010 scores are excluded because NHTSA changed the rating system for 2011.
- 1
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
73
Crash
MPG
119
Watch for: steering complaints
- 2
2019 Chevrolet Sonic
HatchbackComplaint record
Too few reports to rank
Complaints
8
Crash
MPG
30
- 3
2018 Chevrolet Sonic
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
14
Crash
MPG
29.5
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 4
2017 Chevrolet Sonic
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
37
Crash
MPG
29
Watch for: engine complaints
- 5
2016 Chevrolet Sonic
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
48
Crash
MPG
29.5
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 6
2015 Chevrolet Sonic
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
114
Crash
MPG
29.5
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 7
2018 Ford Focus
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
823
Crash
MPG
29.5
Watch for: power train complaints
- 8
2017 Ford Focus
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
892
Crash
MPG
29
Watch for: power train complaints
- 9
2016 Ford Focus
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
1,186
Crash
MPG
30
Watch for: power train complaints
- 10
2015 Ford Focus
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
1,022
Crash
MPG
30.5
Watch for: power train complaints
- 11
2019 Honda Fit
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
134
Crash
MPG
33
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 12
2018 Honda Fit
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
114
Crash
MPG
33
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 13
2017 Honda Fit
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
42
Crash
MPG
34
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 14
2016 Honda Fit
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
118
Crash
MPG
34
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 15
2015 Honda Fit
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
281
Crash
MPG
34
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 16
2017 Hyundai Veloster
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
49
Crash
MPG
29.5
Watch for: engine complaints
- 17
2016 Hyundai Veloster
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
221
Crash
MPG
29.5
Watch for: engine complaints
- 18
2015 Hyundai Veloster
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
136
Crash
MPG
28
Watch for: engine complaints
- 19
2019 Kia Soul
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
136
Crash
MPG
27.5
Watch for: engine complaints
- 20
2018 Kia Soul
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
214
Crash
MPG
27
Watch for: engine complaints
- 21
2017 Kia Soul
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
286
Crash
MPG
27
Watch for: engine complaints
- 22
2016 Kia Soul
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
802
Crash
MPG
26
Watch for: engine complaints
- 23
2015 Kia Soul
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
898
Crash
MPG
26
Watch for: engine complaints
- 24
2019 Mazda Mazda2
HatchbackComplaint record
Too few reports to rank
Complaints
0
Crash
MPG
Not on record
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Common questions
What is the highest NHTSA-rated 2015–2019 hatchback?
By our reading of the federal data, the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV tops this list. Open its verdict page for the full complaint, recall and crash record before you buy.
How is this ranking put together?
We rank the 24 matching model years by NHTSA overall crash-test rating, using public NHTSA and EPA data. Owner-complaint lists (raw volume, not exposure-adjusted) remain unpublished until exposure and time-at-risk normalization are available.
This list is generated from NHTSA complaint, recall and crash-test data and EPA fuel-economy data; it is not sales-adjusted and updates on scheduled source refreshes.