MM Review: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
10-18-11, 01:24 PM
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Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
MM Review: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
By CL-member-request, a review of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic.
http://www.chevrolet.com/sonic-small-cars/
IN A NUTSHELL: Good job, Chevy....Arguably the best American-nameplate entry-level sub-compact I've driven yet.
(sedan rear seat)
There was a time when good small cars with American-manufacturer nameplates on them were virtually unheard of. Just ask anyone whose Ford Pinto's gas-tank ruptured and caught fire when hit from behind because Ford was too cheap to add an extra frame-rail. Or whose Chevy Corvair had dangerous handling, poor crash-worthiness, oil-splatters, and gas-fumes inside the car from the way it was designed (I don't think much of Ralph Nader's politics, but his poor assessment of the Corvair was right-on). Or Chevy Vegas (and other Vega-sourced clones) with premature body-rust and the notorious aluminum-block/steel cylinder-liner in-line four that warped and was ruined if it overheated. Or the Plymouth Horizon/Dodge Omni twins that were so poorly-built that they were an embarassment not only to Chrysler but also to the UAW people in the plants who assembled them. (I can also blame myself here to an extent, as I was dumb enough to buy a Horizon...I was mesmorized by the FWD traction in the winter, at a time whan most American cars were still RWD and unsuitable for slick-roads). And the FWD GM X-Body cars (Citation/Phoenix/Omega/Skylark).......don't even get me started on those (despite their efficient overall designs), or the even worse 1984 Pontiac Fiero.....arguably the most poorly-built American small car of modern times.
Although there were some well-done smaller American cars like the Ford Falcon/Plymouth Valiant/Chevy Nova, in general, it took American manufacturers a LONG time to start producing smaller cars that were competitive with those from the European and Asian manufacturers. And, let's not forget that cars, in general, have been downsized so much over the years that the Falcon/Valiant/Nova would be considered mid-size (or even large) by today's standards.
Of course, not all of the domestic-nameplate small-cars of recent decades were junk either, but many of the best ones were not American-designed. They were re-badged or platform-derived versions of Japanese and Korean-designed vehicles. The reliable and well-respected Chevrolet/Geo Nova/Prizm of the 1980s, for example, was a redone Toyota Corolla. The also-reliable Chevy/Geo Metro/Sprint, a rebadged Suzuki-design, had superlative fuel mileage
(better than many of today's small hybrids), but was an ultra-light-weight tin-can in its structure. The Ford Aspire was a Mazda 121 subcompact built by Kia in Korea. The last-generation Ford Focus (an acceptable but rental-grade economy car) was a far different version in America than it was in Europe. And the outgoing Aveo (which the Sonic replaces) was designed for Chevy but built by Daewoo in Korea (I'll get to the Aveo a little more in a minute).
The Sonic, of course, is the latest of a line of new Chevy compacts and sub-compacts to be recently introduced, including the Cruze and Extended-Range Hybrid Volt (which, IMO, is grossly overpriced for what you get...see my separate review). Buick will soon introduce the Verano.....an upmarket version of the Cruze, and an even smaller Chevy minicar known as the Spark (which will compete with Scon's upcoming iQ and the Smart-for-Two) is also in the near-future. So, Chevy (and parent GM) has finally acknowledged that, with expensive gasoline likely to be the case for some time, and with dwindling world oil-resources, that the Age of the Small Car is finally here to stay. Like Ford with the rival (and well-done) Fiesta and Focus, GM realizes that you simply cannot sell small cars anymore poorly-engineered and built like the Pinto, Vega, or Horizon/Omni...the car-buying public just won't stand for it any more.
So, as already fore-mentioned, the new Sonic, in Chevy's line-up, replaces the Aveo. Opinons differ quite a bit on the Aveo which preceeded it. Some of the automotive press, and even some of the critics at Consumer Reports, panned the Aveo's chassis, engineering, and interior quality. Other parts of the auto-press, though not exactly embracing it an an auto-enthusiast's dream (which it certainly wasn't), gave it a little more of a break in its evaluation. My own opinon of it (and I did a double-review of both the Plain-Jane base and upmarket 2LT version a few years ago), was that there was truth on both sides. The base-level version (which, at the time, had a base price under $10,000) was as stark and cheap inside as a Third-World taxicab, and lacked many creature-comforts now taken for granted. But the difference, IMO, between the base version's interior and the 2LT was enormous...the 2LT had an outstanding paint-job, slick wood-tone trim, and interior fit/finish that looked (and felt) almost like a mini-luxury-car. Both versions, though, had unimpressive road manners, sluggish performance, and a rental-grade small-car-feel to the way they drove....and the reliability record, according to Consumer Reports (which I generally believe) was well-below-average. So, while the upmarket LT2 Aveo, unlike the base version, may have been nice to sit in and LOOK at, it certainly wasn't very impressive to drive.
The Sonic, in the American market, will be offered in two body-styles.....four-door sedan and five-door-hatchback. Both body-styles will be offered in six different trim levels......1LS, 2LS, 1LT, 2LT, 1LZ, and 2LZ. The 1LS/1LT/1LZ trim-levels come with a 1.8L ECOTEC in-line four with 138 HP and 125 ft-lbs. of torque and a 5-speed manual transmission. 2LS/2LT/2LZ models come with the same engine and a 6-speed automatic. An optional 1.4L Turbo four with a 6-speed manual will be available later in the 1LT/1LZ models, and the same Turbo four with a 6-speed automatic in the 2LT/2LZ models. As of this wrting, Chevy has not officially posted the Turbo's power-figures on the Sonic website yet (that I could find). However, unofficial sources I found list it as 138 HP (same as the standard non-turbo 1.8L), but with a higher torque-figure, at 145 ft-lbs. Base prices, as befits a car in this class (B-segment/sub-compact), run from $13,735 for a base 1LT sedan to $18,495 for a 2LZ hatchback. The Turbo models, of course, when they debut, may run a little more.
Unsold Sonics, right now (mid-October), are not easy to find in the Washington, D.C. area. I had to so some looking and make some phone-calls to locate some that were still available not not already taken. One or two last week were sold before I could even get out to the Chevy-store to see them. Fortunately, this morning, a BIG local Chevy/GMC/Buick shop (one of the largest on the East Coast) had an unsold sedan and a couple of hatchbacks. So, it was grab my handbag, notebook, tire-gauge, and the rest of the things I take to a review, hop into my Outback, and off I went.
When I got there, I didn't even have to look.....there, right on the corner, was a bright-red sedan and an orange-metallic hatchback. Both paint-jobs were extremely well-done, but the orange-metallic was just dynamite (more on that below), and I chose that for the review. It was a 2LT version, with a two-tone black/grayinterior, and listed for just over $18,000. So, by Sonic standards, it was certainly no Cheapie, but not the most-expensive version available. But I felt that the hatchback body-style (as it is on most small cars) was more-useful than the sedan, and this particular car had the new 6-speed automatic that I felt, for heavy traffic, was probably a better choice than the 5-speed manual, so that's why I chose it. A black hatchback was (supposedly) also on the lot, but I didn't see it (it might have been in the shop getting prepared). So....it was on the with the review.
And yes, though it had some annoyances just like any car does, I was still very pleased with this car...especially by entry-level sub-compact standards. I thought it more pleasant to drive than its slightly larger, more-expensive Chevy Cruze brother (which I've also reviewed). And, compared to the grossly-overpriced Chevy Volt (which, yes, I've also reviewed), this car is a bargain-and-a-half, even at $18,000. I can see why it is selling so briskly. It was (arguably) the best American-nameplate sub-compact I've driven yet. It addresses some of the dash-design and drivetrain shortcomings I found in the rival Ford Fiesta, despite the fact that its highway-mileage is a few-MPG lower.
I won't spill all the beans now, though.............Details coming up.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic 2LT Hatchback.
BASE PRICE: $16,805
OPTIONS:
Inferno Orange Metallic Paint: $195
Connectivity-Plus Package: $525
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $760 (slightly more than average for a small car this size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $18,285
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted 1.8L in-line ECOTEC four, 138 HP @ 6300 RPM, Torque 125 ft-lbs. @ 3800 RPM, 6-speed Sport-shift automatic transmisson.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 25 City / 35 Highway
EXTERIOR COLOR: Inferno Orange Metallic
INTERIOR: Jet-Black/Dark Titanium Cloth
PLUSSES:
5 year/100,000 mile GM powertrain warranty.
Handsome (IMO) front-end styling.
Remote-engine-start in the 2LT model.
Smooth 1.8L ECOTEC four has decent spunk for its size.
Smooth, flexible 6-speed automatic.
Smooth ride by subcompact-standards.
Good insulation/Low wind and road-noise levels.
Very quick, sports-car-like steering response.
Body-lean less than expected.
Excellent, uncluttered underhood layout.
Superb Audi-like paint job (at least in the colors I saw)
Aluminum-alloy-wheels standard on all versions.
Attractive (IMO) two-tone dash/interior.
Surprisingly comfortable front-seats.
Nice, quality-feel seat fabric.
Captain's-Chair-type fold-down armrest for the driver.
Nice fore-aft shift-lever; no annoying zig-zags.
Solid glovebox-latch doesn't feel weak like in some cars.
Simple, no-nonense, well-done dash controls/*****.
Good front headroom/legroom.
Excellent rear headroom for a subcompact.
Nicely-padded sun-visors (rare in entry-level cars, and increasingly hard-to-find in new vehicles)
Standard cargo-lid in the rear.
Generally neat-looking and well-finished cargo-area.
Connectivity-Plus Package has many phone/electronic/On-Star features.
MINUSES:
Brand-new design; long-term reliability unproved.
Currently (at the time of this review) hard to find on dealer-lots.
Outside rear-door handles too high for some children to reach.
Low front-clearance under air-dam for humps/road-obstacles and snow.
6-color paint choice doesn't make sense. (two reds, one orange, black/white/silver)
Orange-metallic paint job costs extra ($195).
Turbo option (apparanantly) not much more spunk than the standard engine (though I didn't test it).
Quirky (IMO) digital speedometer.
Quirky dime-size tunnels for the dash warning-lights.
Bar-graph fuel-gauge OK, but not as clear as analog.
Very tight rear legroom for adults.
Non-locking plastic gas-filler-door.
Thin-feeling, somewhat tinny-closing doors.
No body-side moldings for parking-lot protection.
Relatively small cargo area not roomy despite the high rear roofline.
Too much hard-plastic on the dash and doors, though the nice grainy-pattern helps.
Virtually silent emergency-flashers...no audible click-click.
Cheap-looking console-materials.
Poorly-designed sport-shift button on the transmission-lever.
Triangular-shaped side-mirrors a little small for my tastes.
Relatively wide C-pillars block some rear vision.
Temporary donut spare.
EXTERIOR:
The general overall shape of the new Sonic Hatchback is more-or-less like that of its precedessor Aveo hatchback, especially in the rear, though I found the front-end a little more handsome in its looks. The overall shape is that of a two-box, often used by hatchbacks/wagons/SUVs, which helps with space-efficiency. Nevertheless, the drop-off of the rear-end is right behind the rear-seat and rear-wheels, so the available cargo area, despite the high boxy roofline, is rather small and cramped inside with the rear-seat up. In front is the usual Chevy split-grille with the horizontal bar and ubiquitous gold bow-tie logo...a set-up I like on a number of Chevy products. I liked the look of the front-headlights, which have just enough sweepback to aid a little in the aero-department, but not enough that they look ludicrous, like on some jelly-bean car designs. A small front fairing under the front-bumper adds to the looks a bit, but makes for rather low ground-clearance over humps/bumps, snow, and road-obstacles. A nice marketing practice on the Sonic is that aluminum-alloy wheels are standard on all versions.....there are no stamped-steel whels with cheap-plastic wheel-covers.
In an obvious styling-attempt to make the 5-door hatchback model look like a 3-door hatch, Chevy designers recessed the outside rear-door handles high up on the door-frame, similiar to that of several Nissan SUVs. This can make it difficult for some children to reach up and open the door, though, of course, the Sonic sits lower to the ground than most SUVs. The pull-out rear-handles work horizontally, making it even more awkward for small kids. Of course, engineers put in safety-features to make it harder for small kids to fall out or open the rear-doors from the inside, but I don't see the need to make it difficult for them to get IN from the ouside. But the door handle-design, unless you look closely at the panel-gap of the rear doors, DO make the car look like a 3-door hatch (and a little sportier) than a 5-door.....so, there, the designers were successful.
The outside sheet metal, as typical of many new designs in the attempts to save weight, is noticeably thinner and less-solid-feeling than on the Aveo it replaces, and the doors don't have a very solid "thunk" sound when closing. I sometimes get criticized by another CL members for mentioning thinner/flimsier-feeling sheet metal when he or she may not agree with me, (and I respect their opinions). But in many cases, the sheet metal and doors, on the latest designs, DO feel, to me at least, like they are getting less-substantial (so I'm only being honest when I say that)...though, of course, the vehicle still passes DOT side-impact standards. Also typical of a lot of new designs....there are no body-side mouldings on the Sonic to help prevent parking-lot dings. I know I keep complaining about that like a broken phonograph record, but I'm going to keep mentioning it as long as automakers keep penny-piching on things as simple as this that are needed and can easily be stuck on at the factory.
The paint-jobs on both the red and orange-metallic Sonics in stock were just superb for an entry-level subcompact. I didn't get a chance to look at the black one, but a lot of black paint jobs, today, have orange-peel in them....in some cases, even from Lexus and Audi, which are arguably the best. GM paint, on the whole, has improved enormously in the last 5-7 years (I can remember when the GM and AMC acrylic-lacquer paint jobs, back in the 60s, without clearcoat, would start oxidizing and fading sometimes in only 8-9 months). But the choice of only 6 colors on the Sonic is rather limited, and the color-choice, IMO, doesn't make much sense.....two reds, an orange-metallic, black, white, and silver. And, to top it off, the Orange Metallic costs extra.....$195. At least all 6 colors are available on all Sonic models......a number of cars restrict certain paint-colors to specitic trim-lines, and don't make them available across the board. Anyhow, the Inferno Orange Metallic on my test-car at least gave you what you paid for...it was was superb, glossy and glass-smooth.....fit for a Lexus, if Lexus would use that color.
UNDERHOOD:
Another one of the car's good features is the underhood layout.....this one is excellent. Raise the hood, and you do have to fumble with a manual prop-rod, but that's probably to be expected in an entry-level car like this, so I won't make it a complaint. On the underside of the hood is a nice, and quite thick, insulation pad for this class of car....and it works (more on that later). The transverse-mounted 1.8L ECOTEC four fits in very nicely, with a fair amount of room around all sides of the block for component-access. Chevy, wisely, has omitted the usual plastic engine-cover, so even some things on top of the engine are also easily-accessed. The battery is to the right of the engine, and is uncovered and up front for easy-access. All of the dipsticks, filler-caps, and reservoirs are easily-reached. IMO, all vehicles should be designed like this underhood....easy engine-access, no big plastic covers, and easy-battery access with no covers. But in general, you find it only in entry-level cars. Upmarket vehicles tend to hide everything under covers, which can make service repairs a pain in the a**.
INTERIOR:
I was generally quite pleased with the interior of the 2LT Sonic, though it lacks the excellent wood-tone inserts of the previous upmarket-level Aveo, and the gauge-pod could be improved. Still, for a typical American sub-compact, it was extremely well, done. In fact, IMO, this is what the rival Ford Fiesta should have been like inside.....and isn't.
First off, the black-fabric seats were superbly comfortable, even for a guy with a big frame and torso like mine (Leatherette is available on some versions). The fabric on the seats felt durable and of very high-quality. Headroom is great, both front and rear (the lack of a sunroof-housing helps), but the back seat loses some Brownie-points for the very-restricted leg/footroom. Even with the good headroom and the front-seats adjusted forward, consider it primarily a bench for kids or a package-shelf. The front-seat-adjusters are manual, and generally work well, though the plastic-ring and lever for fore/aft and rake-adjustments are a little awkward to find and grasp.
The two-tone dash was, IMO, handsome-looking, despite the lack of aforementioned wood-tone trim, and featured a nice grain-pattern on the upper-surface and door panels. As with some other lower-priced vehicles, a lot of hard-plastic is used just about everywhere inside...but, like the current-generation Subaru Impreza/Forester, most of it is well-done, good-looking plastic. The console trim was done in an unimpressive, dull, cheap-looking dark-gray-tone plastic. One nice surprise, though (and something I wasn't expecting) was the nicely-padded sun visors....padded visors are getting harder to find even in new medium-priced models, much less entry-level subcompacts. The headliner-material was done in a nice fabric, but didn't feel quite as soft. The steering wheel, like in other newer Chevy products, was (IMO) handsome, had nice two-tone spokes, and was comfortable to hold.
Most of the hardware inside was solid-feeling and well-done, especially the glove-box-latch (a weak-point on many vehicles), and the trim was well-attached. The buttons/*****/controls were well-attached, clear and easy-to-use, and well-arranged. The whole center-dash area was a marvel of simplicity and attractiveness.......an enormous improvement, IMO, over that of the rival Ford Fiesta, whose silver-plastic, overstyled, and too-cluttered center-dash area looks like it came from a 1950's juke-box.
I wasn't terribly impressed, though, with the design of the primary gauge-pod behind the steering-wheel, which looked added-on and rather tacky. The very large analog-tach is easy to read, but has a ragged, erose-shaped ring around it, and the speedometer, next to it, is digital rather than analog....I've never been a fan of digital-speedometers. The fuel-gauge is a vertical, slightly-curved bar-graph that, while legible, would be better-off analog. I didn't see an engine-temperature gauge...a disturbing trend in a number of new-vehicle designs, due, no doubt to cost-cutting (an idiot-light bulb, of course, is cheaper than a gauge). The other warning-lights are all recessed in tiny, dime-sized tunnels carved in the plastic-trim of the upper and lower edges of the pod. OK, but gimmicky. And even Grandpa's and Grandma's hearing-aid won't help much with the emergency-flashers, which flick the usual green-arrows on-and-off, but, with no audible click-click, are virtually silent in operation.
Oops.....I made one omission in the interior review (sorry). Though I sampled the stereo system's *****/buttons/controls for ease-of-use, I forgot to actually note the stereo-speaker's sound-quality like I usually do (sometimes I just listen to local radio-stations on it; sometimes I have my own CD to play). So, unfortunately, I can't comment on how well it actually sounded....but other stereo systems in small GM cars I've tried lately (Volt, Cruze, etc.....) didn't seem to have any problem assaulting one's ears with high-quality sound.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK.
In spite of the relatively high, conservative, squared-off roofline, the cargo area in back is not particularly roomy, due to the rear-window being just behind the rear-seat and rear-wheels. Lift the hatch, and the usable-space for cargo is fairly high, but rather short from front to back. The trim-level for the cargo area, though not luxury-car-like, is not bad for a vehicle of this class. A panel-board, covered with nice black fabric, is secured to the hatch-lid and opens/closes with it, protecting valuables in the trunk from prying eyes. It can be detached, and the split-rear-seat folded, for additional cargo room.....but even with the rear seat down, this is not a Chevy Suburban by any means. It can carry taller cargo than the Sonic sedan, but you won't be able to stuff a lot of large items into it. The cargo-floor is nicely-covered with a thin but nice-feeling black-carpet, and the walls on either-side are fairly soft-feeling plastic. Under the trunk floor is a small temporary donut-sized spare instead of a real one. Normally I would complain about that, but, in this case, the well-compartment under the floor is probably too small to hold a real spare, even with the Sonic's fairly-small-sized wheel/tire combination.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the 1.8L ECOTEC four with a conventional key and side-column ignition switch (my 2LT also included a remote-start system), and the engine idles with far more smoothness and quietness than the GM in-line fours of years ago.....some of which seemingly belonged in a farm-tractor. Still not quite Lexus-smooth or quiet, but you can really tell the difference. The engine remains reasonably smooth and quiet (by small 4-cylinder standards under load, and definitely feels stronger than its rated-125 ft-lbs of torque would suggest. A 1.4L Turbo-model is upcoming, but, IMO, is probably not needed....the standard engine is more-than-adequate. Some of this smooth power, of course, can be credited to the new and more-efficient 6-speed Sport-Shift automatic, which is light-years ahead of the old 4-speed it replaces. The new transmission, though, good as it is, does have one fly in the ointment, though....a poorly-designed button/rocker-switch on the left-side of the shift-lever which controls the manual Sport-Shift function. You push in the top of the switch to upshift, and the bottom of the switch to downshift. Simple in concept, but the switch is hard to feel by finger-sense alone, and too often you accidentally can push it the wrong way, giving you a higher or lower gear than you want. Chevy would have done better to simply use paddle-shifts for the manual-function, like many other cars do.
The new chassis is as impressive, if not more so, than the new powertrain, especially by econocar-standards. Gone is the former Aveo's unsophisticated, toy-car feeling on the road.....replaced by a chassis that would (almost) be at home in a small BMW this size. Steering-response, on the 2LT, was almost sports-car-quick, especially at low speeds, and body-lean, while not absent, was less than expected for a relatively tall, narrow car like this. Ride-comfort was significantly above the usual econocar/subcompact norm, perhaps because of the relatively small 15-inch alloy wheels and high-profile all-season tires on my test-car (16" and 17' alloy wheels are available on more up-market models). The wheel-wells and window-seals, for a car of this class, appeared to be quite well insulated....while it was not tomb-quiet like a Lexus LS460, relatively little road or wind noise, for a car of this class, got through to the cabin. The brakes, of course, don't stop Porsche-911-quick, but have smooth/even response, a reasonably-firm pedal, and my big size-15 circus-clown shoes only have a very minor hang-up on the pedal-location when going from gas to brake. The current brakes are front-disc/rear-drum, which is typical for this class, but the upcoming Turbo model may (?) include 4-wheel discs...those specs haven't been finalized yet for the U.S.market.
THE VERDICT:
Well, guys, I wasn't necessarily like a kid with a new Christmas-toy, but I would be lying to you if I said I wasn't very impressed with this new entry-level car from Chevy.....especially compared to some of the junk GM has given us for small cars in the past. The former Aveo top-line 2LT (which the Sonic replaces) may have had richer interior-trim and slick wood-tone paneling inside, but its chassis, powertrain, noise-isolation, and general road manners weren't even in the same galaxy as this car. The Sonic addresses several of the of the shortcomings of its rival Ford Fiesta, most notably the Fiesta's quirky/confusing center-dash design (though the Sonic's secondary-gauge-pod is just as quirky), and the Fiesta's tendency to bog down on initial-acceleration with its twin-clutch auto-manual transmission. In general, IMO, the Sonic performs just as well or better as every other U.S.-market entry-level car in this league....Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, Suzuki SX-4 (though the Suzuki has standard AWD fror bad-weather), Nissan Versa, Mazda2, and Fiat 500.....though it doesn't have the Fiat's personality and superb paint-color choice.
Keep in mind, though, that the Sonic is an all-new vehicle, and has not been proven in long-term reliability....and, despite the long GM 5/100 powertrain warranty, will be somewhat of a purchase-gamble. GM, despite the definite improvement in many of their newer products, doesn't have a history of producing Toyota/Honda-reliable cars in their first production-years (the first Saturns of 1990 were notable exceptions). And, over and above that, like any car, the Sonic has some flaws. The rear-seat headroom is fine for adults, but the Munchkin-legroom relegates it pretty much to kiddy or package-shelf-status. The cargo area, even in the hatchback, is not something you'd want for a Marlo's furniture-sale. The outside rear-door handles, automanual shift-button, and secondary-gauge-pod, IMO, all need a redesign. Give us a few more paint-colors, and take the $195 surcharge off the orange-metallic. And please.....even cars in this class get door dings, so put some factory side mouldings on.
The obvious question is if one should wait for the turbo model before springing for the present one. While I can't speak for each potential Sonic buyer, my opinion, right now, would generally be no. The road manners on the 2LT model are already excellent for this class, it has more spunk than the figures would indicate (the turbo's will supposedly have the same HP and only a little more torque), the handling is excellent, and the ride-comfort of the 2LT is one of the best in the sub-compact class (the turbo's larger 17" wheels and lower-profile tires will probably stiffen it up).
So, there, you have it. I found this car comfortable to sit in (as long as you're up front) pleasant to drive, and generally enjoyed the review. Good job, Chevy.
In the future, perhaps next year, an even smaller Chevy will debut...the Spark minicar, which will more-or-less compete with the present Smart-for-Two and the upcoming Scion iQ. I personally feel that cars of this size are simply too small for American driving conditions, but I already have CL-review-requests for both the Spark and the iQ, so I will look at them whenever they debut.
As always, of course......Happy Car Shopping.
MM
http://www.chevrolet.com/sonic-small-cars/
IN A NUTSHELL: Good job, Chevy....Arguably the best American-nameplate entry-level sub-compact I've driven yet.
(sedan rear seat)
There was a time when good small cars with American-manufacturer nameplates on them were virtually unheard of. Just ask anyone whose Ford Pinto's gas-tank ruptured and caught fire when hit from behind because Ford was too cheap to add an extra frame-rail. Or whose Chevy Corvair had dangerous handling, poor crash-worthiness, oil-splatters, and gas-fumes inside the car from the way it was designed (I don't think much of Ralph Nader's politics, but his poor assessment of the Corvair was right-on). Or Chevy Vegas (and other Vega-sourced clones) with premature body-rust and the notorious aluminum-block/steel cylinder-liner in-line four that warped and was ruined if it overheated. Or the Plymouth Horizon/Dodge Omni twins that were so poorly-built that they were an embarassment not only to Chrysler but also to the UAW people in the plants who assembled them. (I can also blame myself here to an extent, as I was dumb enough to buy a Horizon...I was mesmorized by the FWD traction in the winter, at a time whan most American cars were still RWD and unsuitable for slick-roads). And the FWD GM X-Body cars (Citation/Phoenix/Omega/Skylark).......don't even get me started on those (despite their efficient overall designs), or the even worse 1984 Pontiac Fiero.....arguably the most poorly-built American small car of modern times.
Although there were some well-done smaller American cars like the Ford Falcon/Plymouth Valiant/Chevy Nova, in general, it took American manufacturers a LONG time to start producing smaller cars that were competitive with those from the European and Asian manufacturers. And, let's not forget that cars, in general, have been downsized so much over the years that the Falcon/Valiant/Nova would be considered mid-size (or even large) by today's standards.
Of course, not all of the domestic-nameplate small-cars of recent decades were junk either, but many of the best ones were not American-designed. They were re-badged or platform-derived versions of Japanese and Korean-designed vehicles. The reliable and well-respected Chevrolet/Geo Nova/Prizm of the 1980s, for example, was a redone Toyota Corolla. The also-reliable Chevy/Geo Metro/Sprint, a rebadged Suzuki-design, had superlative fuel mileage
(better than many of today's small hybrids), but was an ultra-light-weight tin-can in its structure. The Ford Aspire was a Mazda 121 subcompact built by Kia in Korea. The last-generation Ford Focus (an acceptable but rental-grade economy car) was a far different version in America than it was in Europe. And the outgoing Aveo (which the Sonic replaces) was designed for Chevy but built by Daewoo in Korea (I'll get to the Aveo a little more in a minute).
The Sonic, of course, is the latest of a line of new Chevy compacts and sub-compacts to be recently introduced, including the Cruze and Extended-Range Hybrid Volt (which, IMO, is grossly overpriced for what you get...see my separate review). Buick will soon introduce the Verano.....an upmarket version of the Cruze, and an even smaller Chevy minicar known as the Spark (which will compete with Scon's upcoming iQ and the Smart-for-Two) is also in the near-future. So, Chevy (and parent GM) has finally acknowledged that, with expensive gasoline likely to be the case for some time, and with dwindling world oil-resources, that the Age of the Small Car is finally here to stay. Like Ford with the rival (and well-done) Fiesta and Focus, GM realizes that you simply cannot sell small cars anymore poorly-engineered and built like the Pinto, Vega, or Horizon/Omni...the car-buying public just won't stand for it any more.
So, as already fore-mentioned, the new Sonic, in Chevy's line-up, replaces the Aveo. Opinons differ quite a bit on the Aveo which preceeded it. Some of the automotive press, and even some of the critics at Consumer Reports, panned the Aveo's chassis, engineering, and interior quality. Other parts of the auto-press, though not exactly embracing it an an auto-enthusiast's dream (which it certainly wasn't), gave it a little more of a break in its evaluation. My own opinon of it (and I did a double-review of both the Plain-Jane base and upmarket 2LT version a few years ago), was that there was truth on both sides. The base-level version (which, at the time, had a base price under $10,000) was as stark and cheap inside as a Third-World taxicab, and lacked many creature-comforts now taken for granted. But the difference, IMO, between the base version's interior and the 2LT was enormous...the 2LT had an outstanding paint-job, slick wood-tone trim, and interior fit/finish that looked (and felt) almost like a mini-luxury-car. Both versions, though, had unimpressive road manners, sluggish performance, and a rental-grade small-car-feel to the way they drove....and the reliability record, according to Consumer Reports (which I generally believe) was well-below-average. So, while the upmarket LT2 Aveo, unlike the base version, may have been nice to sit in and LOOK at, it certainly wasn't very impressive to drive.
The Sonic, in the American market, will be offered in two body-styles.....four-door sedan and five-door-hatchback. Both body-styles will be offered in six different trim levels......1LS, 2LS, 1LT, 2LT, 1LZ, and 2LZ. The 1LS/1LT/1LZ trim-levels come with a 1.8L ECOTEC in-line four with 138 HP and 125 ft-lbs. of torque and a 5-speed manual transmission. 2LS/2LT/2LZ models come with the same engine and a 6-speed automatic. An optional 1.4L Turbo four with a 6-speed manual will be available later in the 1LT/1LZ models, and the same Turbo four with a 6-speed automatic in the 2LT/2LZ models. As of this wrting, Chevy has not officially posted the Turbo's power-figures on the Sonic website yet (that I could find). However, unofficial sources I found list it as 138 HP (same as the standard non-turbo 1.8L), but with a higher torque-figure, at 145 ft-lbs. Base prices, as befits a car in this class (B-segment/sub-compact), run from $13,735 for a base 1LT sedan to $18,495 for a 2LZ hatchback. The Turbo models, of course, when they debut, may run a little more.
Unsold Sonics, right now (mid-October), are not easy to find in the Washington, D.C. area. I had to so some looking and make some phone-calls to locate some that were still available not not already taken. One or two last week were sold before I could even get out to the Chevy-store to see them. Fortunately, this morning, a BIG local Chevy/GMC/Buick shop (one of the largest on the East Coast) had an unsold sedan and a couple of hatchbacks. So, it was grab my handbag, notebook, tire-gauge, and the rest of the things I take to a review, hop into my Outback, and off I went.
When I got there, I didn't even have to look.....there, right on the corner, was a bright-red sedan and an orange-metallic hatchback. Both paint-jobs were extremely well-done, but the orange-metallic was just dynamite (more on that below), and I chose that for the review. It was a 2LT version, with a two-tone black/grayinterior, and listed for just over $18,000. So, by Sonic standards, it was certainly no Cheapie, but not the most-expensive version available. But I felt that the hatchback body-style (as it is on most small cars) was more-useful than the sedan, and this particular car had the new 6-speed automatic that I felt, for heavy traffic, was probably a better choice than the 5-speed manual, so that's why I chose it. A black hatchback was (supposedly) also on the lot, but I didn't see it (it might have been in the shop getting prepared). So....it was on the with the review.
And yes, though it had some annoyances just like any car does, I was still very pleased with this car...especially by entry-level sub-compact standards. I thought it more pleasant to drive than its slightly larger, more-expensive Chevy Cruze brother (which I've also reviewed). And, compared to the grossly-overpriced Chevy Volt (which, yes, I've also reviewed), this car is a bargain-and-a-half, even at $18,000. I can see why it is selling so briskly. It was (arguably) the best American-nameplate sub-compact I've driven yet. It addresses some of the dash-design and drivetrain shortcomings I found in the rival Ford Fiesta, despite the fact that its highway-mileage is a few-MPG lower.
I won't spill all the beans now, though.............Details coming up.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic 2LT Hatchback.
BASE PRICE: $16,805
OPTIONS:
Inferno Orange Metallic Paint: $195
Connectivity-Plus Package: $525
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $760 (slightly more than average for a small car this size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $18,285
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted 1.8L in-line ECOTEC four, 138 HP @ 6300 RPM, Torque 125 ft-lbs. @ 3800 RPM, 6-speed Sport-shift automatic transmisson.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 25 City / 35 Highway
EXTERIOR COLOR: Inferno Orange Metallic
INTERIOR: Jet-Black/Dark Titanium Cloth
PLUSSES:
5 year/100,000 mile GM powertrain warranty.
Handsome (IMO) front-end styling.
Remote-engine-start in the 2LT model.
Smooth 1.8L ECOTEC four has decent spunk for its size.
Smooth, flexible 6-speed automatic.
Smooth ride by subcompact-standards.
Good insulation/Low wind and road-noise levels.
Very quick, sports-car-like steering response.
Body-lean less than expected.
Excellent, uncluttered underhood layout.
Superb Audi-like paint job (at least in the colors I saw)
Aluminum-alloy-wheels standard on all versions.
Attractive (IMO) two-tone dash/interior.
Surprisingly comfortable front-seats.
Nice, quality-feel seat fabric.
Captain's-Chair-type fold-down armrest for the driver.
Nice fore-aft shift-lever; no annoying zig-zags.
Solid glovebox-latch doesn't feel weak like in some cars.
Simple, no-nonense, well-done dash controls/*****.
Good front headroom/legroom.
Excellent rear headroom for a subcompact.
Nicely-padded sun-visors (rare in entry-level cars, and increasingly hard-to-find in new vehicles)
Standard cargo-lid in the rear.
Generally neat-looking and well-finished cargo-area.
Connectivity-Plus Package has many phone/electronic/On-Star features.
MINUSES:
Brand-new design; long-term reliability unproved.
Currently (at the time of this review) hard to find on dealer-lots.
Outside rear-door handles too high for some children to reach.
Low front-clearance under air-dam for humps/road-obstacles and snow.
6-color paint choice doesn't make sense. (two reds, one orange, black/white/silver)
Orange-metallic paint job costs extra ($195).
Turbo option (apparanantly) not much more spunk than the standard engine (though I didn't test it).
Quirky (IMO) digital speedometer.
Quirky dime-size tunnels for the dash warning-lights.
Bar-graph fuel-gauge OK, but not as clear as analog.
Very tight rear legroom for adults.
Non-locking plastic gas-filler-door.
Thin-feeling, somewhat tinny-closing doors.
No body-side moldings for parking-lot protection.
Relatively small cargo area not roomy despite the high rear roofline.
Too much hard-plastic on the dash and doors, though the nice grainy-pattern helps.
Virtually silent emergency-flashers...no audible click-click.
Cheap-looking console-materials.
Poorly-designed sport-shift button on the transmission-lever.
Triangular-shaped side-mirrors a little small for my tastes.
Relatively wide C-pillars block some rear vision.
Temporary donut spare.
EXTERIOR:
The general overall shape of the new Sonic Hatchback is more-or-less like that of its precedessor Aveo hatchback, especially in the rear, though I found the front-end a little more handsome in its looks. The overall shape is that of a two-box, often used by hatchbacks/wagons/SUVs, which helps with space-efficiency. Nevertheless, the drop-off of the rear-end is right behind the rear-seat and rear-wheels, so the available cargo area, despite the high boxy roofline, is rather small and cramped inside with the rear-seat up. In front is the usual Chevy split-grille with the horizontal bar and ubiquitous gold bow-tie logo...a set-up I like on a number of Chevy products. I liked the look of the front-headlights, which have just enough sweepback to aid a little in the aero-department, but not enough that they look ludicrous, like on some jelly-bean car designs. A small front fairing under the front-bumper adds to the looks a bit, but makes for rather low ground-clearance over humps/bumps, snow, and road-obstacles. A nice marketing practice on the Sonic is that aluminum-alloy wheels are standard on all versions.....there are no stamped-steel whels with cheap-plastic wheel-covers.
In an obvious styling-attempt to make the 5-door hatchback model look like a 3-door hatch, Chevy designers recessed the outside rear-door handles high up on the door-frame, similiar to that of several Nissan SUVs. This can make it difficult for some children to reach up and open the door, though, of course, the Sonic sits lower to the ground than most SUVs. The pull-out rear-handles work horizontally, making it even more awkward for small kids. Of course, engineers put in safety-features to make it harder for small kids to fall out or open the rear-doors from the inside, but I don't see the need to make it difficult for them to get IN from the ouside. But the door handle-design, unless you look closely at the panel-gap of the rear doors, DO make the car look like a 3-door hatch (and a little sportier) than a 5-door.....so, there, the designers were successful.
The outside sheet metal, as typical of many new designs in the attempts to save weight, is noticeably thinner and less-solid-feeling than on the Aveo it replaces, and the doors don't have a very solid "thunk" sound when closing. I sometimes get criticized by another CL members for mentioning thinner/flimsier-feeling sheet metal when he or she may not agree with me, (and I respect their opinions). But in many cases, the sheet metal and doors, on the latest designs, DO feel, to me at least, like they are getting less-substantial (so I'm only being honest when I say that)...though, of course, the vehicle still passes DOT side-impact standards. Also typical of a lot of new designs....there are no body-side mouldings on the Sonic to help prevent parking-lot dings. I know I keep complaining about that like a broken phonograph record, but I'm going to keep mentioning it as long as automakers keep penny-piching on things as simple as this that are needed and can easily be stuck on at the factory.
The paint-jobs on both the red and orange-metallic Sonics in stock were just superb for an entry-level subcompact. I didn't get a chance to look at the black one, but a lot of black paint jobs, today, have orange-peel in them....in some cases, even from Lexus and Audi, which are arguably the best. GM paint, on the whole, has improved enormously in the last 5-7 years (I can remember when the GM and AMC acrylic-lacquer paint jobs, back in the 60s, without clearcoat, would start oxidizing and fading sometimes in only 8-9 months). But the choice of only 6 colors on the Sonic is rather limited, and the color-choice, IMO, doesn't make much sense.....two reds, an orange-metallic, black, white, and silver. And, to top it off, the Orange Metallic costs extra.....$195. At least all 6 colors are available on all Sonic models......a number of cars restrict certain paint-colors to specitic trim-lines, and don't make them available across the board. Anyhow, the Inferno Orange Metallic on my test-car at least gave you what you paid for...it was was superb, glossy and glass-smooth.....fit for a Lexus, if Lexus would use that color.
UNDERHOOD:
Another one of the car's good features is the underhood layout.....this one is excellent. Raise the hood, and you do have to fumble with a manual prop-rod, but that's probably to be expected in an entry-level car like this, so I won't make it a complaint. On the underside of the hood is a nice, and quite thick, insulation pad for this class of car....and it works (more on that later). The transverse-mounted 1.8L ECOTEC four fits in very nicely, with a fair amount of room around all sides of the block for component-access. Chevy, wisely, has omitted the usual plastic engine-cover, so even some things on top of the engine are also easily-accessed. The battery is to the right of the engine, and is uncovered and up front for easy-access. All of the dipsticks, filler-caps, and reservoirs are easily-reached. IMO, all vehicles should be designed like this underhood....easy engine-access, no big plastic covers, and easy-battery access with no covers. But in general, you find it only in entry-level cars. Upmarket vehicles tend to hide everything under covers, which can make service repairs a pain in the a**.
INTERIOR:
I was generally quite pleased with the interior of the 2LT Sonic, though it lacks the excellent wood-tone inserts of the previous upmarket-level Aveo, and the gauge-pod could be improved. Still, for a typical American sub-compact, it was extremely well, done. In fact, IMO, this is what the rival Ford Fiesta should have been like inside.....and isn't.
First off, the black-fabric seats were superbly comfortable, even for a guy with a big frame and torso like mine (Leatherette is available on some versions). The fabric on the seats felt durable and of very high-quality. Headroom is great, both front and rear (the lack of a sunroof-housing helps), but the back seat loses some Brownie-points for the very-restricted leg/footroom. Even with the good headroom and the front-seats adjusted forward, consider it primarily a bench for kids or a package-shelf. The front-seat-adjusters are manual, and generally work well, though the plastic-ring and lever for fore/aft and rake-adjustments are a little awkward to find and grasp.
The two-tone dash was, IMO, handsome-looking, despite the lack of aforementioned wood-tone trim, and featured a nice grain-pattern on the upper-surface and door panels. As with some other lower-priced vehicles, a lot of hard-plastic is used just about everywhere inside...but, like the current-generation Subaru Impreza/Forester, most of it is well-done, good-looking plastic. The console trim was done in an unimpressive, dull, cheap-looking dark-gray-tone plastic. One nice surprise, though (and something I wasn't expecting) was the nicely-padded sun visors....padded visors are getting harder to find even in new medium-priced models, much less entry-level subcompacts. The headliner-material was done in a nice fabric, but didn't feel quite as soft. The steering wheel, like in other newer Chevy products, was (IMO) handsome, had nice two-tone spokes, and was comfortable to hold.
Most of the hardware inside was solid-feeling and well-done, especially the glove-box-latch (a weak-point on many vehicles), and the trim was well-attached. The buttons/*****/controls were well-attached, clear and easy-to-use, and well-arranged. The whole center-dash area was a marvel of simplicity and attractiveness.......an enormous improvement, IMO, over that of the rival Ford Fiesta, whose silver-plastic, overstyled, and too-cluttered center-dash area looks like it came from a 1950's juke-box.
I wasn't terribly impressed, though, with the design of the primary gauge-pod behind the steering-wheel, which looked added-on and rather tacky. The very large analog-tach is easy to read, but has a ragged, erose-shaped ring around it, and the speedometer, next to it, is digital rather than analog....I've never been a fan of digital-speedometers. The fuel-gauge is a vertical, slightly-curved bar-graph that, while legible, would be better-off analog. I didn't see an engine-temperature gauge...a disturbing trend in a number of new-vehicle designs, due, no doubt to cost-cutting (an idiot-light bulb, of course, is cheaper than a gauge). The other warning-lights are all recessed in tiny, dime-sized tunnels carved in the plastic-trim of the upper and lower edges of the pod. OK, but gimmicky. And even Grandpa's and Grandma's hearing-aid won't help much with the emergency-flashers, which flick the usual green-arrows on-and-off, but, with no audible click-click, are virtually silent in operation.
Oops.....I made one omission in the interior review (sorry). Though I sampled the stereo system's *****/buttons/controls for ease-of-use, I forgot to actually note the stereo-speaker's sound-quality like I usually do (sometimes I just listen to local radio-stations on it; sometimes I have my own CD to play). So, unfortunately, I can't comment on how well it actually sounded....but other stereo systems in small GM cars I've tried lately (Volt, Cruze, etc.....) didn't seem to have any problem assaulting one's ears with high-quality sound.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK.
In spite of the relatively high, conservative, squared-off roofline, the cargo area in back is not particularly roomy, due to the rear-window being just behind the rear-seat and rear-wheels. Lift the hatch, and the usable-space for cargo is fairly high, but rather short from front to back. The trim-level for the cargo area, though not luxury-car-like, is not bad for a vehicle of this class. A panel-board, covered with nice black fabric, is secured to the hatch-lid and opens/closes with it, protecting valuables in the trunk from prying eyes. It can be detached, and the split-rear-seat folded, for additional cargo room.....but even with the rear seat down, this is not a Chevy Suburban by any means. It can carry taller cargo than the Sonic sedan, but you won't be able to stuff a lot of large items into it. The cargo-floor is nicely-covered with a thin but nice-feeling black-carpet, and the walls on either-side are fairly soft-feeling plastic. Under the trunk floor is a small temporary donut-sized spare instead of a real one. Normally I would complain about that, but, in this case, the well-compartment under the floor is probably too small to hold a real spare, even with the Sonic's fairly-small-sized wheel/tire combination.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the 1.8L ECOTEC four with a conventional key and side-column ignition switch (my 2LT also included a remote-start system), and the engine idles with far more smoothness and quietness than the GM in-line fours of years ago.....some of which seemingly belonged in a farm-tractor. Still not quite Lexus-smooth or quiet, but you can really tell the difference. The engine remains reasonably smooth and quiet (by small 4-cylinder standards under load, and definitely feels stronger than its rated-125 ft-lbs of torque would suggest. A 1.4L Turbo-model is upcoming, but, IMO, is probably not needed....the standard engine is more-than-adequate. Some of this smooth power, of course, can be credited to the new and more-efficient 6-speed Sport-Shift automatic, which is light-years ahead of the old 4-speed it replaces. The new transmission, though, good as it is, does have one fly in the ointment, though....a poorly-designed button/rocker-switch on the left-side of the shift-lever which controls the manual Sport-Shift function. You push in the top of the switch to upshift, and the bottom of the switch to downshift. Simple in concept, but the switch is hard to feel by finger-sense alone, and too often you accidentally can push it the wrong way, giving you a higher or lower gear than you want. Chevy would have done better to simply use paddle-shifts for the manual-function, like many other cars do.
The new chassis is as impressive, if not more so, than the new powertrain, especially by econocar-standards. Gone is the former Aveo's unsophisticated, toy-car feeling on the road.....replaced by a chassis that would (almost) be at home in a small BMW this size. Steering-response, on the 2LT, was almost sports-car-quick, especially at low speeds, and body-lean, while not absent, was less than expected for a relatively tall, narrow car like this. Ride-comfort was significantly above the usual econocar/subcompact norm, perhaps because of the relatively small 15-inch alloy wheels and high-profile all-season tires on my test-car (16" and 17' alloy wheels are available on more up-market models). The wheel-wells and window-seals, for a car of this class, appeared to be quite well insulated....while it was not tomb-quiet like a Lexus LS460, relatively little road or wind noise, for a car of this class, got through to the cabin. The brakes, of course, don't stop Porsche-911-quick, but have smooth/even response, a reasonably-firm pedal, and my big size-15 circus-clown shoes only have a very minor hang-up on the pedal-location when going from gas to brake. The current brakes are front-disc/rear-drum, which is typical for this class, but the upcoming Turbo model may (?) include 4-wheel discs...those specs haven't been finalized yet for the U.S.market.
THE VERDICT:
Well, guys, I wasn't necessarily like a kid with a new Christmas-toy, but I would be lying to you if I said I wasn't very impressed with this new entry-level car from Chevy.....especially compared to some of the junk GM has given us for small cars in the past. The former Aveo top-line 2LT (which the Sonic replaces) may have had richer interior-trim and slick wood-tone paneling inside, but its chassis, powertrain, noise-isolation, and general road manners weren't even in the same galaxy as this car. The Sonic addresses several of the of the shortcomings of its rival Ford Fiesta, most notably the Fiesta's quirky/confusing center-dash design (though the Sonic's secondary-gauge-pod is just as quirky), and the Fiesta's tendency to bog down on initial-acceleration with its twin-clutch auto-manual transmission. In general, IMO, the Sonic performs just as well or better as every other U.S.-market entry-level car in this league....Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, Suzuki SX-4 (though the Suzuki has standard AWD fror bad-weather), Nissan Versa, Mazda2, and Fiat 500.....though it doesn't have the Fiat's personality and superb paint-color choice.
Keep in mind, though, that the Sonic is an all-new vehicle, and has not been proven in long-term reliability....and, despite the long GM 5/100 powertrain warranty, will be somewhat of a purchase-gamble. GM, despite the definite improvement in many of their newer products, doesn't have a history of producing Toyota/Honda-reliable cars in their first production-years (the first Saturns of 1990 were notable exceptions). And, over and above that, like any car, the Sonic has some flaws. The rear-seat headroom is fine for adults, but the Munchkin-legroom relegates it pretty much to kiddy or package-shelf-status. The cargo area, even in the hatchback, is not something you'd want for a Marlo's furniture-sale. The outside rear-door handles, automanual shift-button, and secondary-gauge-pod, IMO, all need a redesign. Give us a few more paint-colors, and take the $195 surcharge off the orange-metallic. And please.....even cars in this class get door dings, so put some factory side mouldings on.
The obvious question is if one should wait for the turbo model before springing for the present one. While I can't speak for each potential Sonic buyer, my opinion, right now, would generally be no. The road manners on the 2LT model are already excellent for this class, it has more spunk than the figures would indicate (the turbo's will supposedly have the same HP and only a little more torque), the handling is excellent, and the ride-comfort of the 2LT is one of the best in the sub-compact class (the turbo's larger 17" wheels and lower-profile tires will probably stiffen it up).
So, there, you have it. I found this car comfortable to sit in (as long as you're up front) pleasant to drive, and generally enjoyed the review. Good job, Chevy.
In the future, perhaps next year, an even smaller Chevy will debut...the Spark minicar, which will more-or-less compete with the present Smart-for-Two and the upcoming Scion iQ. I personally feel that cars of this size are simply too small for American driving conditions, but I already have CL-review-requests for both the Spark and the iQ, so I will look at them whenever they debut.
As always, of course......Happy Car Shopping.
MM
Last edited by mmarshall; 10-18-11 at 01:58 PM.
10-18-11, 02:55 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
10-18-11, 02:59 PM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
awesome review. I wasnt even aware this thing was in the pipeline. I think the euro influence is making it into our cars here. Better build quality, higher efficiency, and smaller cars is what we will be getting.
10-18-11, 05:41 PM
#6
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks.
I wasnt even aware this thing was in the pipeline. I think the euro influence is making it into our cars here. Better build quality, higher efficiency, and smaller cars is what we will be getting.
10-18-11, 05:47 PM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Just rode around in the new Cruze today and the materials all felt pretty good and solid.
Trending Topics
10-18-11, 08:53 PM
#8
Great review Mike!
I'm a Ford guy through and through, but I'll give GM kudos for much of their engineering and design heck look at flourishing Buick. To the article at hand, the Sonic is miles ahead of the "pathetic" Aveo. Seems even if you buy subcompact anymore, your treated to decent if not good materials, craftsmanship and assembly.
The design is pretty bold IMO (especially that nose) and bound to turn a few heads. I'm definitely more partial to the sedan than the hatch. From a subjective design standpoint, I think it'll outshine the Versa, Fit, Mazda2 and Yaris which all seem a little ho-hum, but the Fiesta and Rio are still some of the best looking subcompacts IMO.
As for the interior (referencing the pic below), I'm not a fan of the design layout and much prefer two analog gauges than a tach and single digital speedometer. Materials seem very good for a car of this class, and personally I'm loving the two tone color in this cabin. The saddle and black dash and aluminum center stack blend beautifully IMO. And if my eyes don't deceive me, I think I see saddle colored stitching in the seats
.
I really like the new 1.4L I4 Turbo that they are implementing, and 6-speed manual/auto transmission options are great offerings. Wish the Fiesta and Focus offered a 6-speed manual (albeit the ST versions may have them) as well as the Yaris and Fit, but I digress. Definitely interesting in a comparo between Ecotec and EcoBoost in the future!
I'm a Ford guy through and through, but I'll give GM kudos for much of their engineering and design heck look at flourishing Buick. To the article at hand, the Sonic is miles ahead of the "pathetic" Aveo. Seems even if you buy subcompact anymore, your treated to decent if not good materials, craftsmanship and assembly.
The design is pretty bold IMO (especially that nose) and bound to turn a few heads. I'm definitely more partial to the sedan than the hatch. From a subjective design standpoint, I think it'll outshine the Versa, Fit, Mazda2 and Yaris which all seem a little ho-hum, but the Fiesta and Rio are still some of the best looking subcompacts IMO.
As for the interior (referencing the pic below), I'm not a fan of the design layout and much prefer two analog gauges than a tach and single digital speedometer. Materials seem very good for a car of this class, and personally I'm loving the two tone color in this cabin. The saddle and black dash and aluminum center stack blend beautifully IMO. And if my eyes don't deceive me, I think I see saddle colored stitching in the seats
.I really like the new 1.4L I4 Turbo that they are implementing, and 6-speed manual/auto transmission options are great offerings. Wish the Fiesta and Focus offered a 6-speed manual (albeit the ST versions may have them) as well as the Yaris and Fit, but I digress. Definitely interesting in a comparo between Ecotec and EcoBoost in the future!
10-18-11, 09:51 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
interior is amazing for an econobox.
great review as usual.
great review as usual.
10-18-11, 10:57 PM
#11
Lexus Champion
This is General Motors idea of small, basic four-wheeled transportation............and surprisingly, it seems well done.
And wow, two-toned interior on a car of this price range and class. It's not something you see everyday
And wow, two-toned interior on a car of this price range and class. It's not something you see everyday
10-18-11, 11:57 PM
#12
Lexus Test Driver
Interesting and surprising car. For many decades, one could not trust GM with their compacts. This seems to be a car that truly turns the corner. If they'd just get rid of the silly, toyish motorcylce gauges...
10-19-11, 06:21 AM
#13
Turbo specs are on the Chevy site.... 138 HP (same as non turbo) @ 4900 rpm (1400 lower than non turbo) and 148 lb-ft of torque @ 1850 rpm (23 lb-ft more at 1950 lower rpm)
Last edited by pbm317; 10-19-11 at 06:25 AM.
10-19-11, 08:02 AM
#15
A bit relevant:
For some reason, Chevy is going to launch a Sonic off this huge tower right by my condo in Downtown Long Beach. Each red crate is an industrial shipping crate, so you get an idea on how big it is.
Link: http://letsdothis.com/ (It's a live shot of the car as it prepares to be catapulted...)
For some reason, Chevy is going to launch a Sonic off this huge tower right by my condo in Downtown Long Beach. Each red crate is an industrial shipping crate, so you get an idea on how big it is.
Link: http://letsdothis.com/ (It's a live shot of the car as it prepares to be catapulted...)