Chevrolet Sonic History
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The Chevrolet Sonic is an all-new small-car model for 2012. While it follows in the tracks of the Chevrolet Aveo, and the Chevrolet (Geo) Metro and Sprint before it, the Sonic is larger and more substantial then those models, as well as some other subcompacts—leaving room for a new, smaller Chevrolet Spark minicompact that will be introduced for 2013.
It's no surprise that Chevrolet opted to rename the Aveo, which had ended up being a favorite of bargain-hunting rental-car companies and fleet managers, but maligned for its lackluster safety ratings, unimpressive fuel economy, and poor resale value.
Compared to the Aveo, the Sonic promises far superior refinement, safety, and performance, and GM jumps from the back of the segment to near the front of the pack in most respects. Built on an all-new global small-car platform (the only one in its class assembled in the U.S.), and borrowing some core powertrain components (including both engines) from the larger Cruze sedan, the Sonic has a promising foundation—and can be had in attractive five-door hatchback or four-door sedan forms.
Between those two body styles, sedans are about a foot longer, and in our opinion their styling doesn't look like an afterthought. Trunk space for the sedans is surprisingly vast, although the versatility of the hatchbacks is hard to beat.
Base versions of the Sonic come with a normally aspirated 1.8-liter four-cylinder, but it's the turbocharged, 1.4-liter (1.4T) engine that's the pick of the lineup, for its fatter torque curve and smoother, more refined demeanor. With either engine you can choose between a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, and nicely weighted steering helps give it a nimble but confident feel. Overall, it's supremely comfortable, refined, and tight, with less road noise than most other small cars. Interior comfort is quite good, too, although the Sonic still doesn't have a package that's as intensely space-efficient for cargo versatility as that of the Honda Fit.
Gas mileage for the Sonic is also much better than the Aveo. With EPA highway ratings that hit the 40-mpg sweet spot (with the 1.4T; other models get slightly lower), the Sonic rivals the best in this class, while performing somewhat better.
Standard equipment in the Sonic includes keyless entry, air conditioning, and alloy wheels, even on base models. To get some tech essentials, like a USB audio input and Bluetooth, you'll need to reach up to the LT or LTZ, but even then a loaded LTZ, with upgraded interior trim, costs less than $20k.
