2013 Chevrolet Sonic vs. Its Competition

Meta Rating 8.2 out of 10

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Our expert editors build comparisons like this one to make it easy for you to understand the small handful of cars you should compare to whatever car you are already looking at. You get general thoughts on each car you should consider plus an easy way to compare basic information for yourself.

Bengt Halvorson

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Apr 1, 2013

Last year (2012) was a pivotal model year for small cars, as the Sonic was all new and several other models its size were completely redesigned.

Of those, the Honda Fit is one of the most dated designs, yet it remains the class champ in many practical aspects; it's still the roomiest, and it has amazing cargo versatility, although it lacks refinement.

The Ford Fiesta has crisp and responsive handling, and more steering feedback than the Sonic, but with a sometimes-lurchy dual-clutch automatic and rather harsh ride, not everyone will find it to their liking.

The Toyota Yaris was also redesigned last year, and while it's styled quite tastefully it's just not as refined or full-featured for the money as some other cars here.

For those concerned primarily with the feature list, the Hyundai Accent is perhaps the best deal; but it's not quite as fun to drive as some of these other entries (including the Sonic).

The Kia Rio is closely related to the Accent, but with a different feature set and somewhat sharper handling, it has more of a Euro style.

2013 Chevrolet Sonic Get FREE Price Quote	2013 Ford Fiesta Get FREE Price Quote	2013 Honda Fit Get FREE Price Quote	2013 Hyundai Accent Get FREE Price Quote	2013 Toyota Yaris Get FREE Price Quote
Quick Specs
Meta Rating
8.2 The 2013 Chevrolet Sonic swaps econobox blues for sporty driving feel as well as safety, refinement, and comfort.	7.6 Small cars don't need to be bland--the 2013 Ford Fiesta proves that with a saucy look and pert handling.	7.8 If you're not turned off by the utilitarian look of the 2013 Honda Fit, you'll like what you get, which is awesome practicality and space-efficiency, plus some driving verve.	7.2 The 2013 Hyundai Accent is one of the best-equipped small cars, and it gets very good gas mileage, but it's not quite as exciting to drive as it looks.	7.2 The 2013 Toyota Yaris holds true to its promise as a maneuverable, economical car for city commuting--with a cheerful, well-designed interior--but highway refinement and weak performance are major drawbacks.
MSRP From
$14,185	$13,200	$15,425	$14,545	$14,370
Gas Mileage
25 MPG City / 35 MPG Hwy	29 MPG City / 39 MPG Hwy	27 MPG City / 35 MPG Hwy	28 MPG City / 37 MPG Hwy	30 MPG City / 37 MPG Hwy
Engine
Gas I4	Gas I4	Gas I4	Gas I4	Gas I4
EPA Class
Subcompact Cars	Subcompact	Small Station Wagon	Compact Cars	Subcompact Cars
Style Name
4dr Sedan Manual LS	4dr Sedan S	5dr HB Man	4dr Sedan Man GLS	3dr Liftback Man L (Natl)
Drivetrain
Front Wheel Drive	Front Wheel Drive	Front Wheel Drive	Front Wheel Drive	Front Wheel Drive
Passenger Capacity
5	5	5	5	5
Passenger Doors
4	4	N/A	N/A	N/A
Body Style
Sedan	Sedan	Hatchback	Sedan	Hatchback
Transmission
Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual