If I’m totally honest, Chevrolet has never turned my crank in the subcompact market. The Aveo to me was simply a car you bought only if you were looking for a small car and had a bank account to match. Yes, I know they sold quite well, but so did Chia Pets, and I never saw much in those either!
It was with this in my head that I travelled down to collect GM’s latest sub-compact offering, the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. Now perhaps they’d read my mind, or were simply out to impress an aging jaded journalist, but what they handed me were the keys to the 1.4L Turbo six-speed LTZ.
I have to admit to being reasonably impressed when I first saw it in the parking lot. The Sonic Turbo LTZ sits squarely on the floor and has more than a hint of sportiness. The aluminum wheels are pleasing to the eye, and even more so when I discovered that alloy wheels are standard fitment across the range.
The chiseled appearance of the front speaks volumes to the new wave of styling going into GM products today. The Sonic is leaps ahead of the old Aveo.
The same could be said for the interior. In fact, for a vehicle in this price range (from $14,495 to $20,995+), it’s pretty sharp. The motorcycle-inspired dashboard takes a little getting used to with its large rev counter and smaller digital speedo, but it works remarkably well and suits the vehicle.
Obviously, a DOHC 1.4L 138-hp motor is not going to set the world alight, turbo and 16 valve or not, but keep a watchful eye on that cool rev counter and hold the engine in its sweet spot, and this little car doesn’t disappoint. On the other hand, play Steady Betty on the gas pedal and change up through the six-speed box at the right times, and this little pup should provide pretty decent fuel economy (7.3/5.1 are the figures quoted, although I feel a decent gear-shifter could actually better these).
The Sonic Turbo LTZ cruises comfortably on the highway, and because of the rather tall sixth gear, uses very few revs to maintain highway speeds. However, should you need to pull out and overtake, be prepared to drop down a cog or two! That’s not a negative in my book, as I view this as the correct way to shift gears, especially when you have six of them to play with. Why not have an overdrive top gear and take advantage of greater fuel savings on the highway? I’m more than comfortable with that idea and I wish some of the other manufacturers would take note.
Running the back roads north of Toronto revealed the only fly in the ointment. The suspension still harkens back towards that light and fluffy North American ride from days gone by. This vehicle could benefit from some slightly stiffer units, particularly on the front. The brakes work exceptionally well, perhaps the best at this end of the market, but the weight transfer when you jump on them is a tad unnerving.
The same could be said while throwing the Sonic around the twisty side roads in my neighbourhood. It’s not that there’s anything drastically wrong with a softer-riding comfortable vehicle, it’s just that in a car that feels sporty in every other way, it seems out of place. Apart from that one personal bugbear, the Sonic is a pleasure to drive. In fact, I would be quite happy to own one of these as my everyday vehicle.
I find the pricing reasonable as well although, given the tough competition it’s up against and the fact that GM arrived at the table rather late, I feel the company could have shaved this a tad and achieved greater impact.
Shoppers are bound to start comparing this new GM with the Ford Fiesta, the Mazda2, the Hyundai Accent, the Honda Fit and probably several others. All of these are great vehicles in their own rights, but GM has certainly thrown a wrench into the works with its new Sonic. It has the looks, is well-tailored inside, and given the odd price incentive GM will no doubt throw in occasionally, the Sonic looks to be a good buy.
Note: Of course, as the Sonic Turbo only comes as a six-speed, if you want to enjoy the exact car as I tested, you’re going to need to learn stick shift, if you haven’t already been smart enough to do so.
It was with this in my head that I travelled down to collect GM’s latest sub-compact offering, the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. Now perhaps they’d read my mind, or were simply out to impress an aging jaded journalist, but what they handed me were the keys to the 1.4L Turbo six-speed LTZ.
I have to admit to being reasonably impressed when I first saw it in the parking lot. The Sonic Turbo LTZ sits squarely on the floor and has more than a hint of sportiness. The aluminum wheels are pleasing to the eye, and even more so when I discovered that alloy wheels are standard fitment across the range.
The chiseled appearance of the front speaks volumes to the new wave of styling going into GM products today. The Sonic is leaps ahead of the old Aveo.
The same could be said for the interior. In fact, for a vehicle in this price range (from $14,495 to $20,995+), it’s pretty sharp. The motorcycle-inspired dashboard takes a little getting used to with its large rev counter and smaller digital speedo, but it works remarkably well and suits the vehicle.
Obviously, a DOHC 1.4L 138-hp motor is not going to set the world alight, turbo and 16 valve or not, but keep a watchful eye on that cool rev counter and hold the engine in its sweet spot, and this little car doesn’t disappoint. On the other hand, play Steady Betty on the gas pedal and change up through the six-speed box at the right times, and this little pup should provide pretty decent fuel economy (7.3/5.1 are the figures quoted, although I feel a decent gear-shifter could actually better these).
The Sonic Turbo LTZ cruises comfortably on the highway, and because of the rather tall sixth gear, uses very few revs to maintain highway speeds. However, should you need to pull out and overtake, be prepared to drop down a cog or two! That’s not a negative in my book, as I view this as the correct way to shift gears, especially when you have six of them to play with. Why not have an overdrive top gear and take advantage of greater fuel savings on the highway? I’m more than comfortable with that idea and I wish some of the other manufacturers would take note.
Running the back roads north of Toronto revealed the only fly in the ointment. The suspension still harkens back towards that light and fluffy North American ride from days gone by. This vehicle could benefit from some slightly stiffer units, particularly on the front. The brakes work exceptionally well, perhaps the best at this end of the market, but the weight transfer when you jump on them is a tad unnerving.
The same could be said while throwing the Sonic around the twisty side roads in my neighbourhood. It’s not that there’s anything drastically wrong with a softer-riding comfortable vehicle, it’s just that in a car that feels sporty in every other way, it seems out of place. Apart from that one personal bugbear, the Sonic is a pleasure to drive. In fact, I would be quite happy to own one of these as my everyday vehicle.
I find the pricing reasonable as well although, given the tough competition it’s up against and the fact that GM arrived at the table rather late, I feel the company could have shaved this a tad and achieved greater impact.
Shoppers are bound to start comparing this new GM with the Ford Fiesta, the Mazda2, the Hyundai Accent, the Honda Fit and probably several others. All of these are great vehicles in their own rights, but GM has certainly thrown a wrench into the works with its new Sonic. It has the looks, is well-tailored inside, and given the odd price incentive GM will no doubt throw in occasionally, the Sonic looks to be a good buy.
Note: Of course, as the Sonic Turbo only comes as a six-speed, if you want to enjoy the exact car as I tested, you’re going to need to learn stick shift, if you haven’t already been smart enough to do so.
Road Tests and Reviews
Experts
Consumers
2012 Chevrolet Sonic
Review Highlights
Article Gallery