So overwhelmingly undesirable was the Chevrolet Aveo that it elicited an automatic “yes, please” to the Hertz agent’s “suggestion” that you spend $10 more per day for a compact car. At best, the Aveo was the punch line to a thousand late night comedian jokes.
On the face of it – literally – this reborn Aveo, marketed as the Chevrolet Sonic to North American buyers, kind of looks like the old car. However, an all-new platform, a vastly improved interior and a newfound attention to driving dynamics means that it shares little with its predecessor other than a nameplate and a position in the marketplace.
But Sonic must compete in an increasingly competitive, if still not especially lucrative, subcompact market, a segment bean counters reluctantly admit will grow exponentially over the next few years as buyers migrate to less-expensive cars. Does it measure up to much-ballyhooed rivals from Ford, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota… who would have thought that everyone would want a slice of this pie?
What is it?
Engineered by GM’s Korean operations, the same outfit that slapped together the old Aveo, the new Sonic is really nothing like its predecessor. In the years since the old Aveo was released, GM took complete control of the former GM Daewoo and decided to utilize the Asian arm to develop small global products. The first effort to take major advantage of this new symbiosis was the Chevy Cruze, a genuinely world-class compact sedan.
Both sedan and five-door hatchback configurations of the Sonic are available. Like many subcompacts, the Sonic’s tall and skinny proportions seem to work better with the extra doors – at least in our eyes.
Our tester was a mid-to-upper level 2LT, but it featured the standard 1.8-liter, 138-horsepower four-cylinder, rather than the optional 1.4-liter, 138-horsepower four-cylinder. But what’s the difference, you ask? The 1.4 features a turbocharger that gives it a torque advantage – 148 lb-ft. at just 1,850 rpm, compared to our tester’s 125 lb-ft. at 3,800 rpm. That extra 23 lb-ft. at a much more accessible place in the rev range will run buyers an extra $700, but only for the LTZ range-topping trim level, meaning most Sonics will be optioned up about like our tester.
As a result of its lower-rung powertrain, our Sonic was rated at a mediocre 25/35 mpg according to the EPA. Those figures are a tough sell in an era where 40 mpg is the marketing buzzword of choice.
What’s it up against?
The subcompact segment for 2012 looks nothing like it did just a few years ago. Now, the competition includes genuinely good subcompacts like the Ford Fiesta, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, Mazda Mazda2 and Toyota Yaris offer a real rivalry to segment stalwart Honda Fit.
Sonic slots in at the top of the range, where it competes for higher-rung buyers with the similarly pricey Ford Fiesta.
Any breakthroughs?
Like most subcompacts, Sonic is short on genuine breakthroughs, but it does display a good deal of out-of-the-box thinking. Take the all-in-one gauge cluster for instance. Not only does it save General Motors a few bucks in component costs, its sport bike-cribbed design is positively cool.
Then there’s the inclusion of a good deal of standard features on every model, like GM’s vaunted OnStar with free navigation for six months and alloy wheels in place of hubcaps.
What’s it look like?
Aside from the garish Inferno Orange (which netted the nickname “not-so-great-pumpkin” since our tester was delivered to Leftlane around Halloween), Sonic is a pleasantly upscale-looking five-door. A big front grille serves as an obvious link to other Chevrolets, while complex headlamps complete the look.
From the side, our tester’s hidden rear door handles (they’re in the massive C-pillars) give it a three-door hatchback look. Sixteen-inch alloy wheels look a bit dainty compared to the 17s you’ll find on the range-topping trim level, but at least they’re not ugly hubcaps.
Keep walking around Sonic and you’ll find an especially upright tail with tail lamps at least as busy as those up front. Stand back and you’ll realize that the Sonic’s proportions aren’t much different than those of its Aveo predecessor. In fact, one valet even referred to our car as an Aveo when he was asking us to move it out of the way for a Bentley (typical!). While Aveo doesn’t exactly have a sterling reputation here, it was integral in expanding Chevrolet in several major foreign markets, so the familiar style is by no means an accident.
And on the inside?
Swathed in a dull gray cloth, our not-so-great-pumpkin’s interior stood in stark contrast to the exterior. But, after a few minutes behind the wheel, we found plenty to like in terms of the design.
Charlike, supportive seats feel like they could have come out of a luxury car (albeit one with an interior wrapped in tough cloth). The driver gets a fold-down armrest, while the passenger is left to either stretch out and fight or throw up the white flag and keep their arms to themselves.
The dashboard generally follows the dual-cowl approach of other Chevrolet products, although the retro vibe is not nearly as apparent here as it is in, say, a Malibu. Radio and climate controls are easy to operate thanks in part to effective steering wheel-mounted controls. That steering wheel itself feels good aside from the absence of leather wrapping, something we think should be included at well over $18,000 as-tested.
In fact, we were generally pleased with the Sonic’s interior digs until we checked out the bottom line. For that price, we’d hope to see at least a few “wow” options, like, say, butt warmers or a perimeter key with push-button start. While there’s little reason to complain about this well screwed-together interior made of nicely-grained, if not soft touch, materials, there’s nothing that really makes it stand out.
But does it go?
As we stated earlier, our tester featured GM’s tried-and-true 1.8-liter Ecotec four-cylinder. With GM’s DCVCP – that’s an acronym for Double Continuous Variable Cam Phasing, essentially variable valve timing – it’s an engine you’ll also find in base Chevrolet Cruzes and even the short-lived Saturn Astra.
As such, this isn’t our first rodeo with this engine or its six-speed automatic transmission, a bucking bronco of sorts that almost feels like a dual clutch unit in its periodically lunging shifts. In a bid to save fuel, the transmission shifts up as quickly as possible, sometimes resulting in a shift quality that borders on nauseating. Driven hard, the transmission seems to figure itself out better, but it’s generally a confusing and unpleasant device akin in many ways to the true dual clutch Ford uses. We saw this same effect in our first 2011 Chevrolet Cruze tester, which featured the 1.4-liter turbo, but subsequent 2012 Cruzes with the same engine and transmission combination felt far better behaved.
The transmission features a manual shift toggle switch on the side of its lever, but we found that this only made shifts more predictable, not smoother.
Aside from its tendency to be in too high a gear during especially light driving, the powertrain generally feels fairly robust. Upper rpm revving brings with it copious growl from the engine room, but the sound is that of a consistent rumble rather than the cacophony we’ve noted from Hyundai’s small four-cylinders.
Our recommendation? If you’re set on a Sonic, consider the turbo 1.4 for its all-around smoothness.
Luckily, Sonic also shares big brother Cruze’s refined and docile demeanor. Handling falls short of sporty, but the steering is accurate and nicely weighted, while grip and lean in corners feels well-checked all around. We hit a curvy road and enjoyed the Sonic more than almost any other subcompact aside from the featherweight Mazda2. But Sonic’s highway ride and limited road and wind noise certainly make it the better companion.
As for fuel consumption, we pegged the government’s highway figure and actually slightly exceeded the 28 mpg combined number.
Why you would buy it:
You’re looking for an expressive five-door subcompact.
Why you wouldn’t:
A Cruze parked across the dealer lot might run you $15 more a month.
Leftlane’s bottom line
After being wowed by the Cruze, we expected to be blown away by the Sonic. That didn’t quite happen. Certainly a vast improvement over its predecessor, Sonic nonetheless lacks the powertrain refinement and the value quotient to really merit our top recommendation.
Still, Sonic is a mostly likeable five-door with a generally upmarket feel not found in most rivals. If you’re smitten by the style, opt for the turbo, but be prepared to pay for the experience.
2012 Chevrolet Sonic 5-Door 2LT base price, $16,805. As tested, $18,580.
Connectivity Plus Cruise package, $525; Wheels and Fog Lamp package, $295; Inferno Orange Metallic, $195; Destination, $760.
Words and photos by Andrew Ganz.
Review: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic 2LT
Reviewed by
Andrew Ganz on
November 15
.
Chevrolet’s newest small car is nothing like the Aveo it replaces. But is it at the top of its class?
So overwhelmingly undesirable was the Chevrolet Aveo that it elicited an automatic “yes, please” to the Hertz agent’s “suggestion” that you spend $10 more per day for a compact car. At best, the Aveo was the punch line to a thousand late night comedian jokes.
On the face of it – literally – this reborn Aveo, marketed as the Chevrolet Sonic to North American buyers, kind of looks like the old car. However, an all-new platform, a vastly improved interior and a newfound attention to driving dynamics means that it shares little with its predecessor other than a nameplate and a position in the marketplace.
But Sonic must compete in an increasingly competitive, if still not especially lucrative, subcompact market, a segment bean counters reluctantly admit will grow exponentially over the next few years as buyers migrate to less-expensive cars. Does it measure up to much-ballyhooed rivals from Ford, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota… who would have thought that everyone would want a slice of this pie?
What is it?
Engineered by GM’s Korean operations, the same outfit that slapped together the old Aveo, the new Sonic is really nothing like its predecessor. In the years since the old Aveo was released, GM took complete control of the former GM Daewoo and decided to utilize the Asian arm to develop small global products. The first effort to take major advantage of this new symbiosis was the Chevy Cruze, a genuinely world-class compact sedan.
Both sedan and five-door hatchback configurations of the Sonic are available. Like many subcompacts, the Sonic’s tall and skinny proportions seem to work better with the extra doors – at least in our eyes.
Our tester was a mid-to-upper level 2LT, but it featured the standard 1.8-liter, 138-horsepower four-cylinder, rather than the optional 1.4-liter, 138-horsepower four-cylinder. But what’s the difference, you ask? The 1.4 features a turbocharger that gives it a torque advantage – 148 lb-ft. at just 1,850 rpm, compared to our tester’s 125 lb-ft. at 3,800 rpm. That extra 23 lb-ft. at a much more accessible place in the rev range will run buyers an extra $700, but only for the LTZ range-topping trim level, meaning most Sonics will be optioned up about like our tester.
As a result of its lower-rung powertrain, our Sonic was rated at a mediocre 25/35 mpg according to the EPA. Those figures are a tough sell in an era where 40 mpg is the marketing buzzword of choice.
What’s it up against?
The subcompact segment for 2012 looks nothing like it did just a few years ago. Now, the competition includes genuinely good subcompacts like the Ford Fiesta, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, Mazda Mazda2 and Toyota Yaris offer a real rivalry to segment stalwart Honda Fit.
Sonic slots in at the top of the range, where it competes for higher-rung buyers with the similarly pricey Ford Fiesta.
Any breakthroughs?
Like most subcompacts, Sonic is short on genuine breakthroughs, but it does display a good deal of out-of-the-box thinking. Take the all-in-one gauge cluster for instance. Not only does it save General Motors a few bucks in component costs, its sport bike-cribbed design is positively cool.
Then there’s the inclusion of a good deal of standard features on every model, like GM’s vaunted OnStar with free navigation for six months and alloy wheels in place of hubcaps.
What’s it look like?
Aside from the garish Inferno Orange (which netted the nickname “not-so-great-pumpkin” since our tester was delivered to Leftlane around Halloween), Sonic is a pleasantly upscale-looking five-door. A big front grille serves as an obvious link to other Chevrolets, while complex headlamps complete the look.
From the side, our tester’s hidden rear door handles (they’re in the massive C-pillars) give it a three-door hatchback look. Sixteen-inch alloy wheels look a bit dainty compared to the 17s you’ll find on the range-topping trim level, but at least they’re not ugly hubcaps.
Keep walking around Sonic and you’ll find an especially upright tail with tail lamps at least as busy as those up front. Stand back and you’ll realize that the Sonic’s proportions aren’t much different than those of its Aveo predecessor. In fact, one valet even referred to our car as an Aveo when he was asking us to move it out of the way for a Bentley (typical!). While Aveo doesn’t exactly have a sterling reputation here, it was integral in expanding Chevrolet in several major foreign markets, so the familiar style is by no means an accident.
And on the inside?
Swathed in a dull gray cloth, our not-so-great-pumpkin’s interior stood in stark contrast to the exterior. But, after a few minutes behind the wheel, we found plenty to like in terms of the design.
Charlike, supportive seats feel like they could have come out of a luxury car (albeit one with an interior wrapped in tough cloth). The driver gets a fold-down armrest, while the passenger is left to either stretch out and fight or throw up the white flag and keep their arms to themselves.
The dashboard generally follows the dual-cowl approach of other Chevrolet products, although the retro vibe is not nearly as apparent here as it is in, say, a Malibu. Radio and climate controls are easy to operate thanks in part to effective steering wheel-mounted controls. That steering wheel itself feels good aside from the absence of leather wrapping, something we think should be included at well over $18,000 as-tested.
In fact, we were generally pleased with the Sonic’s interior digs until we checked out the bottom line. For that price, we’d hope to see at least a few “wow” options, like, say, butt warmers or a perimeter key with push-button start. While there’s little reason to complain about this well screwed-together interior made of nicely-grained, if not soft touch, materials, there’s nothing that really makes it stand out.
But does it go?
As we stated earlier, our tester featured GM’s tried-and-true 1.8-liter Ecotec four-cylinder. With GM’s DCVCP – that’s an acronym for Double Continuous Variable Cam Phasing, essentially variable valve timing – it’s an engine you’ll also find in base Chevrolet Cruzes and even the short-lived Saturn Astra.
As such, this isn’t our first rodeo with this engine or its six-speed automatic transmission, a bucking bronco of sorts that almost feels like a dual clutch unit in its periodically lunging shifts. In a bid to save fuel, the transmission shifts up as quickly as possible, sometimes resulting in a shift quality that borders on nauseating. Driven hard, the transmission seems to figure itself out better, but it’s generally a confusing and unpleasant device akin in many ways to the true dual clutch Ford uses. We saw this same effect in our first 2011 Chevrolet Cruze tester, which featured the 1.4-liter turbo, but subsequent 2012 Cruzes with the same engine and transmission combination felt far better behaved.
The transmission features a manual shift toggle switch on the side of its lever, but we found that this only made shifts more predictable, not smoother.
Aside from its tendency to be in too high a gear during especially light driving, the powertrain generally feels fairly robust. Upper rpm revving brings with it copious growl from the engine room, but the sound is that of a consistent rumble rather than the cacophony we’ve noted from Hyundai’s small four-cylinders.
Our recommendation? If you’re set on a Sonic, consider the turbo 1.4 for its all-around smoothness.
Luckily, Sonic also shares big brother Cruze’s refined and docile demeanor. Handling falls short of sporty, but the steering is accurate and nicely weighted, while grip and lean in corners feels well-checked all around. We hit a curvy road and enjoyed the Sonic more than almost any other subcompact aside from the featherweight Mazda2. But Sonic’s highway ride and limited road and wind noise certainly make it the better companion.
As for fuel consumption, we pegged the government’s highway figure and actually slightly exceeded the 28 mpg combined number.
Why you would buy it:
You’re looking for an expressive five-door subcompact.
Why you wouldn’t:
A Cruze parked across the dealer lot might run you $15 more a month.
Leftlane’s bottom line
After being wowed by the Cruze, we expected to be blown away by the Sonic. That didn’t quite happen. Certainly a vast improvement over its predecessor, Sonic nonetheless lacks the powertrain refinement and the value quotient to really merit our top recommendation.
Still, Sonic is a mostly likeable five-door with a generally upmarket feel not found in most rivals. If you’re smitten by the style, opt for the turbo, but be prepared to pay for the experience.
2012 Chevrolet Sonic 5-Door 2LT base price, $16,805. As tested, $18,580.
Connectivity Plus Cruise package, $525; Wheels and Fog Lamp package, $295; Inferno Orange Metallic, $195; Destination, $760.
Words and photos by Andrew Ganz.
Rating:
