2012 Chevrolet Sonic - Driving Impressions
The General builds a proper small car… a legitimate rival for the Fiesta and the Fit.
It would seem the era of the proper small car is here. Mind you, companies like Honda and Mazda have been doing it right for years, but for many automakers the words “small cars” and the “U.S.” just didn’t jibe.
There have been small cars, but it’s the word “proper” that makes the difference. As an example, the Chevrolet Chevette of many years ago was a solid and reliable little machine, but about as much fun and as interesting as a canker sore.
So when Chevrolet gave us a chance as the first journalists to drive the new Sonic, we had our doubts.
Not anymore.
To keep it simple, the Sonic is a well-designed, good-looking, fun-to-drive small car, The General’s anti-Fiesta and Fit-fighter.
We started the Indy 500’s Carburetion Day at Lucas Oil Speedway, the former Indianapolis Raceway Park, driving the Sonic against the competition from Ford and Honda.
From an exterior design standpoint, they are all, well, cute. The Honda is the most practical, the Ford probably the most exciting from a tickle standpoint, but the Sonic is the most sophisticated of the three, at least the 5-door hatchback model.
The interiors are all fun and practical, the new Sonic having an edge overt the Ford and the Honda. The ergonomics of the Sonic are excellent, proof that if you want a vehicle with sensible, no-baloney controls—a/c, stereo, etc.—buy a car in the sub-$25,000 category. Above that, who knows?
The Sonic will be offered with two engines, both borrowed from the heavier Cruze, which explains why the Sonic is fun. Base is a 1.8-liter Ecotec four with 138 bhp at 6800 rpm and 125 lb.-ft. of torque at 5800. Transmissions are a 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic. The fun side of the equation is a 1.4-liter turbo four with the same horsepower as the 1.8, but 148 lb.-ft. of torque. The manual gearbox with the turbo 1.4 is a 6-speed, but the automatic is the same.
To convince buyers of the safety of a car this small (and to meet federal crash standards), Chevrolet employed a great deal of high-strength steel in the unibody chassis of the Sonic, which is also fitted with 10 airbags.
Two body styles are offered: a slick-looking 5-door hatch, and the 4-door sedan that is, well, a rather plain 4-door sedan.
Interior packing is thoughtful, and ingress/egress is about what you’d expect from a car of this size.
We drove the 1.4-liter turbo against the Ford and Honda on a squiggly course. All the cars felt solid and fun, so we’ll need a full road test to make some conclusions. It’s a good bet, however, that the Sonic will match or beat the Ford and Honda.
Come this fall, folks interested in buying a small car will have another vehicle to seriously consider. And as a point of interest, the 2012 Chevy Sonic will be built in Michigan, while the Ford comes from Mexico and the Fit from Japan.
We’re just saying...
Full Article Found At: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Review on RoadandTrack.com
