FIT or Sonic?

[Thaifight-R]

Not drunk because I'm underage, and dislike alcohol.

Had I not found out about the Sonic after randomly deciding to look up what new cars Chevy had one day, I would've actually gotten a Honda Fit Sport. haha.

What made me choose the Sonic was the turbo/6spd option, better mpg compared to the GE8 Fit, more hp, and the Trifecta Tune. (Still waiting for my tune.) haha

Although I guess after reading your last post that you're probably not interested in that. lol

Might I suggest you checking out Truecar.com for getting a good price? (If you're reading this Sonic, could you add it to http://www.sonicownersforum.com/forum/t731/ please? haha, thanks)

Got my Turbo LT Hatch with connectivity for $16,333 before fees. (TrueCar gave me a guaranteed price of 16,500, and then I haggled a bit with the dealer. I think this is region dependent though so yeah...)

Hope you find that info useful whichever car you go with.

 

[leaky]

Yes admittedly drunk too (seriously, but why so many drunks in this thread?).

Read the reviews. The Sonic is coming in above everything else in it's class. If you want to be another un-American scumbag driving a lame gook econo-box buy a Fit.

My Sonic LTZ Sedan w/ the 1.4T is costing me 17,100. That's with fog lamps, 17's, leather+heated seats, cruise control, power locks, power windows, AC, tinted windows, rear defog, MP3 player, USB hookup, steering wheel controls, and a chitload of other things. You seriously can't beat the value. If you want cheap base model, it's only gonna run like 14K.

And besides, Sonic is made in the US by a US manufacturer. That is jobs and $$ into our economy that we REALLY NEED right now. Buy the gook job and you are sending $$ overseas.

Hey if the Sonic really doesn't compete then to each his own, but I think anyone comparing a fit to a Sonic and leans toward a Fit is just ignorant.

As far as comparable vehicle's. I considered Sonic, Cruze, Focus, and Fiesta...

Cruze - the nicest ride of them all, BMW type luxury, but for me power to weight ratio is the lowest of the bunch and too much $$ when I option it how I want for what I'm getting...

Fiesta - OK just engine and transmission wise the Sonic has it beat with the 1.4T and 6-speed manual..

Focus - Second runner up to the Sonic. The new ones are really nice for the $$ and really do get up and go with a manual.. My issue with them is only offering a 5-speed manual (versus the GM 6-speed) and 36 versus the Sonic's 40 MPG, with similar power to weight ratio, while also costing me about $1500 more to get one optioned how I'd like.

Jon

 

[theenico]

OK, so we thought about the Cruze, but I know that isn't made here and because of that I want nothing to do with it.

The Cruze is assembled at the Lordstown, Ohio plant. Last I checked, Ohio is in the U.S.

 

[robd53]

The Cruze is assembled at the Lordstown, Ohio plant. Last I checked, Ohio is in the U.S.

Is it? I was misinformed then, thanks for the correction

 

[AndrewGS]

I bought my Crystal Red LT Hatch because... well, just look at it.

Seriously though, I've bought nothing but GM both new and used outside of my first car, an '85 Jeep Cherokee which had lots of GM parts and even a GM engine in it. I've had good luck for the most part and have had a few disappointments over the years, but I came back because I know that the newest generation of products are world-class and because GM packs in the convenience features like automatic headlamps, entry and exit lighting, OnStar, XM, etc. The Sonic is also the most appealing car in the subcompact class in my opinion. I looked at the Versa (I was going to originally buy a cube but they were out of stock everywhere), Fit, Accent and Fiesta as well as the Yaris a few years ago. The two closest rivals are the Fiesta and the Accent, but they both fall short because the Accent is noisy and boring in hatch form while the Fiesta has no rear leg room whatsoever.

I like the little Fit, it's a good basic car, but it's personality didn't "Fit" me too well.

 

[robd53]

Andrew your Sonic is awesome, I love the Cruze ECO rims on it. Shoulda been an option for these.

 

[AndrewGS]

Andrew your Sonic is awesome, I love the Cruze ECO rims on it. Shoulda been an option for these.

Thanks man!

 

[Thaifight-R]

Andrew your Sonic is awesome, I love the Cruze ECO rims on it. Shoulda been an option for these.

+1

Really tempted to run the same wheels on my LT.

 

[98svtCOBRA]

Not to take anything away from your comment, but a Cummins Diesel isnt a very fair comparison. I wanna see the % of gas powered Rams above 300k. I am fairly impressed with the mileage on the Rustang, but like you said, its mainly about the driver and maintanence.

This will be my first non-Honda since my first car, a Ford Probe.

Rustang? Lol u must never lived in the west coast, no snow no salt NO RUST. My 98 cobra all original even clutch at 86k looks better than 95% of all new cars out there and drives better than them too. best of all no payments!

 

[keto06]

Rustang? Lol u must never lived in the west coast, no snow no salt NO RUST. My 98 cobra all original even clutch at 86k looks better than 95% of all new cars out there and drives better than them too. best of all no payments!

Rustang is how I refer to all 'stangs. Well, except the OLD 5.slows.

I live in Texas. Not much rust here either.

 

[SereneDroid]

So I'm about 95% confident now I'll be going with a 2LT Crystal Red Hatch at the end of the month when I make my purchase.

I realized a few things about the Fit:
-I love the magic seats, but how often do I really need so much cargo space? The Sonic's cargo capacity is just fine. The Magic seat was the personal best feature and now thats moot to me.
-The Fit's community seems dead and lifeless which means few new DIY mod threads related to new products. I need others taking new risks on their cars so I can learn without breaking the bank with mistakes.
-I can't stop comparing its side profile to an 02 Dodge Caravan. I don't want to drive a mini - minivan. The Sonic's looks and features keep coming out on top.

And no Honda dealers in my area are willing to negotiate their dealer fee (best was $589). Fortunately there is a Chevy dealer nearby that has a $100 fee and prices already starting well below MSRP if it sits on the lot for more than a couple days.

 

[leaky]

So I'm about 95% confident now I'll be going with a 2LT Crystal Red Hatch at the end of the month when I make my purchase.

I realized a few things about the Fit:
-I love the magic seats, but how often do I really need so much cargo space? The Sonic's cargo capacity is just fine. The Magic seat was the personal best feature and now thats moot to me.
-The Fit's community seems dead and lifeless which means few new DIY mod threads related to new products. I need others taking new risks on their cars so I can learn without breaking the bank with mistakes.
-I can't stop comparing its side profile to an 02 Dodge Caravan. I don't want to drive a mini - minivan. The Sonic's looks and features keep coming out on top.

And no Honda dealers in my area are willing to negotiate their dealer fee (best was $589). Fortunately there is a Chevy dealer nearby that has a $100 fee and prices already starting well below MSRP if it sits on the lot for more than a couple days.

Pick a few dealerships in the area and get some quotes online. Use those quotes to further negotiate or at least pin dealerships down on the price.

A bunch of of us have ordered Sonic's and payed well under MSRP.

Jon

 

[Watchdoc]

I got an amazing deal using Penfed's car buying service. Try different zipcodes to get the best price. I used 20186 and got a deal most people wouldn't believe. I had to take a half day off work for travel and the dealer reimbursed my travel expenses. I also got 1.49% for 48 months by using their service.

 

[SereneDroid]

So as of right now, the last quoted price was $17.7k for 2LT Hatch, crystal Red w/ connectivity and fogs/wheels package. That's right at $1k less than MSRP for this package and better than true car offered for my region. Just hoping its still there after my next paycheck deposits on the 20th.

 

[BoG233]

Thats great

 

[wingman]

Fingers crossed for ya!

 

[SereneDroid]

So excited right now. One of my biggest concerns was being approved for a loan without a cosigner. Being 23, my credit history is relatively short and my part-time income is lower than a civil engineers pay could be. But today I received a notice that my loan was approved by my new all-time favorite credit union at 2.74% for 60 months. Which means a Sonic is definitively happening for me as my first car purchase. Now I just gotta decide if I want the 2LT Hatch or perhaps a 2LZ Sedan available for almost the same price.

Thanks everyone for the advice/well-wishes/hopeful comments.

 

[BoG233]

So excited right now. One of my biggest concerns was being approved for a loan without a cosigner. Being 23, my credit history is relatively short and my part-time income is lower than a civil engineers pay could be. But today I received a notice that my loan was approved by my new all-time favorite credit union at 2.74% for 60 months. Which means a Sonic is definitively happening for me as my first car purchase. Now I just gotta decide if I want the 2LT Hatch or perhaps a 2LZ Sedan available for almost the same price.

Thanks everyone for the advice/well-wishes/hopeful comments.

Good Luck

 

[LS1notFOUND]

Click for PDF on specs and test numbers

Car and driver put it second to the fit, if your looking into a small car I highly encourage a read through, helped me pick the Sonic. Honestly the article in general is simply a good read and enjoyable time killer: Best Small Cars: Two Great Ones, Two Good Ones, and Two Other Ones - Comparison Test - Car and Driver
Sonic:

First time someone suggested chocolate-covered cherries, laughter surely reigned. First time Chef Jones secreted a cherry within a tight little sphere of  bacon and duck dipped in two tangy fruit sauces, his guests surely shouted, “Wow, didn’t expect that!” Actually, those guests were us.

No car in this test more surprised us than the Sonic, the replacement for the reviled, retrograde, repellent Aveo. GM has said goodbye to all that the Aveo was, and, more important, to all that it wasn’t.

Naturally, we opted for the 138-horse, 1.4-liter turbo, as deployed in the Cruze. That engine, which rarely reveals its force-fed nature, pulled the Sonic through the quarter-mile a mere 0.1 second behind our “speedy” Hyundai. It might have surpassed it, in fact, if it didn’t weigh so much—433 pounds beefier than, say, the Yaris. Notice that the Sonic’s as-tested sticker
is big-time beefy, too.

The steering—a little too eager to confess its electric motivation—is at least light and quick, and the wheel is adjustable for reach and rake. Tracking is good, and ergonomics equal the Fit’s. The driver’s seat is more comfy and supportive than any in this group and proved the most soothing for six-footers. The shifter is as satisfying as the Fit’s, although the throws are a titch too long. In addition, the Sonic posted the greatest skidpad grip, no doubt abetted by the 17-inch Hankooks. On undulating roads, the car felt planted, secure, sorted. The Sonic may not be as visceral as the Fit or the Yaris, nor as direct in its reflexes. On the other hand, its drivetrain is more refined.

Love it or hate it, the motorcycle-style instrument pod—round analog tach and digital speedo—at least mimics nothing else in this segment. And, outside, the Sonic resembles a pugnacious alley cat sitting up on its haunches, ready to draw blood.

Someone at GM is apparently determined to get back in this game.

Fit:

Of our six appetizers, bruschetta is, to casual diners, the best known, although Bayside Dining’s piquant pesto was so tangy and penetrating that production editor Juli Burke stood straight up and said, “Man, that woke me up.” Then she did a little dance.
A trifecta of goodness, the Fit still owns the B-segment. As mobile appetizers go, this one's a corker. Buy two, and you'll have a full entrée.

Like bruschetta, the Fit is a familiar favorite, returning to its third B-segment comparo and again strutting off with trophies and attaboys. Climbing into the Fit is like strapping on a greenhouse. This is the tallest car in the group, and its minivansized windshield (aided by big portholes under the A-pillars) delivers 180 degrees of glorious worldview. When you can see way, way down the road, driving like a madman takes far less concentration.

With its informative steering, quick shifter, and stern roll control, the Fit devoured our slalom at the highest speed, and when it came time to whoa, its brake pedal was the easiest to modulate. That the Honda won fun-to-drive kudos surprised no one. Of course, fun is often the enemy of usefulness, but with its folding rear seat dropped to the load floor, the Fit also managed to swallow the most cargo in this group.

The chief fault, here, is that, like the Yaris, the Fit needs a sixth gear. At freeway speeds, the engine isn’t exactly screaming, but it’s definitely calling urgently at 3500 to 4000 revs. It’s a shame because the engine is otherwise an angel—quietest at idle, quietest at full throttle. Of course, our test car was a 2011 model. The 2012 Sport promises additional sound insulation, thicker front quarter-windows, new upholstery, and a few classier cabin surfaces.

Best fit and finish, tied for best ergonomics, tied for the quickest to 30 mph... well, we’ve listed all these character proficiencies before. The Fit is a spicy and tasteful little runabout that knows exactly what it needs to be, then delivers the pesto, presto.

Really is a hard decision, especially if you really are into the Sonic for the sport side of things, the 2013 RS might be king of the little cars.

 

[AndrewGS]

OK, so I guess there's not room for two Fit vs. Sonic threads.

Anyway... The 40MPG highway is very real, but you can't expect to get 40MPG in city traffic or anything other than highway driving.