Sonic compared to Hond Fit & Ford Fiesta

[JTee2017]

Sonic compared to Honda Fit & Ford Fiesta

Most of you may know these specs already, but I thought I'd post a comparison here on these 3 sub compacts. First of all, to me the Sonic is more closely a compact car rather than a sub compact. We have 5 bolt wheels and a car that is more solid in build quality than the Honda Fit or Ford Fiesta. Our Sonic sedan is essentially similar in most dimensions compared to a Ford Focus which is a compact. . . not a sub compact. So the Chevy Sonic is sort of in between.
Another clue, is that a Sonic is 200lbs heavier than the Fit and 300lbs heavier than the Ford Fiesta. Yes, this is a trade off for and dings 0 to 60 time and MPG somewhat, but is a plus for ride, handling and safety in a crash. Plus, anyone want to trade our manual or even 6 speed automatic for a CVT like in the Fit?
Read the article link comparison below and then look at the reviews at the website for each car. Sonic actually rates right up there in sub compact reviews even after 8 model years.
It is strange how reviewers will tout and rave about Honda Fit cosmetics, but understate the crappy CVT, ride and handling. Similar with the Fiesta. For interior space, are you aware that the Sonic sedan tops most sub compacts for space and the Sonic Hatch has essentially the same or better interior space as a Buick Encore or Chevy Trax SUV ?
I'll take the more solid and substantial Sonic over the light weight competition any day.

Oh. . and contrary to what some may think, reliability surpasses these other cars as well.

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/compare?trims=13554-393297_13585-395315_13574-397015

Oh . . and check out the comparison to a Ford Focus - - -

Cargo Ford Focus
In sedan form, the 2017 Focus boasts 13.2 cubic feet of trunk space, which is just below average for the class. Hatchback cargo room also lags behind the competition, offering 23.3 cubic feet with the rear seats in use and 43.9 cubic feet when you collapse the 60/40 split folding seats.

Cargo Sonic
The Chevrolet Sonic sedan has 14.9 cubic feet of trunk space, which is great for the class. The hatchback model has 19 cubic feet behind its rear seat and 47.7 cubic feet with the second row folded down. A 60/40 split-folding back seat is standard.

 

[sonic-image]

I test drove a fit and it felt like a toy car lol so plasticy


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[Chazzz]

I agree that the Sonic is overall a better car than the Fit and far superior to the Fiesta. Where the Fit does have the edge over Sonic is in cargo capacity and active advanced safety features I.e road departure mitigation, emergency brake assist and adaptive cruise control, all highly welcome features not found in the class. Where the fit falls short is on the highway, with loud CVT drone at highway speeds it makes the Fit a much better city car than a comfortable highway cruiser. As far as styling goes, looks are always subjective....

 

[Sailurman]

Both the Fit and the Fiesta are POSs

 

[Chazzz]

The all new 2020 Fiesta ST is dope, but we don’t get it here in the states....

 

[JTee2017]

Agree .. . . a Fiesta ST or better, a Focus ST are real drivers cars.
Like you said though . . not here in the U.S.A. and the price of the Focus ST back when it was in it's best configuration, was not "dope".

 

[sonic-image]

The all new 2020 Fiesta ST is dope, but we don’t get it here in the states....

Your car is ****ing dope and I can’t get it in Canada [emoji2371]


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[gnonne]

Drove a Fit before buying our third Sonic. Honda has very good reliability ratings, but the Fit just drives like a tin can. Its loud, quirky, and uncomfortable to me. Drove a few Kias and Fiestas, same deal. Kia had the worst road noise of the bunch, but the reviewers like it....

Only thing I want on my Sonic that it does not have is better parts, like stab links, rear shocks, thermostats, coolant reservoirs, ... You know the drill. When you have three of these cars, you just keep some spares in the garage. Most parts are cheap, but I'm tiring of the saga. Now they are coming up on timing belt replacements... Why not use a chain? I guess the belt, like all the other parts mentioned, saved GM a few bucks.

 

[Rockcrusher]

I dunno. Before getting into restoration, I was at a normal independent repair shop about 22 years ago. I did a lot of timing belts on FWD 4 cyl. cars. They don't seem uncommon to me and 1.8 having one wasn't the end of the world, just standard fare. I learned to really appreciate Hondas working there. I'd consider a Fit, if it wasn't so darn ugly. I loved the old hot hatches and the Sonic has that kind of flair to me. It helps it has the ambiance of a really nice car despite the usual GM foibles. I love its looks and feel.

 

[JTee2017]

Drove a Fit before buying our third Sonic. Honda has very good reliability ratings, but the Fit just drives like a tin can. Its loud, quirky, and uncomfortable to me. Drove a few Kias and Fiestas, same deal. Kia had the worst road noise of the bunch, but the reviewers like it....

Only thing I want on my Sonic that it does not have is better parts, like stab links, rear shocks, thermostats, coolant reservoirs, ... You know the drill. When you have three of these cars, you just keep some spares in the garage. Most parts are cheap, but I'm tiring of the saga. Now they are coming up on timing belt replacements... Why not use a chain? I guess the belt, like all the other parts mentioned, saved GM a few bucks.

Agree with what you outlined.
The few parts that seem to be "wear" items aren't expensive, but to be honest, other cars of the 2010 design time frame have similar or worse repair and replace needs.
For the thermostat housing and reservoir . . . you can replace the T-stat housing with a metal one (solved) and for the reservoir one member bought a T-stat housing and retrofitted a 180F thermostat into it and disconnected the heater element so the whole engine runs cooler and less pressure in the system. There is also a radiator fan mod to turn the fan on at a lower coolant temp so the engine runs cooler. I am toying with the idea of doing the T-stat mod and radiator fan mod.
Many European cars have timing belts and not really a big deal. You can DIY or find a local shop to do it for less.

 

[Calculon]

My choice came down between a 2012 Fit and a 2012 Sonic. When the dealer wouldn't budge as much as I wanted on the Fit, I bought the Sonic and haven't regretted it. I'd agree with others, if you want a compact commuter the Sonic is tough to beat due to the nice handling and quite ride. It's like driving a Sedan. The Fit is probably more versatile and has Hondas record of reliability. Ironically, I almost bought a Focus as they had had really good rebates at the time, but the town I lived in had a Chevy dealer. Ironically, three months later, I moved four blocks from a Ford dealer.

The VW Golf, I really wanted a two door, was probably a bit better, but $5,000-7,000 more similarly equipped, so it should be better. I'm disappointed they took away the 1.8L and 5 speed, which I thought was the better combo, but I won't be in the market for a long time. I live close to work and don't rack up a lot of miles.

 

[ChicksHateMe]

I tested a Sonic first. Loved the lil peppy engine.

The Fiesta was 2nd. I HATED it. I felt claustrophobic. The seats were too narrow and the brakes sucked. I didn't like the whole Dash set-up either.

I tested the Fit later and didn't even go 5 minutes before I decided I still liked Sonic better.

I tried;

Hyundai's (No pep and shook goin up highway ramps)
Kia Soul - Too smelly and Boxy
Mazda 3 - Hated how there was no hood. Felt I was right on the front, in the road.

And almost every other car in that size, like Prius...

I always came back to the Sonic....

 

[Daisy81]

Most of you may know these specs already, but I thought I'd post a comparison here on these 3 sub compacts. First of all, to me the Sonic is more closely a compact car rather than a sub compact. We have 5 bolt wheels and a car that is more solid in build quality than the Honda Fit or Ford Fiesta. Our Sonic sedan is essentially similar in most dimensions compared to a Ford Focus which is a compact. . . not a sub compact. So the Chevy Sonic is sort of in between.
Another clue, is that a Sonic is 200lbs heavier than the Fit and 300lbs heavier than the Ford Fiesta. Yes, this is a trade off for and dings 0 to 60 time and MPG somewhat, but is a plus for ride, handling and safety in a crash. Plus, anyone want to trade our manual or even 6 speed automatic for a CVT like in the Fit?
Read the article link comparison below and then look at the reviews at the website for each car. Sonic actually rates right up there in sub compact reviews even after 8 model years.
It is strange how reviewers will tout and rave about Honda Fit cosmetics, but understate the crappy CVT, ride and handling. Similar with the Fiesta. For interior space, are you aware that the Sonic sedan tops most sub compacts for space and the Sonic Hatch has essentially the same or better interior space as a Buick Encore or Chevy Trax SUV ?
I'll take the more solid and substantial Sonic over the light weight competition any day.

Oh. . and contrary to what some may think, reliability surpasses these other cars as well.

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/compare?trims=13554-393297_13585-395315_13574-397015

Oh . . and check out the comparison to a Ford Focus - - -

Cargo Ford Focus
In sedan form, the 2017 Focus boasts 13.2 cubic feet of trunk space, which is just below average for the class. Hatchback cargo room also lags behind the competition, offering 23.3 cubic feet with the rear seats in use and 43.9 cubic feet when you collapse the 60/40 split folding seats.

Cargo Sonic
The Chevrolet Sonic sedan has 14.9 cubic feet of trunk space, which is great for the class. The hatchback model has 19 cubic feet behind its rear seat and 47.7 cubic feet with the second row folded down. A 60/40 split-folding back seat is standard.

The Sonic also has more cargo capacity with the seats down then the Chevy Cruze hatchback with it's seats down. Being intimately familiar with the power train since having my 2012 Cruze for roughly 118,000 miles it was a pretty safe bet buying another vehicle with the same power train, less weight and way more cargo capacity then my outgoing sedan. The interior quality isn't as nice but the tech is worlds apart.

 

[Daisy81]

My choice came down between a 2012 Fit and a 2012 Sonic. When the dealer wouldn't budge as much as I wanted on the Fit, I bought the Sonic and haven't regretted it. I'd agree with others, if you want a compact commuter the Sonic is tough to beat due to the nice handling and quite ride. It's like driving a Sedan. The Fit is probably more versatile and has Hondas record of reliability. Ironically, I almost bought a Focus as they had had really good rebates at the time, but the town I lived in had a Chevy dealer. Ironically, three months later, I moved four blocks from a Ford dealer.

The VW Golf, I really wanted a two door, was probably a bit better, but $5,000-7,000 more similarly equipped, so it should be better. I'm disappointed they took away the 1.8L and 5 speed, which I thought was the better combo, but I won't be in the market for a long time. I live close to work and don't rack up a lot of miles.

For what it is worth the 1.4L Turbo engine is solid and the performance difference when adding in the Trifecta tune is night and day better. I had one in my 2012 Chevy Cruze and the engine was great even with roughly 118,000 miles on the clock. I would have kept it if I could have but I needed the hatch so I traded it.

 

[JTee2017]

The Sonic also has more cargo capacity with the seats down then the Chevy Cruze hatchback with it's seats down. Being intimately familiar with the power train since having my 2012 Cruze for roughly 118,000 miles it was a pretty safe bet buying another vehicle with the same power train, less weight and way more cargo capacity then my outgoing sedan. The interior quality isn't as nice but the tech is worlds apart.

Agree about the Cruze cargo space as well. In the Fall of 2017 when they were running 20% deals on the Sonic and Cruze, we looked and test drove a Cruze hatch. Wife, being short, still didn't like the low Cruze roof/hatch height. I opened it and hit my head. The Sonic had much easier egress and passenger/driver entry as well.
We could have gotten a Cruze hatch for close to the same price as the Sonic. But the Sonic just fit us better and still does.
Both the Sonic and Cruze are entry level cars and have a handful of "wear" and maintenance items. I liked that most all of them were low cost DIY repair and replace parts. Newer designed more pricey cars are not. Even transmission fluid change on the automatic is easy and pretty simple. Not so much on the newer GM or Ford cars and trucks.
If anyone looks at a Trax or Buick Encore. . . it's plain to see the resemblance to a Sonic hatch back. Especially the Trax. I look at the Sonic hatch as a less tall version of the Trax/Encore. I've driven both. The Encore newer 153HP engine is nice of course. Put that or the newer yet 163HP turbo 4 in a Sonic.

 

[Daisy81]

Agree about the Cruze cargo space as well. In the Fall of 2017 when they were running 20% deals on the Sonic and Cruze, we looked and test drove a Cruze hatch. Wife, being short, still didn't like the low Cruze roof/hatch height. I opened it and hit my head. The Sonic had much easier egress and passenger/driver entry as well.
We could have gotten a Cruze hatch for close to the same price as the Sonic. But the Sonic just fit us better and still does.
Both the Sonic and Cruze are entry level cars and have a handful of "wear" and maintenance items. I liked that most all of them were low cost DIY repair and replace parts. Newer designed more pricey cars are not. Even transmission fluid change on the automatic is easy and pretty simple. Not so much on the newer GM or Ford cars and trucks.
If anyone looks at a Trax or Buick Encore. . . it's plain to see the resemblance to a Sonic hatch back. Especially the Trax. I look at the Sonic hatch as a less tall version of the Trax/Encore. I've driven both. The Encore newer 153HP engine is nice of course. Put that or the newer yet 163HP turbo 4 in a Sonic.

Yeah that newer engine is nice and I bet it is sweet once Trifecta gets ahold of it but the DOHC 1.4L Turbo is a tried and true work horse so I am kind of glad to have the same engine because I know what to expect. I know that I will have to replace the water pump once or twice and I know that the engine is very reliable as long as I keep up with the oil, filters and fluids.

What I didn't know about the new Cruze was the impact of that stupid auto stop feature that saves almost no gas and could easily wear out the battery and even worse the alternator and starter from extra wear starting and stopping a bazillion times in traffic.

I loved my first generation Cruze. If it had a hatch I would still have it.

I was mostly happy with the interior redesign except for the rear seat heat. I would have preferred the budget go to front seat ventilated seats because who cares about the people in the back. However the body styling sucked and the auto start stop crap was unacceptable.

I think Chevy was short sited to completely kill it though. Had they refreshed it and listened to customers who purchased a Cruze in the past and not tried to tell us the customer what we want it would still be selling like hot cakes and it wouldn't have cannibalized the Sonic's market and neither car would be underperforming right now.

Edit:

Oh and I agree. My 2012 Cruze had a transmission line that had to be replaced at slightly over 100,000 miles which was a super easy fix. The water pump was replaced once under recall. The engine coolant hose had to be replaced at 110,000 miles and that was it. Other then that it was oil and filter changes, two transmission fluid flushes (I lived in a more rural area previously so less stop and go), one new set of rotors and break pads and one set of Protenza tires which lasted what seemed forever.

 

[JTee2017]

Oh and I agree. My 2012 Cruze had a transmission line that had to be replaced at slightly over 100,000 miles which was a super easy fix. The water pump was replaced once under recall. The engine coolant hose had to be replaced at 110,000 miles and that was it. Other then that it was oil and filter changes, two transmission fluid flushes (I lived in a more rural area previously so less stop and go), one new set of rotors and break pads and one set of Protenza tires which lasted what seemed forever.

Yeah. . the Sonic and Cruze really are more old school in the way we can maintain and keep them running with just a few low cost parts.
Was that transmission line similar in position and size as on the Sonic? A 2014 Sonic in the family has a lower transmission cooler line "seeping" at the rubber hose crimp point right near the bottom left (driver) side of the radiator. The hose allows for the 90 degree bend and flex at that point. Curious if that is the same one that ws failing on the Cruze?

 

[Daisy81]

Yeah. . the Sonic and Cruze really are more old school in the way we can maintain and keep them running with just a few low cost parts.
Was that transmission line similar in position and size as on the Sonic? A 2014 Sonic in the family has a lower transmission cooler line "seeping" at the rubber hose crimp point right near the bottom left (driver) side of the radiator. The hose allows for the 90 degree bend and flex at that point. Curious if that is the same one that ws failing on the Cruze?

I’d have to ask my boyfriend but that sounds like it. I do remember him mentioning something about a crimp.

Edit: I had my Cruze for pretty much seven years. My Sonic should last me at least another seven. I guess Chevy’s short-sited product line short coming won’t effect me for a while. I’m just hoping when it comes time to buy a new car that Chevy has a hatchback in 3 door or at least 5 door flavors that isn’t a overweight bloated and slow CUV.

Maybe I should buy another Sonic worth of spare parts before they become hard to find.

 

[JTee2017]

Still loving our 2017 Sonic LT (with the RS appearance package).
Even after a deer hit. . . where the deer went completely under the car . . . and only lower bumper A/C coil, radiator and fan damage.
Our Sonic is a fun drive, quiet on the road cruising for a compact car, corners like a go cart and gettting us 28 MPG in mixed city/rural driving.

 

[Greenbolt]

styling:

1. sonic
2. fiesta
3. fit

the fit is by far the worst in this category and i think that's a pretty objective statement. just bland and cheap-looking. idk how the hell they can call the highest-trim-level fit a 'honda fit sport.' it literally doesn't look sporty at all

i think ranking the sonic and fiesta is a little more subjective. the fiesta looks more traditional. the sonic, the pre-facelift version ('12-'16) anyway, has a more unique look. personally, i prefer the sonic. the headlights are where it blows the fiesta out of the water as i think the pre-facelift sonic has literally the best-looking headlights in the car industry, while the fiesta's headlights are it's weakpoint in terms of styling

styling is the most important category to me and the main reason i chose a sonic. the motorcycle-themed headlights/tail lights, the chopped-off rear end, the unique-shaped fog lights, the aggressive front end, and the sharp rocker panels on the sides all combine to give a super unique, distinctive look. i also got my sonic in the dragon green metallic color, which makes it stand out even more

interior:

1. sonic
2. fiesta
3. fit

i couldn't care less about tech and am ignorant when it comes to that area, so i'm just going to cover how they look

fit looks cheap as hell, while the sonic and fiesta are close. sonic rs and fiesta st have nice leather seats with rs and st emblems on them that i think just look better than the honda fit sport's. the fiesta has too many buttons for my liking. all 3 obviously have largely hard plastic interiors, but the sonic's and fiesta's look nicer. pre-facelift sonics have a really unique motorcycle-themed gauge cluster to match the exterior that set it apart for me

ride quality:

1. sonic
2. fiesta
3. fit

this is where the sonic really stands out as a subcompact. amazing ride quality, super quiet. fiesta is about middle-of-the-road and the fit sucks ass

performance:

1. fiesta
2. sonic
3. fit

i give the fiesta the edge here as the fiesta blows out the subcompact competition due to the st trim level's 197 horsepower. one negative i'll say with the sonic is that it has clunky gear ratios that don't allow you to accelerate quickly at a smooth rate. i don't really mind it because i'm not someone who feels the need to accelerate quickly on a regular basis, but if performance matters to you then that's something of note. but it still beats out the fit. because, i mean, it's the fit....

cargo area:

1. fit
2. sonic
3. fiesta

i believe the fit destroys the sonic and fiesta in this category. i basically never utilize the cargo area in my car, so it's whatever for me. but the fit definitely wins this category

rear seat room:

1. fit
2. sonic
3. fiesta

i think the fit and sonic are close here. the fiesta's rear seats are so cramped they're virtually unuseable for adults

fuel economy:

1. fit
2. fiesta
3. sonic

easily the fit. sonic's fuel economy is a bit low for it's class and especially low for the rs or the 1.8 liter base motor

reliability:

1. fit
2. sonic
3. fiesta

fit wins this one by a landslide and i don't think i need to explain. sonic also beats out the fiesta by a solid margin because ford.... yeah

safety:

1. sonic
2. fiesta
3. fit

the sonic really shines here. 5-star crash rating and a top safety pick most years (top safety pick criteria frequently changes)

from '12-'15 the sonic posted 'good' ratings (the highest grade) in 4 of the 5 iihs crash tests, and a 'marginal' (2nd worst of 4 grades) in the small overlap crash test. at the time it was still the safest subcompact on the market because those are excellent scores

however, all sonics built march of '15 and onward were made with slight alterations to the car's structure and were designed with earlier-deploying airbags that boosted the sonic's small overlap crash test rating two notches from 'marginal' to 'good', arming the sonic with a top score of 'good' in all 5 iihs crash tests and earning the sonic a top safety pick to go along with its 5-star crash rating. this is why i'm trying to get my hands on a '16 sonic

in summary:

-if unique styling that stands out more, ride quality, and safety are your priorities then i'd recommend a sonic (with the post-facelift sonic losing the unique styling)

-if more traditional styling and superior power and performance are your thing then i'd recommend the fiesta st (lower trim level if you don't care about performance, but want a car that looks good)

-if reliability, practicality, and just getting from point A to point B are your priorities and you couldn't care less about styling then i'd recommend the fit