I was at my local Chevy dealer last weekend getting some routine service done for my 1.8 and decided to check out the cars on the lot to kill time, something I do often when I drop by for service work. The dealers there were a little more thirsty than usual and offered me a test drive in the RS, so I went for it. Everyone here knows the RS has been out for quite a while, but I haven't posted on this forum for over half a year & I'm still kinda wired from my gym workout, so I figure I might as well talk about my test ride to offer some insight for anyone contemplating on trading up for an RS.
To set things up, I drive a stock 2012 1.8 LT 5-speed w/ wheels & lights package, and the RS I drove was a 6-speed (apparently they can come in automatics now, new news to me). I'll break my observations down into key areas people should consider:
Exterior- I'm not gonna go into it and just assume that everyone can agree it's the most attractive trim in the Sonic lineup (unless you're more into the sedans, of course lol)
Interior- First thing I noticed was all the REAL leather. With its leather wrapped steering wheel and leather seats, I would automatically overlook the Ltz if I was a potential first-time Sonic owner. Beyond that, fit and finish felt the same, although I thought the high-gloss plastic around the dashboard controls was tacky and out of place, but that's just me. The touch screen feature was a nice welcome compared to the dull & plain 2012 display.
Transmission- First gear in a 1.4 turbo is way different from a 1.8 5-speed. The throw was pleasantly shorter, but I had to learn fast that I needed to give a little more gas to balance the clutch, and there were times where I almost stalled (but never did :banana
. But after that, the car went through gears impressively fast. I'm assuming it's because of the 1.4 turbo's torque and the RS' unique gear ratios that going through gears was very enjoyable; in-town driving had me in top gear significantly faster than my 5-speed. Freeway speeds on the other hand, I'll explain more with my thoughts on the engine.
Engine- The 1.4 is everything I've read about on this forum since I joined- more refined idle and throttle compared to the droning 1.8, very noticeable torque (from the 6-speed; I test drove an 1.4 auto while buying my Sonic and was not impressed) during in-town driving. Upon my entrance to the freeway, I double-clutched to 3rd and floored the gas- my running launch into the freeway was where the magic started to fade. Part of it could be because I'm not an expert drag racer, but through my borderline granny-shifting, the car started to feel anti-climactically familiar to my 1.8 in terms of power delivery and speed. It makes sense, considering both engines have the same stock hp rating, with just a distinct difference in torque. In performance terms, the 1.4 obviously trumps the 1.8, but for the typical commuter it might or might not be worth the extra money, which is why I originally chose the 1.8 in the first place. But despite the mixed feelings over the 1.4, I did feel a little more badass in the RS lol- the 1.4 definitely has more character.
Suspenson/handling- Unfortunately, my test route was brief and didn't have any real opportunities to test out handling and suspension. But anyone who's done their homework on the RS knows it comes with 17" rims and a slightly lowered profile, and looks way better than my 16" LT. I never liked the handling of my car when it comes to aggressive turns; it just sits way too high and doesn't hug the road like I'd like it to, so I think it's pretty safe to assume the RS will have a significant improvement in this area.
In the end, I didn't trade my car in for the RS. The dealer tried luring me in with this "invoice price promotion" conveniently going on this month (total BS, saw right through it when he showed me the final selling price), and I wasn't impressed with the numbers he was giving me, and told him to just hit me up when they start getting the new Colorado.
With that said, would I recommend it to a fellow Sonic owner to trade for? As a 1.8 owner, I would have to say it depends on what Sonic you already have. If you have an auto LS and you're sick and tired of it, then YES lol. If you have a 1.4 model, you're better off either slapping a Trifecta tune or waiting for the 1.6 model to hit the US (not sure if this is still confirmed as true.) If you're anyone in between such as myself, the RS is only worth it if you're being offered a great deal on it, or you have no other big financial obligations that would add strain to paying the new term of monthly payments. The majority of members here probably have their Sonic financed and are probably near the halfway point of their finance terms. Be aware that if you plan on trading your Sonic, even with its trade-in value, you still have to eventually pay the buyoff difference the dealer covers when they take in your old car, and in the end, you'll be paying 25-30k for a low-20k car. To me, it makes more sense to only trade if you already have your pink slip or you just wanna hand off your current model to a relative/spouse/kid/etc and scoop up a second car.
To set things up, I drive a stock 2012 1.8 LT 5-speed w/ wheels & lights package, and the RS I drove was a 6-speed (apparently they can come in automatics now, new news to me). I'll break my observations down into key areas people should consider:
Exterior- I'm not gonna go into it and just assume that everyone can agree it's the most attractive trim in the Sonic lineup (unless you're more into the sedans, of course lol)
Interior- First thing I noticed was all the REAL leather. With its leather wrapped steering wheel and leather seats, I would automatically overlook the Ltz if I was a potential first-time Sonic owner. Beyond that, fit and finish felt the same, although I thought the high-gloss plastic around the dashboard controls was tacky and out of place, but that's just me. The touch screen feature was a nice welcome compared to the dull & plain 2012 display.
Transmission- First gear in a 1.4 turbo is way different from a 1.8 5-speed. The throw was pleasantly shorter, but I had to learn fast that I needed to give a little more gas to balance the clutch, and there were times where I almost stalled (but never did :banana
. But after that, the car went through gears impressively fast. I'm assuming it's because of the 1.4 turbo's torque and the RS' unique gear ratios that going through gears was very enjoyable; in-town driving had me in top gear significantly faster than my 5-speed. Freeway speeds on the other hand, I'll explain more with my thoughts on the engine.Engine- The 1.4 is everything I've read about on this forum since I joined- more refined idle and throttle compared to the droning 1.8, very noticeable torque (from the 6-speed; I test drove an 1.4 auto while buying my Sonic and was not impressed) during in-town driving. Upon my entrance to the freeway, I double-clutched to 3rd and floored the gas- my running launch into the freeway was where the magic started to fade. Part of it could be because I'm not an expert drag racer, but through my borderline granny-shifting, the car started to feel anti-climactically familiar to my 1.8 in terms of power delivery and speed. It makes sense, considering both engines have the same stock hp rating, with just a distinct difference in torque. In performance terms, the 1.4 obviously trumps the 1.8, but for the typical commuter it might or might not be worth the extra money, which is why I originally chose the 1.8 in the first place. But despite the mixed feelings over the 1.4, I did feel a little more badass in the RS lol- the 1.4 definitely has more character.
Suspenson/handling- Unfortunately, my test route was brief and didn't have any real opportunities to test out handling and suspension. But anyone who's done their homework on the RS knows it comes with 17" rims and a slightly lowered profile, and looks way better than my 16" LT. I never liked the handling of my car when it comes to aggressive turns; it just sits way too high and doesn't hug the road like I'd like it to, so I think it's pretty safe to assume the RS will have a significant improvement in this area.
In the end, I didn't trade my car in for the RS. The dealer tried luring me in with this "invoice price promotion" conveniently going on this month (total BS, saw right through it when he showed me the final selling price), and I wasn't impressed with the numbers he was giving me, and told him to just hit me up when they start getting the new Colorado.
With that said, would I recommend it to a fellow Sonic owner to trade for? As a 1.8 owner, I would have to say it depends on what Sonic you already have. If you have an auto LS and you're sick and tired of it, then YES lol. If you have a 1.4 model, you're better off either slapping a Trifecta tune or waiting for the 1.6 model to hit the US (not sure if this is still confirmed as true.) If you're anyone in between such as myself, the RS is only worth it if you're being offered a great deal on it, or you have no other big financial obligations that would add strain to paying the new term of monthly payments. The majority of members here probably have their Sonic financed and are probably near the halfway point of their finance terms. Be aware that if you plan on trading your Sonic, even with its trade-in value, you still have to eventually pay the buyoff difference the dealer covers when they take in your old car, and in the end, you'll be paying 25-30k for a low-20k car. To me, it makes more sense to only trade if you already have your pink slip or you just wanna hand off your current model to a relative/spouse/kid/etc and scoop up a second car.
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