I've had my 2013 orange LT turbo with auto a week now, and love it! I'm a car geek-slash-snob, and traded a Subaru WRX for it. The Subaru was a premium gas guzzler (25 at best hwy), and while that pocket rocket was a kick to drive, it was time for something else. I also was looking for something as short as possible, because I frequently street park in New York City, and there, every inch counts in the battle for on street parking. Before deciding on the Sonic, I test drove the Fiat 500 (too small, and NO cargo room), a mini Cooper (liked it, but Coopers are too uber-hip and iPhone-ish), a Ford Fiesta (it was in the running, but I was switching to an automatic, and the Fiesta auto got bad reviews) and a Hyundai Accent (attractive lines but totally gutless, and an interior with about as much fashion style as stretch pants.) I didn't even bother test driving a Honda Fit, because it seemed long in the tooth, overdue for a style makeover. I did drive the Spark, and at 144 inches long was appealing from a length standpoint, but that was about it. Cute, but really underpowered, and no better mileage than a Sonic.
My friends are almost as surprised as I am that I bought a Chevy. I've been an import snob for two decades. In the end, two factors got me to write a check for the Sonic. The 1.4 turbo had more kick than anything else in its class. Although not a WRX, it has a lot of torque, even with an auto trans. And Mylink, with the upcoming Bringo app to use my phone's GPS, was what pushed me over the edge. The paradigm shift to using a smartphone as the 'information engine' is, in my opinion, an import killer. From the instant I heard about it, I loved it. And so far, even without Bringo, the bluetooth connectivity is the most seamless I've experienced in a car.
It's interesting that when I tell friends that I bought a Sonic, the usual response is, "A Sonic, what's that?" It's a car that's weirdly under the radar, surprising given what seems to be strong sales numbers. I guess it hasn't caught on with the hip set like the Fiat or Cooper. One reason could the lack of a really cool interior. That's the one thing I was disappointed in with this car --- the interior color options are pretty standard. Even the Fiesta has cooler combinations.
I was leaning towards the LTZ, with the leatherette interior (c'mon, Chevy salespeople, stop calling it leather. It isn't.) But the only thing that seemed upgraded was the leatherette seating surfaces (OK, so they also come with installed heating pads), not the dash and door surfaces and trim. Didn't seem worth shelling out an extra two grand for. That's where the Fiat and Mini win, in my opinion --- cool interiors, with bold color combinations and trim. I would have loved an option for a Sonic with a really nice upgraded interior.
The Chevy dealer I bought it from - Robert Green Chevrolet in Monticello, NY - was a delight to work with. They seemed genuinely excited to sell me the car, particularly seeing an import car driver flip to a Chevy.
All in all, so far one of the best experiences I've had buying a car.
My friends are almost as surprised as I am that I bought a Chevy. I've been an import snob for two decades. In the end, two factors got me to write a check for the Sonic. The 1.4 turbo had more kick than anything else in its class. Although not a WRX, it has a lot of torque, even with an auto trans. And Mylink, with the upcoming Bringo app to use my phone's GPS, was what pushed me over the edge. The paradigm shift to using a smartphone as the 'information engine' is, in my opinion, an import killer. From the instant I heard about it, I loved it. And so far, even without Bringo, the bluetooth connectivity is the most seamless I've experienced in a car.
It's interesting that when I tell friends that I bought a Sonic, the usual response is, "A Sonic, what's that?" It's a car that's weirdly under the radar, surprising given what seems to be strong sales numbers. I guess it hasn't caught on with the hip set like the Fiat or Cooper. One reason could the lack of a really cool interior. That's the one thing I was disappointed in with this car --- the interior color options are pretty standard. Even the Fiesta has cooler combinations.
I was leaning towards the LTZ, with the leatherette interior (c'mon, Chevy salespeople, stop calling it leather. It isn't.) But the only thing that seemed upgraded was the leatherette seating surfaces (OK, so they also come with installed heating pads), not the dash and door surfaces and trim. Didn't seem worth shelling out an extra two grand for. That's where the Fiat and Mini win, in my opinion --- cool interiors, with bold color combinations and trim. I would have loved an option for a Sonic with a really nice upgraded interior.
The Chevy dealer I bought it from - Robert Green Chevrolet in Monticello, NY - was a delight to work with. They seemed genuinely excited to sell me the car, particularly seeing an import car driver flip to a Chevy.
All in all, so far one of the best experiences I've had buying a car.
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post some pics!
