Sonic Hatchback blind spot issue?

[Jonner]

Just saw the picture of the "spotted" Sonic and started wondering about the visibility out the back window, it seems like a pretty narrow window. I wonder if this is going to cause some issues as far as backing up and parking goes?

Example:

Not as high (up and down) as it could be. Thoughts?

 

[Roadkill21]

I do understand what you are saying but think it would be hard to judge until you actually get behind the wheel. Most cars in these classes usually compensate with good sized side mirrors. The lip spoiler seems like it could be a bit of an issue also over the rear window. I'm sure GM has thought it out well though.

 

[OverDrive]

You both raise a very good point with that little back window. Drivers should always know where the for corners of their cars are at all times and this is no means a big car. I don't think that blind spot or smal window will cause any kinds of troubles as long as you know where your back bumper stops.

 

[zretrareo27]

As someone who recently changed from a 2003 Saturn Vue to the 2012 Hatchback Sonic, I can tell you the blindspots for me are horrendous. I'm one of those drivers who pushes the seat up as far as it will go, and between the headrests in the back and the frame of the car, I CANNOT see hardly anything back there! I am searching to find mirrors to fix this problem that don't drag down the styling of the vehicle.

 

[Sonic]

Zre, you could also remove and store the back seat headrests if you don't need them in the car all the time. Some people have already done that.

 

[BoG233]

Zre, you could also remove and store the back seat headrests if you don't need them in the car all the time. Some people have already done that.

This is what I do it clears the rear view for me .

 

[oldertech]

A salesman along my journey to new car ownership said that things will be different and you will get used view. He was right. And stow those unpassengerd headrests under the fake hatch floor.

 

[corprimo]

I've got no rear window in the 45 foot Motor Coach I drive during the summer - that's what mirrors are for... And yes, I know where my back bumper is!

 

[Ferdie]

Parking sensors

haha then you don't have to watch

 

[dvn]

I've been driving a pickup with a utility cap for work for the last 20 years. If you adjust your mirrors properly, you can all but eliminate blind spots. This has always worked for me.

 

[wingman]

I dont even use the rear view mirror. I'm just used to it not being there since I spend 8+ hrs/day driving truck. But I bought some little round convex mirrors from wally world. They have a double-sided tape and stick to the side mirror, and although I would have liked them to be a bit bigger, they do the trick. No blind spots!

 

[Avonni]

I've been driving a pickup with a utility cap for work for the last 20 years. If you adjust your mirrors properly, you can all but eliminate blind spots. This has always worked for me.

Thank you. That point can't be stressed enough, because 90% of drivers I see out there have their mirrors adjusted wrong. Shocking to some, but you're not supposed to see the side of your car in the side mirror.

 

[Katie:)]

not going to lie, im sort of terrified of this issue. I have to retake my drivers test (LONG story) and am going to have to do it in either my sonic, or my boyfriends 2012 chevy malibu. I'm not thrilled about the blind spots for the maneuverability or the digital speedo for the test but not thrilled about taking a larger sedan through it either. I'll have to let ya'll know how that goes in a month or so when i get the cash around to pay up my fees.

 

[wingman]

not going to lie, im sort of terrified of this issue. I have to retake my drivers test (LONG story) and am going to have to do it in either my sonic, or my boyfriends 2012 chevy malibu. I'm not thrilled about the blind spots for the maneuverability or the digital speedo for the test but not thrilled about taking a larger sedan through it either. I'll have to let ya'll know how that goes in a month or so when i get the cash around to pay up my fees.

Good luck, Im sure you'll do fine. Just remember to adjust your mirrors correctly!

 

[parepaw]

Wingman,
how do you like the convex mirrors? was it easy to get used to right away?
How do they compare to the convex rearview mirrors?

 

[usayit]

I've driven all sorts of vehicles, big and small. I was also taught as a teenager to adjust my mirrors just as in the link posted... always done it that way. I also learned that you quickly check more area by looking in the side view mirror and scan by leaning forward slightly. The Sonic Hatchback is by far one of the worst in blind spots.... Accidentally cut off a pickup truck on my 2nd week of ownership. Last time that happened was about 20 years ago. A blind spot mirror on my driver side mirror helped a lot... that and keeping a mindful on being extra cautious.

Convex rear view mirror has always been a wash for me... It makes it more difficult to monitor the traffic right behind me which is what it is intended to do.

 

[LS1notFOUND]

Its always painful when I get into a friends truck or when I was working construction the dump truck, and all I see is the side of the vehicle. My vehicle isn't going anywhere, and a quick lean forward and back to "sweep" the mirrors field of view solves almost all blind spots and allows you to check for tight clearance.

 

[cheddarlump]

Maybe it's because I'm tall (seat's almost all the way back), but I find that the hatchback has almost no blind spot. It's one of the easier cars I've owned to see in. My only complaint is the thick A pillar when going around corners on small neighborhood roads, but most cars have a thick A pillar these days. Best car I've ever had for visibility was a NB miata. Top down, I could literally reach the back corners of the car from the drivers seat..

 

[Opus51569]

I'm fine with the back window. The only blind-spot issues I have are the pillars between the back window and the two rear windows on either side of the car. When I back out of the garage I have to make a sort of "S" turn and that wide rear pillar falls directly in my line of sight. It will just take some getting used to, I suppose.