Sonic sales taking a dive
- Thread starter wpgsonic
- Start date
suitcasejefferson
Member
I bought my 2013 used, and the only reason I bought it was because it was the hatchback with the hidden rear door handle. I do not normally drive 4 door cars. I consider them nothing more than taxicabs. I was hoping the Chevy would come out with a true 2 door car that was not high performance and cost a fortune. I cannot afford a Camaro, and I wouldn't buy one anyway, because of the stupid 20" wheels with painted on tire tread. I need a car that can be used on the street, potholes and all. I think my next vehicle will be a 2 door Jeep Wrangler with a soft top, 6-8" lift, 15" wheels with all terrain tires. GM just doesn't make anything I want, other than maybe a 2 door standard cab short bed Silverado 2 WD.
Another issue that may be affecting Sonic sales is that the early models are developing a LOT of problems at fairly low miles. I was hoping to get 250,000 miles out of mine, but it looks like I can say goodbye to that idea. And a $20,000+ car that won't do 250,000 miles is simply unacceptable these days.
GM had a 2 door Cavalier and a 2 door Cobalt. Why don't that have a 2 door car now? They are missing a huge part of the market segment.
Also, the "SS" designation should be reserved for vehicles that actually deserve it. SS stands for "Super Sport" and has a history going back to the mid 60s. It should only be used on 2 door RWD cars with a V8 engine. NO way is a 4 door FWD 4 cylinder car a Super Sport.
Another issue that may be affecting Sonic sales is that the early models are developing a LOT of problems at fairly low miles. I was hoping to get 250,000 miles out of mine, but it looks like I can say goodbye to that idea. And a $20,000+ car that won't do 250,000 miles is simply unacceptable these days.
GM had a 2 door Cavalier and a 2 door Cobalt. Why don't that have a 2 door car now? They are missing a huge part of the market segment.
Also, the "SS" designation should be reserved for vehicles that actually deserve it. SS stands for "Super Sport" and has a history going back to the mid 60s. It should only be used on 2 door RWD cars with a V8 engine. NO way is a 4 door FWD 4 cylinder car a Super Sport.
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Blue Moon Sonic
New member
Considering GM made a Cobalt SS and people were shoving 600HP in there, The SS badge is not solely reserved to only big V8 RWD. As far as why no two doors... they have 2. It's called a camaro or a corvette. Though, I agree more coupes should be made. You can really blame average joe Americans That are buying Lifted 4x4 and or what is essentially a lifted AWD wagon with SUV/Truck sales mixed in. I don't disagree with the whole, "they have too many problems at lower miles", but an SS badge would be appropriate for an AWD 2.0L Sonic pushing almost 320HP from the factory. That's only if GM ever gets their thumbs out of their asses and actually made one for the enthusiast consumer base. So Jefferson, Do what makes you happy.
JTee2017
Well-known member
But the Honda Fit is the Sonic counterpart. We've looked at the Fit before buying our 2017 Sonic HB and despite the accolades by car magazines, we thought the interior less comfortable than the Sonic and wife needs an automatic. The "CVT" in the Fit is awful. Plus, the MyLink in the Sonic LT HB is much easier to use with none of the Honda quirks. The Fit does have a newer designed safety package. But $ for $ the Sonic was more comfortable and a better buy once rebates were figured in and does not have that awful CVT.
See this review: - - https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/chevrolet/sonic
We really liked the 2017 Sonic refresh in interior improvements as well as the front and rear exterior treatments.
As for the rest . . . the Fiesta will be non existent once again, the compact Focus, for a compact class car, does not really have more space or comfort in the comparable equipped sub compact Sonic hatchback and costs more.
Blue Moon Sonic
New member
I drove a Fit once. I hated it so much, I wanted to vomit all over the interior. The seats were uncomfortable. The get up and go was almost pathetic compared to my 12 sonic. The handling was almost as dull as a beige camry. To top it all off, my stage 1 tuned Golf R got better gas mileage than the honda fit and this was a 2016 model I drove. At the end of the day, the sonic wins my vote hands down.
carsNskis
New member
It's literally just the radio bezel and cluster... Which of ambitious enough do fit the 12s
[emoji593][emoji809][emoji472]
JTee2017
Well-known member
Well . . actually a little more than that. Go back and look at the two pictures i posted earlier. The 2017+ top of dash has indented contours near R & L sides and also different R/L dash vents plus some other subtle details. Also, the door panels are more contoured and styled, although hardware is similar or the same.
There are some other differences as well.
Papasonic
Active member
Regarding differences, I noticed that you changed the headlights to LED's; was there something about the stock lamps that you didn't like?
The previous Sonic's had individual round high and low beam lamps that in my opinion work quite well: This was part of what made the Sonic unique. Getting to my point; The headlamps on my 2012 Sonic are noticeably superior to our new 2017 Malibu. Did you find the new Sonic headlamps marginal?
JTee2017
Well-known member
I just changed the stock halogens to LED mostly for appearance, although the bulbs I bought do provide better lighting from what I can see. And they are very easy to change on the Sonic.
2 years ago I would not have used any LED replacement bulb as I thought there were too pricey as well as did not perform well. In the past year with newer LED chips that has all changed. There are now decent LED bulbs for $50 to $120 or less if you shop around or find the occasional coupon deal.
I'm not surprised. You never see it advertised, I believe it isn't a high profit car for GM so dealers don't push it or really stock them as much as the other models as others have said.
As for quality, I don't think it's been GM's best foot forward, I know we have debated that back and forth and everyone's opinion of the car is different. Mine is not positive. Of all the cars we've owned in our family, this one has been on the back of a tow truck more and seen the dealer's warranty department/service department the most. We had a Saturn for 18 years prior to this car and while that car wasn't without its problems (it was a 1993, so it was the 1st generation of that car), it never once left us to the point where it had to be towed.
I personally won't miss if it goes, parts will stay around for a while for those that enjoy theirs and want to keep them going, much that people do with Saturns now.
The unfortunate thing that if it goes, it will fade into history as another GM compact car that "didn't have the chops" to hang with it. It would go the way of the other GM/Chevrolet subcompact that you never hear about.
JTee2017
Well-known member
I've seen a few commercials. And 2010-13 models did have some issues as does any new model vehicle.
Old Addage: - Never buy a first year (and used) car.
Other than that, the Sonic has a few small maintenance items that are easily taken car of if watched for. T-stat and housing, the tubes and hose for T-Stat, air intake tube, one or two other things. Maybe about $300 in parts. . less if you go aftermarket and even better sometimes (all metal T-stat and housing $70)
https://youtu.be/syM_B96xBHI
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In the Northeast, I don't think I've ever seen it advertised....I think you mean 2012-2013 Sonic as it was first introduced for the 2012 model year, not 2010.
I don't think a first year buyer should be stuck with a bad year bill of goods because the manufacturer can't get things right. I just got my car back from the dealer and I'm looking at three pages of parts with the car having 58,500 miles:
Oil cooler
Oil pan gasket (which I think is sealer, not a gasket).
Various seals
Valve cover gasket (again....was replaced at 35,000 miles when the head gasket was done)
Right front power window service again (four times at least)
Outlet hose to the throttle body. I'll give this one a pass as the last technician that replaced the air intake duct had the clamp wedged against the hose causing rub through.
Serpentine belt (which from what I remember GM doesn't recommend changing until 100k.)
Not only that, but I had to add coolant because after they did the work, the level dropped again, so I had to top it off. Plus the prop rod was laying in the engine compartment and not in the holder. Yes, that's the technician not the car, but when I work on my cars, I make sure things go back like they are supposed to and it should almost look like you were never in there.
Either way, I think the repairs (even if they are under warranty) for this car have been excessive. Every day you don't have use of the vehicle it's just as good as being a paperweight, does you no service.
Thank goodness I have a back up vehicle to get around. If the Sonic was my only vehicle, I would have to have a NYC Metrocard to make sure I could get to work.....
I don't really see that they did this car right at all. I think the use of the Daewoo 1.8L engine was a very bad choice. I liked when GM was partnered with Toyota better. I think better quality cars came out of NUMMI.
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JTee2017
Well-known member
Maybe. . . maybe not. Chevrolet (Geo) Prisms were rebadged Toyota Corollas and lot's of people had issues with them.
Chevrolet Prizm Problems & Complaints | ChevroletProblems.com
The Sonic 1.8L is not a Daewoo engine but was designed and used first in European Opel and other vehicles. It actually has proven to be a solid engine in most respects and in use for some 13 years and more in Europe besides here in the U.S.
Buy another brand product the first year and you will see most have " have not been done right". Read Mazda, Nissan, Kia and other forums. Not to say your experience is invalid, but may not be the norm. Those who have an issue are not necessarily representative of the majority.
" - The new Generation III or Gen III engine entered production in Spring 2005, these engines replaced both the previous generation Ecotec engines as well as Daewoo's E-TEC 16V engines. These engines are manufactured at Szentgotthárd, Hungary, Bupyeoung, Korea, Toluca, Mexico and Yantai, PRC (SGM). -"
https://wikivisually.com/wiki/GM_Family_1_engine
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Maybe. . . maybe not. Chevrolet (Geo) Prisms were rebadged Toyota Corollas and lot's of people had issues with them.
Chevrolet Prizm Problems & Complaints | ChevroletProblems.com
The Sonic 1.8L is not a Daewoo engine but was designed and used first in European Opel and other vehicles. It actually has proven to be a solid engine in most respects and in use for some 13 years and more in Europe besides here in the U.S.
Buy another brand product the first year and you will see most have " have not been done right". Read Mazda, Nissan, Kia and other forums. Not to say your experience is invalid, but may not be the norm. Those who have an issue are not necessarily representative of the majority.
" - The new Generation III or Gen III engine entered production in Spring 2005, these engines replaced both the previous generation Ecotec engines as well as Daewoo's E-TEC 16V engines. These engines are manufactured at Szentgotthárd, Hungary, Bupyeoung, Korea, Toluca, Mexico and Yantai, PRC (SGM). -"
https://wikivisually.com/wiki/GM_Family_1_engine
It may have started "life" as an Opel, but this is Daewoo through and through. Half of the engine parts are made in Korea, not Europe. Also, some of the GM parts even have a Daewoo part # on them as well as a Korean address for GM/Daewoo.
That partnership was terrible in the 1980s with the Pontiac Lemans (another "hot" seller. LOL), and GM didn't learn its lesson with that.
I don't think most would argue that Toyota builds solid cars and that most of the NUMMI products were better than if GM were building them alone. When we bought the Sonic, we really WANTED to like it and give it a fair shake, but it's proven to be no more reliable and better screwed together than the 1989 Cavalier my grandparents bought. Both are even "J" cars in the GM line. LOL.
(Yes, I still have the Cavalier, oddly enough, although it's "retired").
JTee2017
Well-known member
Having bit parts made in Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, or China, does not make an entire assembly like an engine from one of those countries.
If that were the case, then Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and even Lexus should also be called Korean or some other parts maker from another country. All car companies get their parts from many different country part sources these days.
Perhaps yours, being a 2012, was one with an engine made in Bupyeoung, Korea, since that is one of 4 plants where the engine could have been made. So back then, it could have one or more parts made by Daewoo.
My Sonic engine was made in Hungary. The current 1.8L Sonic engine is an Opel design. The previous was Daewoo. These are the historical facts not assumptions or opinions.
But, whatever. . .you obviously have an axe to grind so you can believe what you want. The facts prove otherwise.
Have a nice night. . . .
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zomby woof
Member
I don't think so either but I still would never buy a first year car from any manufacturer.