shorebreeze
Member
I don't think US buyers have really awakened to the idea of a B-class car than can deliver refinement and power; B-class shoppers in this country want "cheap and reliable and easy to park" and aren't really choosing yet on the extras. And GM marketing is still lemming-like; just not as bad as they were. At least they now know how to market C-class cars, and that's progress. But they need to take the bull by the horns and educate a little more. They've been kind of invisible on advertising the Sonic; even though Honda are themselves lemmings with marketing the new Fit, focusing on the cargo versatility and not talking much about the other improvements, they at least have ads up on TV.
The other big problem for now on the Sonic is that by the EPA numbers, there's no advantage in gas mileage over the Cruze. In reality, there is an edge for the Sonic on in-town driving from what I've seen, but the EPA is probably right on the highway numbers. So people approaching a car dealership rationalize a monthly payment on a Cruze as being a reasonable upgrade, and that's aggravated by how many of the Sonics are sold with the 1.8L. GM should not wait for the 2018 overhaul to deal with the engine issue; Sonic should go direct-injection and next-generation with all motors for 2016, with a normally aspirated DI engine on LS and LT, and the 1.5 turbo on the LTZ and RS and available optionally on the LT.
Also, I think GM needs to rethink feature packages on the car. LTZ going standard turbo is progress, but many people won't go for anything resembling vinyl upholstery. Standard turbo and/or direct injection on the LT and better upholstery on the LTZ -- now that, with a marketing push, would make a difference. Better tire choice too; the H428 manages to fail at gripping the road and still impose a gas mileage penalty in my view. Maybe merge the Dusk line with LTZ; downgrade to more practical 17 inch wheels, keep the good tires, upgrade sound insulation and finish, and leather all around.
