Why do people want to play w Sonic's
- Thread starter fletch
- Start date
Swordsmith
242hp/252 ft-lbs BNR EFI
It's a hot hatch... unless you have the sedan, in which case I have no idea.
I just thought it was odd that not many messed with me in my truck, but the day I got the sonic 3 times, There is so many coffee can racers around the DFW area they try to race everything, I think they like hearing their annoying exhaust, but on a different note there is a WRX that sounds really good and is fast,
severous01
New member
i get it all the time. v8 mustangs...older ones any way, hondas, v6 mustangs and camaros, scion TC's. it's like a daily thing for me. sometimes i'll run them, sometimes i wont. the scion guy was pissed when he didnt blow my doors off lol. he had lights, springs, fartcan muffler and who knows what else. i'm all stock except a trifecta tune.
StressedPotato
New member
I get the same beef except in my Cruze. Altimas just LOVE to try and race me, so i do my usual 1, 2 beep and laugh as they floor it and i stay at the same speed.
Good times Good times.
Good times Good times.
Insanika
Super Moderator
Monday I raced a riced out mustang and didn't know it. I was on a 4 lane divided that has occasional stoplights. It's a 65-mph road, so if you time it right you can hit the green and not have to stop. Everyone else was slowing around me, but I knew the light would be green well before we got there and was right. I'd dodged a pickup and only the nasty mustang was there waiting at the light, so I trucked on past him at about 50 and accelerating. Shortly after here comes the mustang dodging in and out of traffic trying to catch up. I upped my speed to a whopping 68 and waited for him to blow past me. It was funny because his passenger was all turned around in the seat as they went by.
ahtoxa
New member
I don't get much of that. Once I had a pull next to an Abarth and surprisingly lost only a couple of feet over the quarter mile or so.
P.S. Sonic is NOT a hot hatch, guys. That's not the intention of it as designed. Focust ST, Mazdaspeed3, WRX, GTI, etc., those are hot hatches. Even the Fiesta ST, but not the Sonic. Sonic was designed with fuel economy in mind first.
P.S. Sonic is NOT a hot hatch, guys. That's not the intention of it as designed. Focust ST, Mazdaspeed3, WRX, GTI, etc., those are hot hatches. Even the Fiesta ST, but not the Sonic. Sonic was designed with fuel economy in mind first.
Insanika
Super Moderator
You can't tell me that the hot hatch market is not at least one of their targets. The Aveo, yeah maybe just economy. The more aggressive styling and younger attitude tells me they designed this car as a shiny lure for the kids (and adults) who didn't or couldn't spend the money on a true hot hatch. I needed economy and wanted a hot hatch. I got a sonic. I am happy.
ahtoxa
New member
In the past, a turbocharged engine on a small hatchback pretty much automatically designated it as a hot hatch, because it would deliver substantially more power over the same car in a lower trim. Example: golf vs GTI where GTI is a hot hatch and the golf is not. Same with Mazda 3 vs. mazdaspeed3.
The same cannot be said about the Sonic, though. The addition of the 1.4t motor over the 1.8 didn't gain all that much power over the 1.8 and it wasn't the intention. While the 1.4 has potential to be on par with similar hot hatches like the Fiesta ST, we're comparing stock to stock.
The 1.4 motor was an option to provide greater fuel economy. Nothing more and nothing less. You could say that the Sonic RS is closer to being a hot hatch, because it has distinguishing external differences akin to those of other hot hatches (GTI vs. Golf again), however without a substantially better engine performance (stock) to it's base variant, it still isn't a hot hatch. It's really a compromise, if you will. This isn't a negative statement against the Sonic, however. The RS serves those buyers who would like a hot hatch but do not want to spend the money on one - the RS comes very close in the mind of many buyers.
Again, this isn't a slam on the buying demographic or the car, it's simply a clever way to market the car. This is partially why Sonic has been a success for Chevy - it's an economical way to get close to the hot hatch market.
Turbocharged motors as a whole have become cheaper to produce as they've found their way into mainstream cars. They have also become more reliable. As more stringent CAFE restrictions are looming, manufacturers have begun to implement smaller turbocharged motors instead of larger na motors to provide the power people want and raise the fleet fuel economy numbers the manufacturers need. Look at BMW - they introduced a 2.0t motor to their 3 series now. '14 or '15 Mustang will have a turbocharged motor as an option, which is allegedly going to slot between the 6 cyl and the 8 (closer to 6) in regards to power.
As we see, turbocharged motors are primarily implemented for their power and increased fuel economy when compared with larger na motors putting out similar power.
The same cannot be said about the Sonic, though. The addition of the 1.4t motor over the 1.8 didn't gain all that much power over the 1.8 and it wasn't the intention. While the 1.4 has potential to be on par with similar hot hatches like the Fiesta ST, we're comparing stock to stock.
The 1.4 motor was an option to provide greater fuel economy. Nothing more and nothing less. You could say that the Sonic RS is closer to being a hot hatch, because it has distinguishing external differences akin to those of other hot hatches (GTI vs. Golf again), however without a substantially better engine performance (stock) to it's base variant, it still isn't a hot hatch. It's really a compromise, if you will. This isn't a negative statement against the Sonic, however. The RS serves those buyers who would like a hot hatch but do not want to spend the money on one - the RS comes very close in the mind of many buyers.
Again, this isn't a slam on the buying demographic or the car, it's simply a clever way to market the car. This is partially why Sonic has been a success for Chevy - it's an economical way to get close to the hot hatch market.
Turbocharged motors as a whole have become cheaper to produce as they've found their way into mainstream cars. They have also become more reliable. As more stringent CAFE restrictions are looming, manufacturers have begun to implement smaller turbocharged motors instead of larger na motors to provide the power people want and raise the fleet fuel economy numbers the manufacturers need. Look at BMW - they introduced a 2.0t motor to their 3 series now. '14 or '15 Mustang will have a turbocharged motor as an option, which is allegedly going to slot between the 6 cyl and the 8 (closer to 6) in regards to power.
As we see, turbocharged motors are primarily implemented for their power and increased fuel economy when compared with larger na motors putting out similar power.
ahtoxa
New member
Yes, agreed. To split the hairs for the last time, I think the Sonic was aimed just below the hot hatch market and not directly at it. Those who actually want a true hot hatch will still go out and buy it; the Sonic will not do will with those buyers. But it will do well for those who want a sporty economical car, like you said. 
Swordsmith
242hp/252 ft-lbs BNR EFI
I'll rewrite my initial response then:
Because it looks like a hot hatch.
Which is sad for those of us trying to make our cars into "sleepers", if it looks hot and we make it so it is hot, then who's surprised, other than other Sonic owners?
Because it looks like a hot hatch.
Which is sad for those of us trying to make our cars into "sleepers", if it looks hot and we make it so it is hot, then who's surprised, other than other Sonic owners?
Insanika
Super Moderator
I dono. I'll always consider mine a hot hatch because I drive it as such. Just look at my Instagram hashtags lol.
Put on steelies that are everything that isn't flush. Scuff up the paint. Remove the wing. Take off the turbo badge. Put on some headlight eyelashes.
Now see who wants to race
