Overall, the Sonic RS is an endearing vehicle and our number one choice in the hotly contested subcompact market (at least until we drive the upcoming Ford Fiesta ST).
Chevrolet has announced production of the Sonic Dusk ahead of its live debut at SEMA in Las Vegas next week. First shown as a concept last year, the Sonic Dusk will begin production in 2014.
At the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, which takes place from October 30 to November 2, Chevrolet will be unveiling a sizeable collection of concepts, led by several versions of its diminutive Spark and Sonic compacts.
First, it’s important to temper expectations regarding the Sonic RS. It is not an SS. That fact was made abundantly clear in our tech briefing before we drove. It’s also not some willy-nilly styling package, like RS models of old (or new, if you count the RS packs on the Cruze and Camaro). Instead, this Sonic occupies a little-used middle ground in the Chevrolet lineup, bridging the gap between a regular Sonic hatch and something…else (possibly a Sonic SS that the Chevrolet PR people denied ad infinitum).
All 83 pound-feet of torque are available at 4200 rpm, meaning this is a car with zero low-end grunt. Patience is rewarded though, as the climbing revs gave us more and more to work with, until we were zipping about at a surprisingly brisk pace. All along the way, we were accompanied by a burly, rorty exhaust note that had no business coming from a 1.2-liter engine. It’s like this thing runs on minced bulldog; it just has a growl that is so pure and enjoyable. We’d recommend it for this quality alone.
This is a surprisingly good system in terms of balance and clarity and spaciousness. It is also the rare system that doesn’t seem aimed first and foremost at producing boomy bass (the bass here going deep enough but at a reduced level). That said, we think some users will find the dynamics and bass power to be a little reticent, with the result that it doesn’t make rock or hip hop particularly exciting. But for acoustic music, classical and news radio, the Premium Sound here competes with many higher priced offerings (note that the whole Sonic, car and audio system, is $17k).
Chevrolet brought its 2013 Sonic RS to the show in Detroit today. We’ve already seen the specs when the car was announced last month, but today we got a chance to see the car in person.
The turbocharged Sonic addressed our biggest complaints from our original review, namely the lack of power. Despite weighing almost 200 pounds more than the competition, the Chevy would be our choice in a drag race. What’s truly remarkable, though, is the transformative effect it had on the car’s overall character. With the 1.8, there’s a noticeable economy feel in the way the car accelerates, sounds, and drives. The addition of the 1.4-liter turbo has made this an engaging, not-quite-hot hatchback, that asks for you to drive it and have fun in it.
We knew it was coming, and now we have our first look at the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS ahead of its debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. The five-door-only Sonic RS uses the same 138-horsepower, turbocharged engine that is optional in the standard car, only it uses a freer-flowing sport exhaust, that should add a touch of aggression to the semi-hot hatch.
We recently tested the new Chevrolet Sonic, and were delighted to find that, while totally affordable, it still had some pretty good driving dynamics. Our tester was pretty bare-bones, as evidenced by such features as manual roll-up windows—something we were worried was going to become extinct.
If you asked us what the main difference between the 2011 Chevrolet Aveo and the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic was, we wouldn’t tell you about the new 1.8-liter four-pot or the new 1.4-liter turbo. We also wouldn’t mention the optional six-speed automatic transmission. Likewise, we wouldn’t be talking about the revised looks either. No, if asked what the biggest difference between these cars was, we’d be telling you that while the Aveo’s biggest selling point was its bargain-basement pricing, the Sonic sells it self thanks to its fun-to-drive and well-mannered driving character. You should only need one guess to figure out which approach we prefer.
Chevrolet had quite the big press conference today, announcing US sales of the Colorado mid-size pickup and Spark supermini, along with production of an all-electric Spark EV, and an all-new Trailblazer.
Today, as the company nears its 100th anniversary, Chevrolet introduced its new small car, the 2012 Sonic, in Detroit. The automaker showed it in 4- and 5-door versions, as well as a Z-spec concept hatchback.
The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic has just broken cover. Chevy’s new small car is destined to go head to head with compacts like the recently released Ford Fiesta, Mazda2, and Honda Fit. Besides the new name, the Sonic gets a healthy dose of aggressive sheetmetal, as well as a redesigned interior, and a pair of new engines (borrowed from the Chevy Cruze).