Chevy Sonic

First off I drive a Bronco 2 so you can't question my poor taste in cars! I believe owning a B2 confirms my low standard for quality and performance.

So with that I would like to hear any brain farts, wisdom or insights on the Chevy Sonic. It has been getting great reviews and with a 1.4 turbo it makes you wonder……

Thank you for wasting your time with me

Inside Line thinks theirs isn't as great as the Mazda Deuce or FIAT 500. I haven't driven one yet, but that's because they don't interest me. There's plenty on the lots though, so go for a spin.

I've driven most of the cars in this segment and ended up with the Mazda2. Best driving car of the bunch, hands down. FYI I didn't drive the fiat. None near me.

My wifes grandfather worked for and retired from GM so buying a sonic would have been a very good decision. I was only interested in the hatch, the turbo, and a manual. They were unicorns when I was looking. Plenty of the na cars with manuals. Some of the turbo cars with autos. Nothing that I wanted to buy. I want to believe that it's because they can't keep them on the lot. I bought a mazda2. I'm not sad.

Given that a Cruze is basically the same price for a bigger car......

I think they are dead sexy. Love the front end, but I am a child of Robotech so that may explain something.

Why not buy a Volt? I hear they're all the rage these days.

I went to buy a Volt but I was shocked by the price........ Or how about I think they look revolting.....

Back to the Sonic. I am a Ford guy. In fact I have three Fords and a Miata. That said I think the Cruze and the Sonic are great looking cars. I find the Mazda2/Fiesta a bit tough on the eyes. Now if Ford took the team who did the new 2013 Fusion and had then do the Fiesta.......that would be nice!

I dont have anything to say about the car but I cant get the song in the commercial out of my head.

Cruze is heavy at 2800lb-ish. Most reviewers say it handles pretty well and can scoot with the 1.4T in spite of the weight. 1.4T with manual is a unicorn, but seek it out anyways since the 1.8L isn't worth bothering with.

IMHO, this is one of the rare times I think the sedan looks better than the hatch. The hatch looks very stubby from the side.

driver109x wrote: I dont have anything to say about the car but I cant get the song in the commercial out of my head.

That is awesome that you posted that as I have spent most of the day study the relationship between music and branding!

Or how about a nice Aveo?

I like the looks of the sedan better too, but I hear the good stuff ("Z-Spec") is going to be offered only in the hatchback.

poopshovel wrote: Or how about a nice Aveo?

They are not the same car.

My son's thinking about buying one. They're making big power with the 1.4T with only a little work.

15 replies and no mention of hedgehogs yet.

I guess I don't watch enough TV - don't know they advertised for this car, not do I know the song.

I agree that the styling of the Sonic and especially the Cruze (heck, I'll even throw in the Volt) look ok to me. I like them better than the Fiesta and Mazda 2 just based on looks. Wouldn't buy one. Support Ford if you are buying American. Reward them for not stealing our money with a stupid bailout. I try to not reward bad behavior. It is a poor practice unless the goal is to encourage more bad behavior in the future - for that reason I will not be buying a GM or Dodge product. If you don't like the Fiesta, how about a Focus?

T.J. wrote: 15 replies and no mention of hedgehogs yet. I guess I don't watch enough TV - don't know they advertised for this car, not do I know the song. I agree that the styling of the Sonic and especially the Cruze (heck, I'll even throw in the Volt) look ok to me. I like them better than the Fiesta and Mazda 2 just based on looks. Wouldn't buy one. Support Ford if you are buying American. Reward them for not stealing our money with a stupid bailout. I try to not reward bad behavior. It is a poor practice unless the goal is to encourage more bad behavior in the future - for that reason I will not be buying a GM or Dodge product. If you don't like the Fiesta, how about a Focus?

TJ, I completely agree with you yet sadly I am shallow. On a side note, I never said I was going to buy one. I just think it a great upgrade from the Aveo and I love the biz side of the car world.

I'd rather drive a 2WD stick shift Bronco 2 than a Sonic....

We have one as a delivery vehicle at work. I really like it, if it was a stick it would be perfect.

Make mine a hatch turbo please!

IIRC, SCCA has given the thumbs down for stock autoX due to height vs. width ratio.

T.J. wrote: 15 replies and no mention of hedgehogs yet. I guess I don't watch enough TV - don't know they advertised for this car, not do I know the song. I agree that the styling of the Sonic and especially the Cruze (heck, I'll even throw in the Volt) look ok to me. I like them better than the Fiesta and Mazda 2 just based on looks. Wouldn't buy one. Support Ford if you are buying American. Reward them for not stealing our money with a stupid bailout. I try to not reward bad behavior. It is a poor practice unless the goal is to encourage more bad behavior in the future - for that reason I will not be buying a GM or Dodge product. If you don't like the Fiesta, how about a Focus?

Give it a rest already. Nearly every car maker on the planet has received a "bail-out" at one time or another. Toyota, Nissan(from the French, for chrissake), Mazda, etc,etc,etc. They also are very protective of their home auto manufacturing with restricted trade, tariffs, refusal to allow foreign owned factories, poor labor practices,etc,etc,etc. Even if you didn't support the preservation of our auto manufacturing companies(Ford might have gone under as well, if GM and Chryco dissolved), why on earth would you cut off your nose to spite your face, by refusing to buy GM/Dodge? That would ensure that your "investment" went away. Wouldn't it make more sense to return them to profitability?

neon4891 wrote: IIRC, SCCA has given the thumbs down for stock autoX due to height vs. width ratio.

The Sonic was given the no-go because it had not yet been given a "SSF" rollover rating. Don't know if that's still the case. There's a whole thread about that here:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/sonic-banned-from-stock-class/44688/page1/

RexSeven wrote:

neon4891 wrote: IIRC, SCCA has given the thumbs down for stock autoX due to height vs. width ratio.

The Sonic was given the no-go because it had not yet been given a "SSF" rollover rating. Don't know if that's still the case. There's a whole thread about that here: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/sonic-banned-from-stock-class/44688/page1/

And that is where I got it from.

On paper, I really like it, but by the time I have it speced out(turbo, stick, hatch, PW,PL,CC) it is $17-18K. That is Golf money. For the price, there are half a dozen other cars higher on my list.

I'm personally waiting to see how the Spark comes out. Then again, I like the idea of 1.2 liters of fury.

RexSeven wrote: IMHO, this is one of the rare times I think the sedan looks better than the hatch. The hatch looks very stubby from the side.

And proving the exception to the rule, I usually, hate, hate, hate hatches, but here is were I dig the hatch more.