I was at the dealer to set up an appointment for this afternoon for a TCM reflash on my cruze, and I moseyed over to the showroom, they had a base sonic in there. I was very impressed with it. The seats were very cusy and comfortable. The interior is just=, a massive, massive improvement over the old aveo. It feels like it was actually put together by people rather than howler monkeys with wrenches.
The most surprising thing of all was that with the front seat in a position where I should sit in (at 5'11" tall), the backseat was completely livable. I wasn't sure about the motorycle style gauge cluster. But after seeing it in person, I'm fairly confident I could live with it, and like it. It's different, the speedo,odo, etc are large and easy to read. I prefer a digital speedo/analog tach anyway.
I didn't drive one, but at this point I can believe that it's fun to drive too. It's exterior size belies it's interior space, it just feels roomy in the front seat. Impressive.
The only thing I noticed that I didn't like was the lack of any real padding on the door armrest. But that's pretty minor considering the vast improvement. Also, the only subcompact made in the USA, even if that plant has had a few little hiccups. Either way, it's worth a look, I think.
By the way, this IS me being unbiased. I was slightly annoyed at my dealership at the time for giving me a somewhat hard time with not wanting to do a TCM reflash. They finally had to call GM to find out if it was okay to do it. And of course they did. In the end they agreed to do it, so down there I go today.
Seriously though, go look at the sonic, it will probably impress you. It sure impressed me.
Looked at a Sonic yesterday
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get the turbo or go home. lol.
And GM made quite the tidy profit.
I've been very impressed with what GM and Ford have been doing in the last two years.
It's becoming likely that the household A6 is about to get traded for something that gets >21 mpg.
Sounds good. I kind of like the 5-door, I've wanted that body style ever since I rented a Suzuki Aerio when someone took a left turn into the right side of my car. I wasn't happy at first, but the body style grew on me.
One thing that struck me about the Sonic, though, the headlights are not covered by an overall piece of plastic. The individual pods are enclosed, but I've gotten so used to seeing cars with a window-like plastic cover over the different pods inside that the first time I saw a Sonic, I thouht someone vandalized the thing. I would think aerodynamics would be helped a bit if there was a smooth covering over the lights, but that may be why I'm a computer jockey rather than a vehicle designer......
Originally Posted By: qr25de
The Sonic LTZ isn't half the car that I have on paper.
148 hp vs. 200 hp
138 lb-ft vs. 180 lb-ft
Engine power alone and for the same cost I wouldn't even look at it.
I drive a Sentra SE-R Spec-V btw.
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Originally Posted By: qr25de
The Sonic LTZ isn't half the car that I have on paper.
148 hp vs. 200 hp
138 lb-ft vs. 180 lb-ft
Engine power alone and for the same cost I wouldn't even look at it.
I drive a Sentra SE-R Spec-V btw.
Originally Posted By: qr25de
The Sonic LTZ isn't half the car that I have on paper.
148 hp vs. 200 hp
138 lb-ft vs. 180 lb-ft
Engine power alone and for the same cost I wouldn't even look at it.
I drive a Sentra SE-R Spec-V btw.
Originally Posted By: qr25de
The Sonic LTZ isn't half the car that I have on paper.
148 hp vs. 200 hp
138 lb-ft vs. 180 lb-ft
Engine power alone and for the same cost I wouldn't even look at it.
I drive a Sentra SE-R Spec-V btw.
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I too looked at a Sonic a few months ago. The car looked decent until I got up close and had a good look.
The gaps on the whole front end were off. I mean way off. I could fit my finger on the passanger side of the hood/fender and maybe my fingernail on driver side. I noticed this on a Camaro convertible as well that was on the showroom floor next to the Sonic. I asked the salesman and he honestly responded "thats chevy for you" ans smiled.
I wasn't there to purchase one, rather I was waiting on my work truck in service.
That left a bad taste in my mouth.
Originally Posted By: opus1
One thing that struck me about the Sonic, though, the headlights are not covered by an overall piece of plastic. The individual pods are enclosed, but I've gotten so used to seeing cars with a window-like plastic cover over the different pods inside that the first time I saw a Sonic, I thouht someone vandalized the thing. I would think aerodynamics would be helped a bit if there was a smooth covering over the lights, but that may be why I'm a computer jockey rather than a vehicle designer......
Originally Posted By: dja4260
I too looked at a Sonic a few months ago. The car looked decent until I got up close and had a good look.
The gaps on the whole front end were off. I mean way off. I could fit my finger on the passanger side of the hood/fender and maybe my fingernail on driver side. I noticed this on a Camaro convertible as well that was on the showroom floor next to the Sonic. I asked the salesman and he honestly responded "thats chevy for you" ans smiled.
I wasn't there to purchase one, rather I was waiting on my work truck in service.
That left a bad taste in my mouth.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: dja4260
I too looked at a Sonic a few months ago. The car looked decent until I got up close and had a good look.
The gaps on the whole front end were off. I mean way off. I could fit my finger on the passanger side of the hood/fender and maybe my fingernail on driver side. I noticed this on a Camaro convertible as well that was on the showroom floor next to the Sonic. I asked the salesman and he honestly responded "thats chevy for you" ans smiled.
I wasn't there to purchase one, rather I was waiting on my work truck in service.
That left a bad taste in my mouth.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: qr25de
The Sonic LTZ isn't half the car that I have on paper.
148 hp vs. 200 hp
138 lb-ft vs. 180 lb-ft
Engine power alone and for the same cost I wouldn't even look at it.
I drive a Sentra SE-R Spec-V btw.
Meh, Sentra, Sonic... not my kind of car. A Hyundai will have more hp but less performance!
I'll take the used M3 though!
Originally Posted By: qr25de
The Sonic LTZ isn't half the car that I have on paper.
148 hp vs. 200 hp
138 lb-ft vs. 180 lb-ft
Engine power alone and for the same cost I wouldn't even look at it.
I drive a Sentra SE-R Spec-V btw.
I had the chance to drive a manual trans Sonic for the afternoon with the 1.4L turbo. What a hoot. Small enough and peppy enough that it's kind of a point and shoot through traffic type of ride.
If not for two rearward facing car seats, I would definaly consider one as a nice commuter compliment to the wifes Equinox. As Nick said, with the driver seat set for my 6' frame, I could stick two forward facing seats in the back. No way for rearward facing though, and I've got another two years until both are facing forward.
The other thing is the price. Optioned out how I'd like, it be over $17,000. I'm torn at that price. That's almost Cruze territory. The Cruze isn't a funky little hatch though.
Funny the SE-R be mentioned. I looked at one around the time I bought my Subaru. I couldn't pull the trigger on the red and black fishnet seat fabric that looked like it was sourced from a Las Vegas prostitute.
Definitely a serious upgrade from the rolling GM garbage before(Aveo). At least a viable rental when I check off the cheapest one possible and typically hope that its not available. I would not mind trying one at least as rental. Owning it no way as you can purchase larger vehicles that get similar MPG albeit more expensive.
I checked out the Sonic. I liked the car quite a bit, but could not find any with a 1.4 turbo and a manual. They were all 1.8s "Family 1 Ecotec" or D-Tec or whatever.
It makes only slightly less horsepower and torque than a 20 year old Acura Integra. I was really expecting the Sonic to drive like a 4 door non-VTEC Integra RS/LS/GS. The handling and brakes are pretty good. But the engine, in spite of being nearly identical on paper to the B18B1, just doesn't do it.
The shifter was okay. Not Acura precise, but not bad at all. Way better than the last Aveo I drove.
I might check again for the 1.4T. Sorry Chevrolet, you got close to what Acura was selling 20 years ago but the 1.8 let us down.
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