I got the Sonic in a "Cool Blue" hatch. Owned it for two years. It has never been in the shop except for the free oil changes and tire rotation. Love the car. Drove it to Fl from MI twice. $86.00 for gas each time. Handles well at over 90mph which it reaches easily. Air works great. All kind of surprise equipment on the LT...backup cam, one touch power window up and down, on board computer tells you everything, 10 air bags, to name a few. I get compliments on it all the time. I have the 1.8L motor and it got me through the mountains on cruise kicking down just one gear on a few occasions. It merges onto the freeways just fine, and why all the fuss about the 0-60times? It is a compact car with plenty to offer. I'd highly recommend it to anyone.
I just got a LT Hatch with the 1.4T w/sunroof+mylink for 14.5 out the door (had 2K bonus earnings + costco discount) I'd get the 1.4. The 1.8 is fine, I have a similar engine in my Astra but the 1.4 is so much more fun.
Yes I disagree. It feels frisky in town, but is pretty slow above 50mph. No passing on a two lane if there is a car even in sight. It is a compact car. It does what it is supposed to do. I get around fine in the city for shopping, and getting to work. It goes any sane speed on the freeway, but the two laners can be sweaty palms. It feels solid. Does not get blown around by 18 wheelers. Rent one with the 1.8 and see for yourself.
+Alexander Allen I'm so 12 Alexander do you really go by your full name well you must because you are worried about how other people's mothers and how they think of them you damn mama's boy this should be easy for you to understand fuck you since you want to join in my conversation with Mike dunno shit that enjoys being a tough guy on TH-cam I haven't even read your comments because I don't care you're probably like that guy and like Sonics like a loser I could guess you probably own one and think it's a bad car it's fast it's awesome it's cool loser man it's a piece of junk it's a joke it's a woman's car it's probably perfect for you Alexander
I never understood why people biatch about plastic interiors. How often do you touch it lmao. I have the RS Sonic, love it, and only touch the dash when im cleaning it
I can tell by the comments most don't understand these cars are severely detuned from the factory. The factory air intake has a snorkel that can be removed for a dyno proven 2-3hp, there are restrictor plates (yes, restrictor plates....didn't believe until I saw them) that removing gains about 10hp in the midrange, and there is a bypass valve that purposefully drops boost during shifts. Remove of all that crap is free. That is not even touching the 30+hp and 40+lbft gains by just a tune alone.
My wife and I purchased this car last June 2014, and up to present October 2014, this has been an Awesome Car!!, no problems at all to speak of, plenty of power and storage space for my drum set. Thank you Chevrolet!.
Love the interior cheap or not. I got the LTZ hatchback so it came with a little nicer guts than the LT. Door cup holders are angled forward to counteract the torque :)
Traded my 2013 Ford Focus SE for a Chevrolet Sonic LT. The Ford headliner and center console rattled, the ergonomics were bad, the engine idled rough in the morning, and the infotainment system was glitchy. The Chevy handles better, gets better mileage ( averaging 37 mpg vs 32 mpg ), no rattles, and no glitches. Additionally the Focus cost me around $6000 more than the Sonic, I feel I got ripped off when I bought the Focus.
Got paperwork in the mail for a class action lawsuit for Focus owners with auto-shift transmissions. If I still had it I could get paid for the transmission problems if I had taken it in and complained about how the car would upshift and accelerate after letting off throttle and the clunking into gear and jerking.
Nathan! I absolutely agree on this vehicle! Buy it! I will also agree that the Fiesta has a slightly better interior, but the price premium that Ford seems to be asking, for me, just isn't worth it. The Sonic presents a very nice value proposition. Nice review!
I live at sea level and can get the sonic from 0 to 60 in 7.5 seconds with good shifting. I can drive it hard and still get 30 mpg. It is a great little car and the 1.4 L turbo is frankly amazing. I am thinking about getting a large intercooler for long hot drives.
BriantheRight It'still a Daewoo...... pure shit.........obviously..............you have never driven/owned a real econbox with character and true handling. Same POS built in Korea,China, and Russia................the"bottom of the barrel" Septic vehicle.
I don't understand why he rags on the 1.8 liter. I actually did rent a base Sonic LS sedan with an automatic for a few days and found it plenty fast on both city and highway. Surpassing posted speed limits without really trying. It was very peppy, and the handling was excellent. I'm 6'6" and was comfortable for hours of driving. I don't know what the TFL guy is looking for, but I walked away from the base Sonic quite impressed. My only issue was that the textured fabric on the center armrest was rough on the elbows, but that's a very small issue.
I just bought a 2012 Chevy Sonic (the Sedan version) earlier today (during the afternoon of April 13th). The one I bought has the 1.4 turbo, 16" alloys, pretty much everything you can get without going into any extra dealer packages, and I got mine for $12.9K, even though the sticker price was $14.4K The one he tested must've been fully loaded and that borla package probably jumped the sticker price.
I'll tell ya Nathan, I have the 1.8l and I drive a lot of highway. 140 miles a day. I get 39 mpg with my 1.8. I'm not on a race track, I don't need super speed, I just need to get to work. The 1.8 does that VERY nicely.
Mine was a fully loaded 2013 LTZ Turbo Sedan, with the extended GM warranty, and a couple other features it valued at about $24,990. I got my loan for $18,600 so almost 7k under MSRP.
Wow! I was not expecting that exhaust to sound that good. Most 4cyl engines just buzz, but this has a nice little bark to it. Almost reminds me of the Fiat 500 Abarth!
I have the 2014 Chevy Sonic LT with the spring promotional package and it's a great car I have not had any problems what so ever with it! Yes it is the dragon green metallic and looks great!
I was considering the 2013 Sonic LT (with the turbo engine) and the 2013 Hyundai Elantra. I ended up with a 2013 Mazda 3 sport (it took two test drives to win me over). Although the other two runner ups were nice choices , the Mazda won me over with it's combination of good looks , excellent M/T , steering , and handling qualities...
Nathan - a b16 civic hatch with a potato launcher would smoke that thing and half the cars you guys reviewed this year. Plus it is super fun to drive. Please don't hate on a civic..
+Thomas Magerle They're in the same class you putts. The only think the dart has going for it is it has a little more horsepower to it, and has a much more attractive rear. BUT its actually a cheaper built car.
If you're looking for something quick, just get a used fiesta ST. It's an actual performance variant of the base. The 1.8 Sonic is tons of fun with the 5speed manual, but the turbo version is a huge price leap for a whole lot of nothing except a slash in displacement. I think the base Sonic is a really good car and great value.
I REAALLY like the Sonic. I couldn't afford one so I got its baby brother, the Spark. You guys really should do another review of the Spark because the one you guys initially did for it didn't really go into enough detail about your opinion(s) of the car.
1225KPH, we're getting a tired of your nasty troll comments. You've been warned. This is our channel so play by our rules or go take mean-spirited comments someplace else. You've been warned. Next time you'll be banned.
Nice review (keep 'em coming!), but for $21k you can get a '14 Accord LX manual that is much quicker, gets better mpg, way nicer interior, and light years ahead in terms of build quality, reliability, and resale value. Not to mention the pocket rocket Fiesta ST starts at $22k as well. The Sonic turbo is a decent car, but for the price it is flat-out outclassed.
Great review Nathan! I really like the Sonic as a small hot hatch, I'm just worried about GM reliability.. Anyway it goes, GM has really improved lately
***** If you can't "feel like a man" because you're in a small car, then maybe you're not a man. For most of human history, men had no cars at all and hunted for their food. You don't need an SUV to take your manly ass to McDonald's.
It is actually quite a good little car. As for the price, you can option most cars into an absurd range so that really isn't an issue. A moderately loaded version is actually a pretty good buy, especially after discounts. The little turbo motor is definitely the one to have though. At sea level the 1.8 is OK, but just OK.
I've never been one to defend the anemic Mustang V6's, but the newer 3.7L with 300hp is brilliant. It's 95% the performance of the old 4.6 V8, gets good economy, and is ridiculously cheap to get into. After 50 years of Mustangs this is the FIRST V6 that even an enthusiast would enjoy driving.
I've have the '12 version of this car (LT Hatch Turbo 6MT but without all the silly painted wheel/exhaust nonsense) and think it's one of the best cars for the money out there. One note: that floor panel in the cargo area can drop down into the space below it to make one large compartment. Makes it a much more useful space for suitcases or large dogs. Great review, definitely on point regarding the cheap materials inside, but you get what you pay for.
So I have a Ram 3500 and Chrysler TC. I'm looking for a subcompact that will offer me 30 and up mpg. Any recommendations? Don't care about cheap plastics I only care about reliability i will be driving about 2500 miles per month
My girlfriend got this thing for a rental car and OMG sucks balls no power what so every but believe it or no this thing is fucking awesome to drive for how comfortable this thing is. Its got an arm chair you feel like your sitting in a living while moving and also it feels so smooth.
I have one. It is smooth. The 1.8 is not dead slow. It's no Turbo but it's quick enough for what it is. 8.9 sec. The Fiesta is dead slow. I test drove it. The Sonic is much more responsive... that PowerShift trans sucks the life out of an otherwise good motor. Which sucked cuz I did like the Fiesta but the Sonic was smoother.
That's why this is made for the college student or for someone that lives in a major city like NYC, it's not your everyday car made for hard accelerating and long distance travel.
The Spark is more of a city car. I would much rather be in my Sonic than the pos I traded in for it. '09 Cobalt lol.. now that was def old GM crap. I had to get out of it and needed a good mpg for my business. Came down to Rio or this. I'm happy I chose this.
Lol... it's like driving a schitzo ass go-kart. Five years later and they still haven't gotten it smoothed out. And they have tons of issues. No problems with my Sonic. Why can't Ford just have a 6 spd auto with manual shift?? It make their Fiestas and Focus cars really hard to enjoy.
These aren't bad little cars. My sister got a 2013 LTZ and it's been great for her city driving. With the computer showing an average speed of 19mph (no joke) the overall gas mileage on it sits at 26mpg still. Also, I'm 7'1" tall and can actually drive it comfortably. There's a lot of head room in these little things.
is this the actual replacement for the Aveo? some are saying the Sonic, whilst others say the Spark is the actual replacement and that the Sonic is a bigger car.
Cool little car - perception is a funny thing though. This is considered zippy and fast at 8.5 seconds 0-60 and a base Golf is considered bog-slow while posting the same numbers. Domestic automakers need to focus more on the "hot hatch" category, while at the same time NOT trying to appeal solely to the "boy-racer" crowd. Forget about noisy exhaust systems, spoilers, loud interior colors, gadgety gauge clusters, etc. Build a reliable, understated, comfortable "hot hatch" and see how it goes...okay?
9.74 0-60 where the hell is he getting this info? the turbo sonic is rated at 7.8 SECONDS 0-60. I've done it with the automatic... -_- so what's your excuse?
Good review, but I had a hard time handling the camera focus problems in nearly every interior and zoom shot. Normally not a problem in your reviews. What happened?
I honest to God wish I could do your guys job this is awesome. Haha, I wish I could own one! But at 17 I still got college and finding a job afterwards. You guys keep up with the good vids!
Doesn't the Fiesta ST more directly compete with that trim line of Sonic? Is the Fiesta ST even out yet? If not, I understand, but if so, that would make more sense :-). Love your videos!
I like it. To be honest, every car in this segment has "cheap" feeling bits, that's how cost is kept down. Notwithstanding the hard surfaces and etc, this is quite equal to it's competition, and in many cases better. Fiesta has better driving dynamics, but I'll take the 6 speed manual in the Sonic.
I rented the 1.8 it wasn't all that bad for a rental car. My other choice was a Yaris. Fuel economy wasn't that great only managed a bit over 29mpg avg. So if the turbo can get that city it would make for a great little commuter. As for another turbo car in the segment I believe the fiesta offers 2 turbo engines. The upcoming 1.0 ecoboost and the ST with the 1.6 ecoboost.
What else can you get for 18k? Not much. This is a great car for 18k. With the end of the year deals chevy is making, you can get this car for around 15k. Worth the money.
Do more research on the sonic turbo and fiesta st. Go out and really really test drive both. And see which one will put a bigger smile on you! Fiesta ? :-)
I have a base 1.8. It's quick enough for me. 8.8 sec is fine with a base four banger. The Turbo is about a second quicker. Compare this to what GM made in the entry level segment just five years ago and it's night and day.
You are lucky to get the Sonic with that 1,4 liter turbo engine in the US. Here in Denmark its offered with - and I am not kidding you - a naturally aspirated 1,2 liter from the same engine family as the 1,8 available in the US. 50-75 MPH in top gear takes...wait for it... around 40 seconds. For this reason and due to heavy competition from several other manufacturers, the Sonic don`t sell well here.
nothing wrong with the 1.8 one which i have i guess a little more power with the 1.4 but thats what they had at the lot at the time and i didnt know about the two different engines at the time
Im a truck guy to the bone however im 20 years old live in new england and gas is $3 a gallon and im in school. Its already hard to get loans and any truck that has under 100k miles will be around 10-15k be shit on gas and be old so loan companies are reluctant to give a kid like me the loan. So i gave up on the truck and found a 2014 chevy sonic. Its got 7k miles on it for 13k and guess what great on gass its small and is affordable. Ill take it.
I got the Sonic in a "Cool Blue" hatch. Owned it for two years. It has never been in the shop except for the free oil changes and tire rotation. Love the car. Drove it to Fl from MI twice. $86.00 for gas each time. Handles well at over 90mph which it reaches easily. Air works great. All kind of surprise equipment on the LT...backup cam, one touch power window up and down, on board computer tells you everything, 10 air bags, to name a few. I get compliments on it all the time. I have the 1.8L motor and it got me through the mountains on cruise kicking down just one gear on a few occasions. It merges onto the freeways just fine, and why all the fuss about the 0-60times? It is a compact car with plenty to offer. I'd highly recommend it to anyone.
So you disagree with the guy in the vid that you need the turbo?
I just got a LT Hatch with the 1.4T w/sunroof+mylink for 14.5 out the door (had 2K bonus earnings + costco discount) I'd get the 1.4. The 1.8 is fine, I have a similar engine in my Astra but the 1.4 is so much more fun.
Yes I disagree. It feels frisky in town, but is pretty slow above 50mph. No passing on a two lane if there is a car even in sight. It is a compact car. It does what it is supposed to do. I get around fine in the city for shopping, and getting to work. It goes any sane speed on the freeway, but the two laners can be sweaty palms. It feels solid. Does not get blown around by 18 wheelers. Rent one with the 1.8 and see for yourself.
What are you...12? Does your mom know you leave messages like this? There have got to be better hate channels for you to visit. GO THERE!
+Alexander Allen I'm so 12 Alexander do you really go by your full name well you must because you are worried about how other people's mothers and how they think of them you damn mama's boy this should be easy for you to understand fuck you since you want to join in my conversation with Mike dunno shit that enjoys being a tough guy on TH-cam I haven't even read your comments because I don't care you're probably like that guy and like Sonics like a loser I could guess you probably own one and think it's a bad car it's fast it's awesome it's cool loser man it's a piece of junk it's a joke it's a woman's car it's probably perfect for you Alexander
I never understood why people biatch about plastic interiors. How often do you touch it lmao. I have the RS Sonic, love it, and only touch the dash when im cleaning it
+Alex Kay (slayerak23) Aint that the truth.
hard plastic rattles
I've never had an issue with mine, even with a subwoofer.
I don't care about the dash, but ffs there should not be hard plastic on the armrests on the door
I guess it was a National Interior Plastic Day or something. I Don't understand that phrase - "hard plastic" either
i like how he makes fun of "19 year olds and hondas" then does a reverse doughnut. Who does that!?!?!?!
For the lulz buddy, for the lulz.
Cody Mills cuz its a front wheel drive! How else you do a doughnut in a fwd?
I do that Cody. I do that..
People with fwd cars 😂
Me, a 2001 chevy cavalier owner
I can tell by the comments most don't understand these cars are severely detuned from the factory. The factory air intake has a snorkel that can be removed for a dyno proven 2-3hp, there are restrictor plates (yes, restrictor plates....didn't believe until I saw them) that removing gains about 10hp in the midrange, and there is a bypass valve that purposefully drops boost during shifts. Remove of all that crap is free. That is not even touching the 30+hp and 40+lbft gains by just a tune alone.
Any videos or articles on removing these “restrictor plates”, excuse my ignorance but what are these?
@@Knightrem Did you ever find out about this claim? Google search turns up nothing so far on a Sonic and restrictor plates.
Really?.. huh
My wife and I purchased this car last June 2014, and up to present October 2014, this has been an Awesome Car!!, no problems at all to speak of, plenty of power and storage space for my drum set. Thank you Chevrolet!.
Chevy Sanic! Gotta go fast.
Love the interior cheap or not. I got the LTZ hatchback so it came with a little nicer guts than the LT. Door cup holders are angled forward to counteract the torque :)
Traded my 2013 Ford Focus SE for a Chevrolet Sonic LT. The Ford headliner and center console rattled, the ergonomics were bad, the engine idled rough in the morning, and the infotainment system was glitchy. The Chevy handles better, gets better mileage ( averaging 37 mpg vs 32 mpg ), no rattles, and no glitches. Additionally the Focus cost me around $6000 more than the Sonic, I feel I got ripped off when I bought the Focus.
How many problems has your Sonic had in the last 3 years?
As of July 21, 2017 the Sonic is trouble free.
Got paperwork in the mail for a class action lawsuit for Focus owners with auto-shift transmissions. If I still had it I could get paid for the transmission problems if I had taken it in and complained about how the car would upshift and accelerate after letting off throttle and the clunking into gear and jerking.
37mpg combined is a bargain. Especially if u do more city driving.
Nathan! I absolutely agree on this vehicle! Buy it! I will also agree that the Fiesta has a slightly better interior, but the price premium that Ford seems to be asking, for me, just isn't worth it. The Sonic presents a very nice value proposition. Nice review!
2:42 Legend has it there's a nude beach behind that hill in the top right.
I live at sea level and can get the sonic from 0 to 60 in 7.5 seconds with good shifting. I can drive it hard and still get 30 mpg. It is a great little car and the 1.4 L turbo is frankly amazing. I am thinking about getting a large intercooler for long hot drives.
BriantheRight It'still a Daewoo...... pure shit.........obviously..............you have never driven/owned a real econbox with character and true handling. Same POS built in Korea,China, and Russia................the"bottom of the barrel" Septic vehicle.
+D McNamara Do you even own one? I do. I've had several econoboxes and this car is actually pretty decent.
I don't understand why he rags on the 1.8 liter. I actually did rent a base Sonic LS sedan with an automatic for a few days and found it plenty fast on both city and highway. Surpassing posted speed limits without really trying. It was very peppy, and the handling was excellent. I'm 6'6" and was comfortable for hours of driving. I don't know what the TFL guy is looking for, but I walked away from the base Sonic quite impressed. My only issue was that the textured fabric on the center armrest was rough on the elbows, but that's a very small issue.
I can hear the paint job screaming all through out that video. XD
I just bought a 2012 Chevy Sonic (the Sedan version) earlier today (during the afternoon of April 13th). The one I bought has the 1.4 turbo, 16" alloys, pretty much everything you can get without going into any extra dealer packages, and I got mine for $12.9K, even though the sticker price was $14.4K
The one he tested must've been fully loaded and that borla package probably jumped the sticker price.
I'll tell ya Nathan, I have the 1.8l and I drive a lot of highway. 140 miles a day. I get 39 mpg with my 1.8. I'm not on a race track, I don't need super speed, I just need to get to work. The 1.8 does that VERY nicely.
It's not a super car of course but it's extremely underpowered
My Cars Top Speed is 160MPH this car is Stupid u could buy a used Truck cheaper than that SMMFH
Devin Harazmus Not for its class it's not.
Bull shit!!! Cite an example.
Brother bought a FULLY LOADED good shape Badass titan for 16k low miles
snagged a manual LTZ turbo for $14k. Dealers have pretty good offers on these - nothing else in that price range has those features
Mine was a fully loaded 2013 LTZ Turbo Sedan, with the extended GM warranty, and a couple other features it valued at about $24,990. I got my loan for $18,600 so almost 7k under MSRP.
Wow! I was not expecting that exhaust to sound that good. Most 4cyl engines just buzz, but this has a nice little bark to it. Almost reminds me of the Fiat 500 Abarth!
I have the 2014 Chevy Sonic LT with the spring promotional package and it's a great car I have not had any problems what so ever with it! Yes it is the dragon green metallic and looks great!
I actually like that whole set up
I was considering the 2013 Sonic LT (with the turbo engine) and the 2013 Hyundai Elantra.
I ended up with a 2013 Mazda 3 sport (it took two test drives to win me over). Although the other two runner ups were nice choices , the Mazda won me over with it's combination of good looks , excellent M/T , steering , and handling qualities...
Autofocus has come a long way. Great video!
Nathan - a b16 civic hatch with a potato launcher would smoke that thing and half the cars you guys reviewed this year. Plus it is super fun to drive. Please don't hate on a civic..
This is one of my favorite cars !!!
I have a VW GTI MK6 but man this little car looks fun :-)
I'd try to get the Sonic RS turbo If I could, someday!
+Thomas Magerle They're in the same class you putts. The only think the dart has going for it is it has a little more horsepower to it, and has a much more attractive rear. BUT its actually a cheaper built car.
If you're looking for something quick, just get a used fiesta ST. It's an actual performance variant of the base. The 1.8 Sonic is tons of fun with the 5speed manual, but the turbo version is a huge price leap for a whole lot of nothing except a slash in displacement. I think the base Sonic is a really good car and great value.
I got a 2013 dark grey manual lt turbo an got no complaints.
I REAALLY like the Sonic. I couldn't afford one so I got its baby brother, the Spark. You guys really should do another review of the Spark because the one you guys initially did for it didn't really go into enough detail about your opinion(s) of the car.
The Sonic was designed in Germany, uses Korean parts and is ASSEMBLED in Michigan ,USA
1225KPH, we're getting a tired of your nasty troll comments. You've been warned. This is our channel so play by our rules or go take mean-spirited comments someplace else. You've been warned. Next time you'll be banned.
i have the 2012 1.8l 5 spd stick hatch in victory red. which i like the color, also the 1.8 has less overall issues.
Nice review (keep 'em coming!), but for $21k you can get a '14 Accord LX manual that is much quicker, gets better mpg, way nicer interior, and light years ahead in terms of build quality, reliability, and resale value. Not to mention the pocket rocket Fiesta ST starts at $22k as well. The Sonic turbo is a decent car, but for the price it is flat-out outclassed.
I had a Cruise with the 1.8 and it did alright....but I think my next car will be a Sonic 1.4 turbo. I would drive this before a Honda any day!
Great review Nathan! I really like the Sonic as a small hot hatch, I'm just worried about GM reliability..
Anyway it goes, GM has really improved lately
This is where you end up when you let TH-cam decide what videos you should watch next.
Yea for 20,000 I'd definitely go with the Ford Fiesta ST
outlaw Yep. Significantly better better car. Tried 'em both, bought the FiST
outlaw Too bad the Fiesta is 23k base...
***** If you can't "feel like a man" because you're in a small car, then maybe you're not a man. For most of human history, men had no cars at all and hunted for their food. You don't need an SUV to take your manly ass to McDonald's.
TheBluehornz01 Fiesta was rated -182 in reliability by actual owners surveys...
+outlaw Well, The chevy won't break down every time you go for a Driver, that Chevy is way more fucking reliable.
The wheels look great Nathan
I agree. I think they would look better if the paint job on the car was black or white
Kinda like the Dart, The 1.4 Turbo is a small motor, but is more fun then the base 2.0. The Prices are similar as well..
1:54 Not THAT'S what I call testing!!!
This one isn't even too bad. Fun to drive with a manual:)
It is actually quite a good little car. As for the price, you can option most cars into an absurd range so that really isn't an issue. A moderately loaded version is actually a pretty good buy, especially after discounts. The little turbo motor is definitely the one to have though. At sea level the 1.8 is OK, but just OK.
The pink haired women has a name. It is Emme. Learn it if you want your comments taken seriously. Enough with the passive aggressive BS already.
I've never been one to defend the anemic Mustang V6's, but the newer 3.7L with 300hp is brilliant. It's 95% the performance of the old 4.6 V8, gets good economy, and is ridiculously cheap to get into. After 50 years of Mustangs this is the FIRST V6 that even an enthusiast would enjoy driving.
Thats good, hate when people can be so faithful to one company, they shut a blind eye to everyone else!
I've have the '12 version of this car (LT Hatch Turbo 6MT but without all the silly painted wheel/exhaust nonsense) and think it's one of the best cars for the money out there. One note: that floor panel in the cargo area can drop down into the space below it to make one large compartment. Makes it a much more useful space for suitcases or large dogs. Great review, definitely on point regarding the cheap materials inside, but you get what you pay for.
So I have a Ram 3500 and Chrysler TC. I'm looking for a subcompact that will offer me 30 and up mpg. Any recommendations? Don't care about cheap plastics I only care about reliability i will be driving about 2500 miles per month
People also say normally pretty often, its not the official term but its kinda interchangeable.
My girlfriend got this thing for a rental car and OMG sucks balls no power what so every but believe it or no this thing is fucking awesome to drive for how comfortable this thing is. Its got an arm chair you feel like your sitting in a living while moving and also it feels so smooth.
I have one. It is smooth. The 1.8 is not dead slow. It's no Turbo but it's quick enough for what it is. 8.9 sec. The Fiesta is dead slow. I test drove it. The Sonic is much more responsive... that PowerShift trans sucks the life out of an otherwise good motor. Which sucked cuz I did like the Fiesta but the Sonic was smoother.
That's why this is made for the college student or for someone that lives in a major city like NYC, it's not your everyday car made for hard accelerating and long distance travel.
The Spark is more of a city car. I would much rather be in my Sonic than the pos I traded in for it. '09 Cobalt lol.. now that was def old GM crap. I had to get out of it and needed a good mpg for my business. Came down to Rio or this. I'm happy I chose this.
Trevrz1 Man you are right about the Powershift (or DCT as Ford engineers call it).... I had a focus with one and it definitely was a POS.
Lol... it's like driving a schitzo ass go-kart. Five years later and they still haven't gotten it smoothed out. And they have tons of issues. No problems with my Sonic. Why can't Ford just have a 6 spd auto with manual shift?? It make their Fiestas and Focus cars really hard to enjoy.
I heard the factory wastegate for the turbo goes after about 20k miles. Is this true?
+UrbanArtifact No
you did not tell us about how the turbo handles compare to the non turbo. the suspension. body rolls. all that good stuff.
It's actually a pretty cool car. Love that exhaust. Does rims look after market.
These aren't bad little cars. My sister got a 2013 LTZ and it's been great for her city driving. With the computer showing an average speed of 19mph (no joke) the overall gas mileage on it sits at 26mpg still. Also, I'm 7'1" tall and can actually drive it comfortably. There's a lot of head room in these little things.
I really hope the rest of the review is posted soon. I'm looking at buying a car in this price range/efficiency right now.. as in early next week. :P
is this the actual replacement for the Aveo? some are saying the Sonic, whilst others say the Spark is the actual replacement and that the Sonic is a bigger car.
I didn't realize Mitsubishi was such a big player across brands, considering my Mazda has a bunch of Mitsubishi sensors in the engine.
what's more reliable 2015 chevy sonic turbo, or a 2015 honda fit?
Best review ever just by doing reverse donuts
Back here in brazil the only option avaliable is the LTZ 1.6. Quite disapointing.
I just bought this car and. It is incredibly fast if you can handle it
Cool little car - perception is a funny thing though. This is considered zippy and fast at 8.5 seconds 0-60 and a base Golf is considered bog-slow while posting the same numbers. Domestic automakers need to focus more on the "hot hatch" category, while at the same time NOT trying to appeal solely to the "boy-racer" crowd. Forget about noisy exhaust systems, spoilers, loud interior colors, gadgety gauge clusters, etc. Build a reliable, understated, comfortable "hot hatch" and see how it goes...okay?
Turbo is rated at 7.8 seconds and 1.8 a second slower.
It's zippy compared to fuel efficient cars of the past that were like snails
you went to go for a good 0-60 time with traction control on? you do realize traction control applys breaks for you right?
What an appropriate color for the name!
I would love to see a comparison of the Sonic RS Manual and the Mini Cooper 3 cylinder Manual... ???
you guys should review the Veloster Turbo
Nathan always sounds like he can't breath. Get out of Colorado man, that air is clearly too thin for you.
guy is mad fat lol no wonder its not going that fast
9.74 0-60 where the hell is he getting this info? the turbo sonic is rated at 7.8 SECONDS 0-60. I've done it with the automatic... -_- so what's your excuse?
A mile above sea level genius
nukka200 How often has it been in the shop?
toyoscio I sold it lolololololol. worst car seats on the face of the earth
Worst car seats are in the Focus.
nukka200 Well he tested the car in Colorado and due the elevation cars are slower there
For its size, it sounds pretty good.
Good review, but I had a hard time handling the camera focus problems in nearly every interior and zoom shot. Normally not a problem in your reviews. What happened?
the dart competes with the cruze and focus in the compact segment. the sonic is a subcompact i believe
Watching this makes me realize just how much the previous owner put in mine, mine does 0-60 in less than 6 seconds. Mines a 2013 RS
I honest to God wish I could do your guys job this is awesome. Haha, I wish I could own one! But at 17 I still got college and finding a job afterwards. You guys keep up with the good vids!
Considering getting one of these
Doesn't the Fiesta ST more directly compete with that trim line of Sonic? Is the Fiesta ST even out yet? If not, I understand, but if so, that would make more sense :-). Love your videos!
Bet that little thing would be super fun with 300HP.
great little car for the money
Blue Chevy Sonic! With incredible Speeds, I'm Moving My Wheels!!!
I know those things. But what I'm saying is, if they're going to make a sport/turbo version of the car, why not give it some more power than that.
I might just be crazy (I’m sure of it) but I feel faster with the traction control off in mine...
I'd like to see a review of the 2013/2014 Hyundai accent. And a comparison of the sonic and the accent.
To answer my own question. Yes and no. It is a Daewoo design built somewhat domestically.
Seriously! Unless you actually experience the vehicles yourself, you can't say how much better one is than the other!
how does the automatic version compare to the manual tranny was thinking of getting one of these soon. and how does this compare to the dart?
I like it. To be honest, every car in this segment has "cheap" feeling bits, that's how cost is kept down. Notwithstanding the hard surfaces and etc, this is quite equal to it's competition, and in many cases better. Fiesta has better driving dynamics, but I'll take the 6 speed manual in the Sonic.
i love this model 😍😍
My gf has the fiesta, it's full of hard plastic too.. I don't see much difference there other than design, which i like in Sonic better.
Just got a 2015 Chevy Sonic LTZ
GM is watching this video and sending Nathan the bill for all the stone chips!!!!
I have a 2013' and i love it!!!! Women will not be bothering you or checking you out so you'll have to up your game in other area's.
"The starter motor in my truck has more torque than that piece of sh## car." Stated by someone I know.
I rented the 1.8 it wasn't all that bad for a rental car. My other choice was a Yaris. Fuel economy wasn't that great only managed a bit over 29mpg avg. So if the turbo can get that city it would make for a great little commuter. As for another turbo car in the segment I believe the fiesta offers 2 turbo engines. The upcoming 1.0 ecoboost and the ST with the 1.6 ecoboost.
Hot Hatch or Econobox? I doubt it can handle like a Hot Hatch and is too expensive to be an econobox.
What else can you get for 18k? Not much. This is a great car for 18k. With the end of the year deals chevy is making, you can get this car for around 15k. Worth the money.
Do more research on the sonic turbo and fiesta st. Go out and really really test drive both. And see which one will put a bigger smile on you! Fiesta ? :-)
+ToppCat Also has a bigger price tag by a few grand
This thing can't get out of its own way. FiST FTW!
I have a base 1.8. It's quick enough for me. 8.8 sec is fine with a base four banger. The Turbo is about a second quicker. Compare this to what GM made in the entry level segment just five years ago and it's night and day.
+Trevrz1 Hows your chevy sonic doing. I'm looking into getting one.. was it reliable?
You are lucky to get the Sonic with that 1,4 liter turbo engine in the US. Here in Denmark its offered with - and I am not kidding you - a naturally aspirated 1,2 liter from the same engine family as the 1,8 available in the US. 50-75 MPH in top gear takes...wait for it... around 40 seconds. For this reason and due to heavy competition from several other manufacturers, the Sonic don`t sell well here.
wouldn't you rather have a base model mini cooper?
Please do a review of the Ford FIesta ST!
nothing wrong with the 1.8 one which i have i guess a little more power with the 1.4 but thats what they had at the lot at the time and i didnt know about the two different engines at the time
Im a truck guy to the bone however im 20 years old live in new england and gas is $3 a gallon and im in school. Its already hard to get loans and any truck that has under 100k miles will be around 10-15k be shit on gas and be old so loan companies are reluctant to give a kid like me the loan. So i gave up on the truck and found a 2014 chevy sonic. Its got 7k miles on it for 13k and guess what great on gass its small and is affordable. Ill take it.
well would you rather drive this or a mustang v6....
you want there other channel then, the fast lane truck