Chevrolet - Sonic - Owners Manual - 2012 - 2012

2012 CHEVROLET SONIC HATCHBACK LT The all-new Sonic is longer and larger than the Aveo it replaces. The front-wheel-drive Sonic is offered in sedan and four-door hatchback body styles with a choice of three trim levels: LS, LT and LTZ. Two 4-cylinder engines are available, a 1.8-litre and a turbocharged 1.4-litre. Chevrolet identifies as direct competition the Hyundai Accent, Ford Fiesta and Honda Fit. Interior and cargo area The easily accessed front seats are comfortable but would be better if seat-angle adjustment were available to lower the angle of the cushion. Drivers easily obtain a very good driving position thanks to the tilt and telescoping steering column. Legroom is good. Headroom is adequate on the driver side, even with the sunroof, but tight on the passenger side for a tall person because the relatively high seat cannot be adjusted. The slide lever is on the console side of the seats whereas it should be on the door side or, better still, run the width of the seat to make it easier to position the seat before getting in. Access to the backseat is hampered by the lack of space between the B-pillars and the seat cushions. Seat comfort is average for two adults of medium height. Headroom and legroom are limited for taller people. The 60/40-split seatback folds flat to the floor. The outside rear-door handles are placed high up, near the roof, and hard for a child to reach. The cargo area is relatively spacious and even has a small bin under the floor. The rear hatch opens high out of the way. Convenience and safety The cabin is very well finished, and the quality of materials is good. However, interior insulation is overwhelmed by road noise. With no roomy centre console, storage is limited. There are two small glove compartments, neither of which is lighted. The gauge cluster is reminiscent of a motorcycle’s. Gauges and controls are well displayed, but few of the controls are lighted at night. There is nothing to indicate engine temperature, not even an engine warm-up light. Because the luminosity of the displays diminishes when all the lights are switched on, they are hard to read in the daytime. The heating system is efficient. The sun visors do not slide horizontally and do not have an extension. Photo: Chevrolet Features such as air conditioning, cruise control and power windows are standard starting at the LT level. However, all models come equipped with the OnStar system, including free navigation service for six months. Like Toyota with its Scion line-up, GM offers Sonic owners a long list of accessories to customize their vehicle. Owners can pick out a vinyl car wrap on the 3M website, for example, and have it installed by a 3M agent. All models come equipped with standard driver and passenger front and side airbags and front-to-rear head curtain airbags. Driver and front passenger knee airbags and rear passenger side airbags are standard on the LTZ and optional on LS and LT models. Other standard safety features include antilock brakes, stability control and four head restraints. Visibility is very good, in all directions except on a three-quarter-rear angle. The top of the dash reflects off the windshield. In the low-beam position, the headlights lack not only range but especially intensity. In U.S. government tests, the Sonic obtained five stars out of five for front occupant protection in a frontal impact and for all occupant protection in a side crash. It earned four stars for rollover resistance. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Sonic a Good rating, its highest, for roof strength, driver protection in a frontal offset impact and all occupant protection in case of a side or rear collision. Engine and transmission The Sonic uses the same engines as the Cruze. The 1.8-litre 4-cylinder that equips the LS and LT develops 138 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. The LTZ’s turbocharged 1.4-litre produces 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. Both engines run on regular gasoline. The 1.8-litre delivers decent acceleration and pickup, but no more. It is noisy in average acceleration and up. The six-speed automatic transmission upshifts smoothly as a rule. Downshifts are clearly perceptible, especially in the lower gears, and jerky during the warm-up period. Gears are well spaced. On the road The Sonic uses a new platform not shared, for the time being, with any other vehicle. The suspension is an independent front, semi-independent torsion-beam rear setup. The suspension is firm but generally comfortable, though some rough spots can set off a harsher reaction. Road holding is adequate. The Sonic drives with a solid feel. The electric power assist steering is a bit heavy at low speed. Steering is stable, precise and relatively quick, with a small turning circle. It transmits little road sensation. The brakes have good fade resistance but stopping distances are a bit long. Inspection An inspection at a CAA-Quebec technical inspection centre showed that the Sonic’s four-rail platform is sturdy but not rustproofed. Several joints are sealed but in several areas the sealant runs alongside the joint, something we’ve seen before with certain Saturn products. The wiper fluid tank is placed front and left of the engine compartment, which is not ideal in case of a roadside fill-up. There are two hooks under the vehicle, but the front one is hard to access. The overhead camshafts are belt driven. Conclusion The more balanced and refined Sonic easily supplants the Aveo. The Sonic is a very competent city car that does a good job on the highway, too. Built in the U.S. in a new, ultramodern plant, and offered in two body styles with a choice of two engines, the Sonic should be a top contender in the subcompact segment. PROS: handling, road comportment, choice of models, sturdy platform, interior finish, front comfort CONS: perfectible automatic transmission, windshield reflections, weak low-beams, braking power, three-quarter-rear visibility, no engine temperature gauge 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC Engine: 16-valve, 1.8-litre 4-cylinder; 16-valve, 1.4-litre turbo 4-cylinder Horsepower: 138 hp at 6,300 rpm; 138 hp at 4,900 rpm Torque: 125 lb-ft at 3,800 rpm; 148 lb-ft at 2,500 rpm Transmission: 5 or 6-speed manual; 6-speed automatic Suspension: independent/semi-independent Brakes: disc/drum Wheelbase: 252.5 cm Length: 439.9 cm (Hatchback: 403.9 cm) Width: 173.5 cm Height: 151.5 cm Weight: 1,220 to 1,298 kg Tires: P195/65R15; P205/50R17 Maximum towing capacity: forbidden Airbags: dual front, four side (rear side airbags optional for LS and LT), two front knee airbags (optional for LS and LT) and two curtain airbags Fuel consumption with 1.8-litre engine and automatic transmission: Natural Resources Canada rating: City: 8.3 L/100 km (34 mpg) Highway: 5.5 L/100 km (51 mpg) Test result: 8.6 L/100 km (32 mpg) Test temperature: - 13°C to 1°C CO2 emissions: 3,266 kg/20,000 km Fuel tank capacity: 46 litres Fuel requirement: regular grade gasoline Acceleration: 0–100 km/h: 9.8 seconds 60–100 km/h: 7.6 seconds Competition: Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Mazda2, Nissan Versa, Scion xB et xD, Suzuki SX4, Toyota Yaris Warranty:      Full basic coverage: 3 years/60,000 km Powertrain: 5 years/160,000 km Surface corrosion: 3 years/60,000 km Perforation damage: 6 years/160,000 km Emissions control system: 3 years/60,000 km (full coverage); 8 years/130,000 km (catalytic converter, electronic control module). Factory replacement parts:  Rear bumper: $620  Front brake disc: $145  Brake pads: $283  Front shock absorber: $176  Front fender: $202 Price according to trim level (freight and preparation included):  Sedan LS: $15,990 Hatchback LS: $16,990  Sedan LT: $17,990 Hatchback LT: $18,990  Sedan LTZ: $21,990 Hatchback LTZ: $22,490 Main options:  Automatic transmission: $1,300; (LT: $1,500); (LTZ: $1,375)  Air conditioning: $1,150 (LS)  Peace of mind package: $465 (LS, LT)  Appearance package: $2,095 (Sedan LT); (Hatchback: $1,550)  Sunroof: $1,100 (LTZ)  Heated front seats: $405 (LT) Price as tested (freight and preparation included): $23,550 Dealers: Quebec: 86 Canada: 435 © March 2012. All rights reserved, CAA-Quebec