By St Louis Today - With the flexing of Japanese sales muscle in the 1970s, the U.S. small-car segment really began to blossom. It's been confounding Detroit ever since.The parched landscape of U.S.-brand small cars includes names like Chevette, Pinto, Vega, Aspire ... you get the idea.
But Motown finally seems to have cracked the compact nut, as evidenced by Ford's Focus and Fiesta, Chevy's Cruze and, just arriving, the bowtie brand's new Sonic.
The third Chevy, following Malibu and Cruze, to show that GM, after years of truck intensity, is again serious about cars, the subcompact Sonic is notable in that it competes in a category in which GM heretofore had shown little interest. The only subcompact built in the U.S., Sonic is available in sedan and hatchback versions, each offered in LS, LT and LTZ trim.
Far from being least expensive in class, the well-equipped Sonic starts at $14,495, a price that includes 15-inch alloy wheels, a best-in-class 10 air bags, traction and stability control, ABS, air, AM/FM stereo with auxiliary input, power locks, trip computer, folding rear seat, auto headlights, hill-hold with the manual transmission, six months of OnStar with navigation and tilt/telescoping wheel.
We drove a top-of-the-line LTZ sedan that boasted all of the above, plus power windows and mirrors, faux-leather trim (a convincing forgery), cruise and 17-inch wheels. The only option on our car, which bottom-lined at $17,995, was a turbo.
Sharing Cruze drivetrains -- a 1.8-liter four or a 1.4-liter turbocharged four -- Sonic feels peppier than the larger and heavier Cruze. Its blown engine makes the same 138 hp as its naturally aspirated brother, but the turbo supplies a significant boost in torque: 148 lb.-ft. compared to 125 in the 1.8.
The result is livelier performance in sto-and-go driving. In fact, with 138 hp and 148 lb.-ft. of grunt, the Sonic turbo is as potent a ride as you'll find in the class. It also offers some of the best economy, with an EPA rating of 29 city and a lofty 40 hwy.
The base engine bolts to a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. The turbo gets six speeds either way. We drove a turbo manual -- the auto turbo doesn't arrive until February -- and found the shifter smooth and precise, belying its econo-car lot in life. In about 350 miles of mixed city/hwy driving, we got 35 mpg.
On the road, the car feels tightly bolted together and the cabin is quiet. Also, interior fit and finish is impressive -- as good as anything in the class, and better than most. Only the tiny gauge package, designed to mimic motorcycle instrumentation, is an odd duck. It crams a lot of digital info into a small display screen on its right while, on the left, it shows a large, round analog tachometer. That tach features a bright red needle that refuses to dim when the rest of the display is dulled at night. I found that retina-searing nighttime needle distracting.
Otherwise, switchgear is intuitive, passenger room is good, with a fine back seat by segment standards, and interior storage is generous.
Finally, the car looks good, with its capless multi-lens headlight assemblies and numerous character lines in profile.
Sonic is handsome, frugal and well-equipped. Look out Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Hyundai Accent. Chevy is back in town.
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