However, the Sonic uses front disc brakes and rear drums, the latter the norm for the class because they are less expensive than rear discs. Surprisingly, Chevy engineers say the Sonic's rigidity and cabin quietness are aided by its alloy wheels (which come standard), as opposed to the steel wheels most often found on base subcompacts. The Sonic is also quieter than its predecessor. market to strike a balance between fun and comfortable. Corvette engineers helped to tune the MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension for the U.S. We found the handling of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic vastly improved over the Aveo, thanks to increased body stiffness and strength.
The Sonic tops out at about $19,500, which will get you extras like a sunroof, heated seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Other nice touches not often found standard on a sub-$15K car include a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and 60/40 folding rear seats. The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic comes standard with 10 airbags, including seat-mounted thorax side-impact, head curtain and knee airbags.
When the driver is stopped and releases the brake pedal, the brakes electronically hold the car in place for two seconds, thanks to a sensor that detects the tilt of the body when the car is stopped on a slope.
Those who drive hilly terrain need not fear, as Sonic comes standard with a hill-hold feature on both transmissions (especially welcome on the manual gearbox). Transmission choices for the standard 1.8-liter engine are a 6-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual the 1.4-liter turbo is available with a 6-speed manual or an automatic, the latter on late-production 2012 models. Powering the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic sedan and hatch is either a 1.8-liter naturally aspirated engine or a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine, both which make 138 horsepower. Sharp creases, exposed headlamps and motorcycle-inspired design cues set the Sonic apart from others in the segment, while good fit and finish and standard forged alloy wheels, even on the base model, keep it from looking cheap. The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, particularly the five-door hatch, has an urban vibe, which Chevy PR folks were eager to point out by unveiling the Sonic in an underground garage in San Francisco amidst a background of pseudo-slummy graffiti, spray-painted by an artist flown in (we won't say 'imported') from Detroit. We found the Sonic a nicely designed subcompact with spritely driving dynamics. Built on a new General Motors global platform, the new Sonic wields universal underpinnings wrapped in a package that's decidedly American. The subcompact perhaps best known by frequenters of rental-car lots has been supplanted by the sharper, nimbler Chevrolet Sonic sedan and hatchback.