- The new 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS goes on sale in late 2012.
- The Sonic RS sports a 138-horsepower turbocharged Ecotec 1.4-liter engine and a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
- Four-wheel disc brakes and a MyLink infotainment system are among the standard features.
DETROIT — The new 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS, which debuts in early January at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, should be one of the more entertaining offerings in the minicar segment when it arrives at dealers late next year.
The five-door hatchback comes with a turbocharged Ecotec 1.4-liter four-cylinder that makes 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. Customers can choose from a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
Among the standard features are four-wheel disc brakes, lowered and stiffened suspension with performance-tuned dampers, retuned sport exhaust and a MyLink infotainment system that enables smartphone users, via Bluetooth, to download navigation directions and Internet radio.
Unique exterior features include a new front fascia with new foglamp design, front airdam and RS-specific grille; a new rear fascia and rear spoiler, and 17-inch five-spoke wheels.
The cockpit of the Sonic RS gets new front sport seats, a flat-bottom sport steering wheel with thicker rim, aluminum sport pedals and a specific gearshift knob.
Inside Line says: Chevy gets a true pocket rocket.
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lzks says:
05:55 AM, 12/20/2011
I don't know.... like many of us, I got to GM because of zr1man...
caroftheweek says:
06:59 PM, 12/19/2011
The RS could be interesting, but it needs a power boost. An extra 20-30 HP would provide a meaningful performance bump. Can't they just tweak the turbo programming? (the aftermarket surely will)
Anyhow, I'm watching this little guy closely because the Sonic is my new favorite in this class. I sat inside several examples of Sonic at the LA Auto Show and gave quite a few nods of approval as I poked, prodded and door-slammed -- for the first time ever in a Chevy car, frankly. My impressions are colored by a shockingly good experience with a recently rented Cruze. My expectations were low, but after a week of use I can honestly say I was impressed.
Yeah, the interior could benefit from padding on the doors, but I like the overall design better than anything else in this class. All panels were nicely (and consistently!) textured with a low-gloss finish, and tightly assembled. The three-knob HVAC controls are dead simple to use and felt high quality, as did the turn signal stalk, and I personally liked the little instrument cluster a lot. Totally functional and stylistically unique without resorting to center-dash (Echo/Yaris/Ion) or dual-cowl (Civic) antics. Driver's seat is height adjustable. Outside I find it masculine and business-like with clean lines, taught surfaces and a nice, two-box profile.
The competition:
Honda:
I've always been a fan of the Fit and it's cavernous, clever packaging. But this time around I thought it felt "unfinished" and unsubstantial, as if everything was stretched out thin to cover its extra size without adding any weight. Feather light doors with a hollow sounding closure, a driver seat with no height adjustment, nondescript seats with mouse fuzz, and an odd dash that has "design" but not necessarily "style". Yes, the doors are padded, but the shape and placement of the armrest isn't even close for comfort. I'd never use them. The Fit is a one-box (one-bubble?) design that looks like a techy, mini-spaceship to my eyes (a good thing), and it's still a packaging wonder, but it felt like a toy after sitting in the Sonic and Fiesta.
Ford:
Speaking of Fiesta, probably the best interior materials of the bunch with a nice, cohesive design, though a bit alien for my taste, all busy with angles, textures and cut-lines. The rakish windshield looks cool outside, but is is framed by A-pillars that close-off the outward view, creating a sort of "tunnel vision" from the driver's seat. The deep dash has an awfully shiny top surface. And, unfortunately, Fiesta is worst for cargo packaging -- back seats don't fold flat, and are hinged above the rear floor level, creating a step-up from the cargo area (Sonic provides a removable load panel with hidden storage below to create a flat load surface behind the rear seats). Outside, a sweet two-bubble design that is just a bit on the feminine side. Had the Sonic not arrived, it'd still be my #1.
bigsky_klx says:
05:55 PM, 12/19/2011
The appearance changes are nice, but the turbo 2.0L would be the icing on the cake.
Nice to see they are actually doing something with this car.
rjchev11 says:
05:10 PM, 12/19/2011
is that a flat bottomed steering wheel?
eldaino2 says:
04:34 PM, 12/19/2011
i dont think this car really needs 200 hp to be fun, but i'd expect it to have a little more than what a regular sonic comes with.
no one would forgive honda or ford for putting the same engine/tune in an si/st badged fit/fiesta. chevy shouldnt get a pass either.
this thing making a bit more hp, even if the tq stayed the same, would have been really cool.
unless the handling makes up for it, but i highly doubt this will drive THAT much better than a stock fit or fiesta with better shoes.
rayzor says:
02:34 PM, 12/19/2011
nice but not aggressive enough, IMHO, the Ford Fiesta and focus get it right.
duck87 says:
10:40 AM, 12/19/2011
@goaterguy: Actually no. I bought an auto show ticket and SAT inside the car. It's not exactly hard to do. Road and Track must have been smoking something real good, because nevermind the Honda Fit; the Sonic doesn't really hold a candle to the Fiesta's interior either. It's not styling (I mean besides the hideous dollar store instrument cluster), it's the poor fitting and blatantly cheap interior panels. At that same auto show, the rear door pull was already broken.
I have an old GMC Jimmy... which is basically a Chevy Blazer, so I sort of have one of their products. But what, does that mean I can't criticize their car for being blatantly cheap?
gam2 says:
10:15 AM, 12/19/2011
GM got an easy 260hp from their previous 2.0 litre in the Cobalt/HHR SS (290hp with the GM upgrade). Surely they can get 180-200hp out of this engine. Now that would be fun!
goaterguy says:
10:14 AM, 12/19/2011
duck87,
Its funny how you complain about an interior quality that, very likely, you have never seen but Road and Track magazine mentions "The interiors are all fun and practical, the new Sonic having an edge over the Ford and the Honda."
Thankfully I doubt Chevy cares about someone that will never buy a car from them
yellowperil says:
10:12 AM, 12/19/2011
The Sonic's current interior is simply adequate, so I think the interior upgrades are just as important as the performance bits. (Assuming that the price for this package is not astronomical!)