We're a hatchback family -- my husband and I both drive them -- so we jumped at the chance to review the five-door Chevy Sonic. The 2012 model we drove for a week arrived nicely loaded with a lot of features I would never spring for, but really enjoyed: remote start, satellite radio, heated seats, Bluetooth and and EcoTec turbo engine. I'm one of those car buyers who annoys salespeople by insisting on the base model, so I tried hard to separate the thrill of driving the tricked-out LTZ from the merits of the car itself.
Unlike a lot of hatchbacks I've driven, the Sonic offered great visibility out the rear and side windows, as well as lots of thoughtful features that parents particularly will enjoy. Rubberized cubbies help organize items you need at arms reach (hand sanitizer, for example) and prevent them from sliding away as you round a turn. Lights in the hatch allow easier retrieval of soccer cleats hiding at the bottom of a layer of children's detritus, and self-adjusting cup holders accommodate sippy cups and morning caffeine equally well.
Here are the verdicts from mom, dad and kid:
Mom: The "tubular outboard climate outlets" were a hit with our family. Climate control is a big issue, as my husband and I have a 20-degree difference between our ideal temperatures. These vents adjust so that everyone can be comfortable without requiring dual-zone climate control.
The engine had a lot more zip than I'm used to, which was great for the smooth, quiet ride, but also a little shocking when I'd glance down and discover I was closing in on 70mph on a country road. Overall, the car handles so responsively that it was much more fun to drive than I expected.
As a grocery-getter, the Sonic is adequate for our family of three. I was surprised to see how much it could swallow up: I didn't need to use the passenger compartment as overflow for a typical grocery trip. The sunshade helps keep groceries cool, but easily removes if you need to stack them higher. If you're a bulk shopper, however, the hatch will be insufficient to accommodate your entire haul.
The Sonic's gauges are well placed and easy to read. I especially liked the miles-until-fill-up display and the large digital speedometer, especially since the turbo makes it so easy to zip along faster than you realize. The huge analog tach seemed to take up more real estate than it needed, at least for me, given that I'm unlikely to pay much attention to it.
Two things I did not love about the Sonic:
The windshield is so steeply raked that, at any time of day, the dashboard threw a prominent reflection on it, which I found annoying. If I were to buy the Sonic, I'd look for an interior with less contrast between the dash panels to avoid this. That said, I do love the rubberized cubbies, which keep sunglasses (and all of the other things I stash on the dash) from sliding around.
The other downside was the interplay of the seatbacks with the headrests: If you slump, you'll be in heaven, but if you like to sit upright, you can't have your shoulders and your head in contact with the seat at the same time. I couldn't figure out a way to adjust the angle of the headrests to resolve this issue.
As for the rest of the family's take on the Sonic:
__Dad __says he would much rather drive the Sonic than a frumpy sedan. (He's currently stuck with a sedan as a rental, and I caught him casting envious glances at the Sonic more than once.) He likes the sporty rims, and was impressed with the comfort of the interior at this price point. His favorite features: The flat-fold back seats make for a versatile hatch area. The turbo engine offers a surprisingly quiet, smooth ride, and for the size of the car, it does a good job maximizing the leg and head room.
__Son __loved the tech-enabled features. Within 45 seconds of entering the car, he had used the Bluetooth connectivity to turn the car into a 2,800-pound speaker system for playing Jetpack Joyride on his iPod Touch. (Bluetooth comes standard on LTZ; it's available on LT with the Connectivity Plus Cruise Package.)
He also loved making cell-phone calls through the car until he realized that we could hear everything he and his friends said.
We were impressed with the suite of tech-enabled features: With the OnStar RemoteLink app, you can start the Sonic from your phone, while the myChevrolet mobile app can guide you to the car in a parking lot and help schedule service appointments.
With an MSRP of $18,625 on the LTZ (turbo option not included) and 37 highway miles to the gallon, the Chevy Sonic packs a lot of perks into a sporty, fuel-efficient package.
GM in the Southeast loaned us a Sonic for this review.
