2013 Chevrolet Sonic User Reviews

The Best 2013 Subcompact Hatchabck Is Also The Only One Made In The Usa. — This summer I've been shopping for a new car that meets at least three simple criteria: 1. Under $20K. 2. At least 35 mpg highway. 3. Able to fit my road bicycle inside. Other desired qualities include: - Reaches highway speed without embarassment. - Comfortrable for both 30-minute commutes and road-trips. - Good turning radius, easy to park. - Not too ugly. - Durable fabric interior. - Decent visibility. - Decent electronics: Power windows & locks. Cruise control. Remote unlock (remote start would be nice), decent audio with USB power and AUX in. Hands-free BlueTooth would be nice. Controls for it all on the steering wheel would be outstanding. Don't need a nav system or satellite radio or sub-woofer. I was expecting to be underwhelmed, since the last subcompact Chevy I drove was a rented Aveo. The Sonic LT hatchback with the 6-speed automatic pushed by a 1.4L 4-cylinder turbocharged engine totally blew me away. The car is a joy to drive, and the water-cooled turbo gives a real kick-in-the-pants when accelerating onto the highway. Turn control and stability is rock-solid at both high and low speeds. The interior noise is among the quietest of the entire subcompact segment. With the rear seats folded cown, my rather large road bicycle fit nicely, but carefully, inside the car. This is important to me, since the last thing I'd want to do to a new car is toss an ugly bike rack onto it. Which is especially a pain for a hatchback, when the bike is on the rack. With the rear seats up, I had no problem getting my 5'11" frame comfortably seated. The front cockpit space is good, with none of the cramped footwells so common in other subcompacts. Then there's the electronics package. Everything I could want, and nothing I didn't want: Cruise control, hands-free Bluetooth (with steering wheel controls), an adequate sound system with USB power and AUX in (also with steering wheel controls), plus OnStar telematics. Importantly, from what I can tell, this is the ONLY subcompact hatchback that is assembled in the USA. There are other cars that offer more bang for the buck in almost all categories, such as the Hundai Elantra GT, but none of them are THAT much better than the Sonic, nor do they have its fun styling and standard alloy wheels. And in this economy, I'd prefer as many of my dollars as possible to land in American pockets, especially when it comes to major purchases. I've driven every car I could find that met my requirements, and several that didn't. The Chevrolet Sonic LT hatchback combines a solid feature set with some delightful extras. Did I mention that it was the only car I tested that was Made In America?