2012 Chevrolet Sonic Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Chevrolet Sonic review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Sonic, and includes Chevy Sonic safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

For 2012, the Chevrolet Sonic replaces the unloved Aveo at the bottom of the Chevy lineup. It is a subcompact car, offered in sedan or five-door hatchback body styles, aimed at models like the Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Scion xD, and Toyota Yaris.

The Chevrolet Sonic is a new model in an old segment. The name Sonic replaces the name Aveo on Chevy’s redesigned subcompact car, and the Sonic is offered in five-door hatchback and four-door sedan body styles in LS, LT, and LTZ trim.

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic LS is, in many ways, surprisingly well equipped for an entry-level model. The primary example of this is the OnStar telematics system with a free six-month subscription to hands-free calling, Turn-by-Turn navigation, and features such as Automatic Crash Response, Emergency Services, and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. But the Sonic also includes 15-inch aluminum wheels, automatic headlights, an outside temperature indicator, and a trip computer. Additionally, air conditioning, power door locks with remote keyless entry, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, an auxiliary audio input jack, front floor mats, a driver’s seat center armrest, and a Hill Holder clutch are included. There is a 2LS trim level, but it basically adds an automatic transmission. An upgraded stereo with a CD/MP3 player and satellite radio is optional, but you cannot get power windows or power side mirrors on this car.

For those features, it is necessary to step up to the Sonic LT. It comes with the better sound system, power windows, heated power mirrors, rear floor mats, nicer cloth upholstery, and extra chrome trim on the outside. A 2LT designation indicates a Sonic LT with an automatic transmission. Options include Bluetooth hands-free calling and music streaming, a USB port, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls, fog lights, and 16-inch alloy wheels. The LT can also be outfitted with a turbocharged engine paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. Remote engine starting is offered only on the 2LT model.

The top-of-the-line Sonic is called the LTZ. It’s got fog lights, 17-inch wheels, and chrome detailing on its body-color door handles, along with perforated leatherette seats that are heated in front. Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming, a USB port, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, and cruise control are standard, and the 2LTZ adds an automatic transmission and remote engine starting. Options for this model include the turbo engine and six-speed manual transmission, and a power sunroof.

The 2012 Sonic will also be available with a MyChevrolet smartphone app with OnStar MyLink capability, though based on preliminary information it is unclear whether this feature will be available on all models, or just those equipped with Bluetooth.

The standard engine on all 2012 Sonics is a 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine making 138 horsepower. Chevrolet says the standard engine is tuned to deliver a minimum of 90 percent of engine torque between 2,400 and 6,500 rpm to make the car more responsive throughout the powerband. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard, and a six-speed automatic transmission is optional. As this review is written, the EPA has not rated the 2012 Chevy Sonic’s fuel economy.

The Sonic LT and LTZ can be optioned with a turbocharged, 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine. This powerplant also makes 138 horsepower, but it peaks 1,400 rpm lower than the 1.8-liter engine. There’s also more torque with the turbo, 23 added pound-feet spread between 1,850 and 4,900 rpm. If you want this engine, you need to know how to use a clutch because it comes only with a six-speed manual transmission. At this writing, there are no EPA fuel economy figures available.

If the Sonic’s standard features list is impressive, so is the safety package. This car has 10 airbags: dual front, quad side, side curtains, and dual front knee airbags are standard. The Sonic also has stability and traction control, antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, and OnStar with Automatic Crash Response service, which allows a live operator to send rescuers to the Sonic’s location when the airbags deploy, even if nobody inside the car can respond. If there’s room for improvement here, we’d like to see a set of rear disc brakes replace the standard drums.

As this review is originally written, there are no crash test ratings or reliability predictions for the 2012 Chevy Sonic.

Chevrolet says the Sonic’s large headlamps, the hatchback’s taillights, and the interior gauge cluster were inspired by motorcycle design. You be the judge. What we think is promising about the Sonic is that the ride and handling were tuned by Chevrolet’s team of Corvette engineers.

If you’re looking for lots of cargo room, the Sonic Sedan delivers with a trunk that measures 14 cubic-feet, huge for the subcompact class. Plus, the Sonic Sedan comes standard with a 60/40-split folding rear bench seat, just like the Sonic Hatchback, which can carry 19 cu-ft behind the rear seat and 30.7 cu-ft with the seats folded.

Chevrolet likes to point out that the Sonic is the only car in its class built in the United States, at an assembly plant near Detroit, Michigan. If keeping Americans employed is important to you, this is good information to know.

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic looks promising. We’ll reserve judgment until fuel economy and crash-test ratings are released, as well as predictions for reliability, but on the face of things, the Sonic looks good, is intelligently packaged, has more power than the competition, and might even prove fun to drive.

By Christian Wardlaw