Going for a Sonic boom

THE SONIC looks sportier and more aggressive than the outgoing Aveo.

In the keenly competitive subcompact segment, the Daewoo-produced Chevrolet Aveo has always lagged behind market leaders Toyota Vios, Honda Jazz, Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Accent. So in 2011, General Motors’ Chevrolet division replaced the Aveo with a totally new, sharper-looking car called Sonic for the 2012 model year.

The Covenant Car Company Inc. (TCCCI), the exclusive distributor of Chevrolet cars and parts in the Philippines, offers the Sonic in sedan and hatchback versions whereas the Aveo was only available as a sedan. In terms of looks and features, the Sonic is a big improvement over the outgoing Aveo. It is larger and wider, has a sportier, more aggressive façade with a chrome grille surround, exposed quad headlights, black headlamp and front fog lamp surrounds and sleeker, more aerodynamic lines. The alloy rims have been upgraded from the Aveo’s 15 inch to the Sonic’s 16 inch x 6.0 shod with 205/55 R16 tires.

Sporty.In the jet black interior, a motorcycle-inspired instrument cluster with ice-blue backlighting has replaced the Aveo’s circular analog gauges to enhance the sporty, almost funky ambience that appeals to the Sonic’s target market: young, first-time car buyers. The Sonic’s steering wheel looks exactly like that of the Chevrolet Cruze. A large digital speedometer, an analog tachometer, a driver information center with trip computer, an odometer, digital compass and fuel economy display provide useful info at a glance. Audio and Bluetooth controls are mounted conveniently on the steering wheel. An integrated radio CD/MP3/WMA with AUX port and six speakers (two more than the Aveo’s four) plus multimedia digital connectivity including iPod and iPhone and USB port complete the high-tech package inside.

REAR view of the stylish Sonic sedan, which costs P10,000 less than the hatchback

Chevrolet kept the interior materials simple and unpretentious with no fake wood trim or leather-look plastic. Chrome and/or graphite silver metallic tastefully adorn the steering wheel, center stack, gearbox and air-conditioned vents, adding to the stylishness of the cockpit. The inside and outside door handles are still chrome-plated. The number and locations of cup holders and storage cubbyholes are adequate.

High beltline. The Sonic has a high beltline and low-positioned front seats, making it necessary for short drivers like me (5 feet, 4 inches) to place a cushion on the driver’s seat to maintain a good view of the road, although it is height-adjustable four ways. The rear seat splits 60/40 and can be easily folded down to increase cargo capacity in the sedan to 14 cubic feet. Getting in and out of the Sonic is easy because of the big door openings and generous roofline. Although the Sonic sedan is 14 inches longer than the hatchback, it has less cargo capacity and less interior volume.

THE MAX cargo capacity of the Sonic sedan is 14 cubic feet.

Safety features standard in the Sonic sold here are dual front airbags, ABS, rear parking sensors, adjustable headrests, keyless entry, engine immobilizer, a collapsible and tilt-type steering column, antitheft alarm system, center high mount stop lamp, high-strength steel and impact beams. The Aveo’s brake system—ventilated discs in front and drums at the rear—has been retained in the Sonic with a single rate brake booster.

Soft ride. The suspension system is basically the same with McPherson strut up front and torsion beam at the rear. But Chevrolet now describes it as the Euro-tuned Soft Ride Suspension System with a stabilizer bar added in front while the torsion beam is now a compound crank suspension with double-walled V-beam design. In fact, the new nomenclature works as the ride quality compares well with the competition’s. The stiffness of the chassis makes the Sonic feel solid and substantial despite its subcompact size and entry-level ranking in Chevrolet’s global lineup.

The Sonic sold in the Philippines comes CBU [completely built unit] from Thailand, where General Motors has expanded its manufacturing facilities.  But the Sonic was designed in Korea by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology (GM-DAT) Co. The Sonic cars sold in North America were also designed in Korea but are built in Michigan. This may explain the disparity in engines: while the Sonics in North America are equipped with either a 1.4-liter turbocharged powerplant or the 1.8-liter, 138-hp engine found in the Cruze, the Sonic sold here has the 1.4-liter, 4-cylinder inline DOHC 16-valve ECOTEC D-CVCP (Dual Continuous Variable Cam Phasing) engine, which is basically the same as the outgoing Aveo’s.

IN THE cockpit, a motorcycle-inspired instrument cluster and ice blue backlighting

Yearn.The Sonic’s 1.4-liter engine produces 98.63 hp/6,000 rpm and 130 Nm/4,000 rpm max torque which, while slightly improving over the Aveo’s  92.71 hp/6200 rpm, will probably make car enthusiasts yearn for the stateside 1.4-liter turbo powertrain. But according to TCCI, the 1.4-liter turbo engine can’t be used here because of its Euro 5 fuel standard requirement. At least, the transmission has been upgraded from 4-speed automatic in the Aveo to 6-speed automatic with manual mode in the Sonic. The manual tranny is still 5-speed.

FOR A subcompact, the Sonic’s rear seat is roomy.

Driving the Sonic requires a learning curve in that you have to get used to stepping harder and longer on the gas to attain some speed, given the tepid initial response of the 98.63-hp engine. The Sonic doesn’t run quite as smoothly as other subcompacts, but you eventually grow accustomed to that, too. Bottom line, it is an attractive, stylish subcompact with solid build quality, excellent fit and finish and a well-kitted cabin, but it needs a more powerful engine like the Cruze’s 1.8-liter engine to create a Sonic boom. On the other hand, the Sonic would be a handy little car for the daily commute, errands and bringing kids to and from school. Prices range from P778,888 for the manual transmission sedan to P838,888 for the automatic transmission hatchback.