2015 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ 1.4 turbo

Summary:

Best cheap turbo car you can buy

Faults:

Rust on the trim, blower motor... warranty.

General Comments:

I was looking for a economy daily driver because my Subaru is terrible on gas. I was pleasantly surprised that it was comfortable. It's equipped with leather and other gadgets that the other makers are just coming out with this year. Like a WiFi hot spot and Bluetooth everything. The vehicle integrates with my electronics flawlessly and is equipped with a decent USB charger. My only real gripe is I bought a white one and I really wanted a black one.

Very reliable up to this point and doesn't seem to need much maintenance. The engine is equipped with a timing chain.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th February, 2017

26th Jul 2019, 14:38

Hi, just curious if you still have this car? What is your current mileage and can you give us an idea what you've had to replace in that time? Please and thank you.

2014 Chevrolet Sonic LT

Summary:

Fatally flawed ergonomics and awful fuel economy kill an otherwise average car

General Comments:

I had this Sonic sedan as a rental after my 2011 Focus was rear-ended.

I'll begin with the good:

The seat of the Sonic was comfortable and the front cabin had a good amount of space. However, the armrests aren't even for the driver.

The Sonic is quick, responsive, and handles well. Toward the end, it was actually somewhat fun to drive.

The controls for the climate are your universal three-dial setup, which was a nice departure from my button-happy Focus. The heat was good. I didn't test the A/C.

I like the amber turn signals in the rear; all cars should have this.

That's about the only good I have to say about the car.

The A- and B-pillars are very thick, making vision difficult.

The belt line is very high and it feels like you're sitting in a bath tub.

The gauge cluster is cluttered, and I hate the blue-on-blue because it doesn't have good contrast. The dimmest setting was still too bright. I don't like how the tachometer was analog and everything else was digital. It looks goofy, and I had to take my eyes off the road to see my speed.

The radio was good, but the controls were confusing. I don't like the display; I'd rather have the time in the center of the screen, not the date. I wish the clock was a different color so it would stand out.

The trip computer was confusing to use. You have a menu button, a toggle switch, and a button to push. I'd rather have the system in my old Ford: three buttons; setup, info, and reset.

I wish they hadn't put those vertical storage cubbies on the dash. If they had put the vents where those cubbies are, they could have put covered storage in the cabin. Other than the two glove boxes, there is no covered storage area in the Sonic. I'm an ergonomist by trade, so I was sorely disappointed.

I can deal with all that, though, all of that, if it didn't get such terrible fuel mileage. I drove 220 miles and it took 10.6 gallons to do so; that's 20.8 MPG (60% city, 40% highway). I'm an easy driver, and I understand that this was a rental, but this is pathetic. I used to have a 2005 Taurus 3.0 V6 that got 22 MPG with 100% city driving. My Focus got 28 MPG with 60% city, 40% highway driving, so I didn't think 28 MPG out of the Sonic was unreasonable.

Other than the poor ergonomics and absolutely dismal fuel economy, this was a pretty decent car. But based on this rental, Chevy still has some work to do. I'd avoid the Sonic for the terrible gas mileage alone.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 18th November, 2015

19th Nov 2015, 17:24

Such a promising small car when it first came out. And Chevy really could have used a winner there. But sales have been dropping, and they are off 35 percent compared to last year. Hopefully Chevy will redesign that little car and address a lot of the issues you saw in that rental vehicle. Also, as for fuel economy, I sense you got the little small turbo unit model that they sell. And I could imagine the abuse that little turbo engine took with all those renters.

26th Feb 2018, 20:16

I average 36 MPG and find the ergonomics better than most cars. How can you feel like you are sitting in a bathtub? The front seat is height adjustable.

26th Feb 2018, 23:18

Read the review again. It explicitly states "The belt line is very high". That clearly explains the tub-like seating position.

1st Mar 2018, 22:26

There’s some other factors at play. If you as an example are 6’3 and your other significant other adult driver is 5’2, it may play a role in this tunnel effect. If you really want to see a tunnel effect, trying sitting in a late model Camaro. Another GM product that for this very reason eliminated any desire to buy for us. I had 3 over the years in 3 gens. I guess it’s safety driven for side impact. A shame, but a former nice design often is not always totally possible to conform to current standards.

26th Mar 2023, 15:56

Your fuel economy is dramatically at odds with EPA estimates. Even an automatic with the turbo does much better than 20 ish mpg. Sounds like there are a lot of things to be disappointed about with this car, but fuel economy should be one of the few bright spots. Here is the link. https://fueleconomy.gov/feg/PowerSearch.do?action=noform&path=1&year1=2015&year2=2015&make=Chevrolet&baseModel=Sonic&srchtyp=ymm&pageno=1&rowLimit=50