Chevrolet has announced pricing for the 2012 Sonic, which replaces the discontinued Chevrolet Aveo. Sonic sedan models will start at $14,495 including destination charge, which makes Chevy’s subcompact sedan $500 more expensive than a comparable Ford Fiesta sedan. If hatchbacks are your preference, the least expensive Sonic starts at $15,395, while the least expensive Fiesta hatchback is $16,295 which gives the nod to the Sonic for hatchback value.
Chevrolet is quick to point out that the new Sonic is the only subcompact built in America, and that the car comes with best-in-class safety equipment and acceleration. The acceleration claim is for Sonic models equipped with the optional 1.4-liter turbocharged engine and six-speed manual transmission, which also returns fuel economy up to 40 miles per gallon in highway driving.
Chevy’s vice president of marketing, Rick Scheidt, was quick to establish a link between the Sonic and Chevy’s more sporting offerings, saying, “Sonic shares the spirits of Chevrolets like the Corvette by delivering athletic and agile performance. Today’s customers have high expectations for small cars. Sonic comes with an unexpected level of standard equipment so that every customer will have comforts and amenities they desire.”
Scheidt’s comments aside, don’t look for the Sonic to offer a Carbon version any time soon. In fact, the Z Spec package that will be marketed for the car will be focused on appearance, not added performance. Still, the Sonic does come well equipped for the price, offering standard features like 15-inch alloy wheels and a hill-holder function that others charge extra for.
Will that be enough to create a Sonic sales boom for Chevrolet? We’ll know when the car hits dealerships this fall.
[Chevrolet]
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