2013 Chevy Sonic LT Hatchback

2013 Chevy Sonic LT Hatchback

26 city/35 highway mpg <-Edmunds.com

I had been in a Chevy Sonic in the past, but not this particular model, the ones I had been in before were not hatchbacks.  There is not much of a difference when you’re sitting in the driver’s seat, but the back is different, obvs aka obviously.  The Chevy Sonic is a sub-compact with the likes of the Hyundai Accent and Toyota Yaris, so it is teeny tiny and so adorable.  This car is so cute and so if you’re anything like the Brawny Man then this car is probably not a good choice for you.  As always this car has all standard features, deal with it.

The exterior of this car looks pretty funny; because it’s a hatchback it’s very stubby and looks like someone cut a larger car in half to get this one.  It is shorter than the compact Ford Focus hatchback that I reviewed but it is a bit taller.  It has a rear windshield wiper, which I have deduced comes standard on a hatchback, because apparently I don’t want to see out of my rear windshield if I don’t own a hatchback.  For some reason I am pretty bitter about the fact that only hatchbacks and SUVs get rear windshield wipers.  I have lived long enough in an area of the country that gets snow to know that this is a valuable feature.  The last thing about the exterior of this car is that the rear door handles are in an odd spot, they are near the top of the vehicle next to windows, not under them.  I have seen this in some SUVs like the Jeep Compass and Nissan Pathfinder, but this is the first time I have seen them on a small car.

It's so stumpy and cute.  The back door handle is in the blue oval.

 

The trunk space is pretty big for such a small car, definitely not huge but comparable to the compact Ford Focus Hatchback, and like any other small hatchback, you sacrifice trunk space for back seat space.  And let me tell you, these are the smallest back seats I have ever tried to get into, and you read right, tried.  I couldn’t even get my legs comfortably in there and I am five foot five, a very average female height!  I could get in there if I put my legs over both seats, but I don’t think that’s how Chevy intended your passengers to sit, or did they…?  The back seats do go down, giving you more trunk space, and I think it’s probably worth it to just always have the seats down because they are pretty pointless.

Either that is a body bag for a little person or the car mats came wrapped up.  I'm going with body bag.

The material of the seats seem pretty standard, a fabric that is kind of rough and would soak up any liquid in an instant, so they are very easy to stain.  There are two glove compartments, one that opens on the top and one that opens on the bottom of the dash board.  The bottom glove compartment is just a standard glove compartment that is pretty small, but the top compartment is odd.  First, it is really small, and second, it is divided into two parts with a horizontal line, which makes it even smaller!  I don’t know why Chevy did this, it would have been much better to keep it one space because as it is you can’t really fit anything in there.  In the top glove compartment you will also find an AUX and USB port.  I have such issue when car companies do this, why put theses ports in such an odd place that is literally hidden behind a lid?  It is not as a big of a deal in this car, though as it is in others cars (like the Ford Focus) because 1) the ports are right in front not all the way in the back, so at least they are easy to see when you open the lid, and 2) there is another AUX port on the radio, but begs the question why do you need 2 AUX ports? 

I couldn't find a picture of the glove compartments open, but this at least gives you an idea of where they are located.

Like the sub-compact Hyundai Accent, the middle section in this car is very narrow and very basic.  Starting at the back and moving towards the front of the vehicle you find one big cup holder (probably for the one person who is stretched out across the back seats), two cup holders with plastic pieces lining the insides so that they are somewhat adjustable, a funny looking button that has a picture of a padlock with a baby in it (presumably child locks, maybe…), a 12 volt AC jack, the shifter, and to the left of all of this is the parking brake.  I told you, very basic.

The middle console looks a lot like the Chevy Cruze, and starting at the bottom there is a small opening that could fit like a phone or mp3 player.  The temperature control panel looks exactly like the Cruze and has the large, easy to use temperature control buttons, and it also has the master lock/unlock button.  Like the Cruze, the doors in this car do not have physical lock/unlock buttons on them and the master button is not found on the driver’s door.  This is something I have seen in other makes, not just Chevy, like some Fords have this as well.  I’m not so sure I’m crazy about the idea of not having a lock lever/button/whatever on the doors.  What happens if you lock the keys in your car?  Or what if something with the electricity goes crazy and you can’t get in or out because the lock/unlock button isn’t working?  Something my worrisome mind takes into consideration. 

I have seen some pictures online that show this car with a touch screen radio like the one that’s in the Cruze, but this one does not have that.  The radio controls are physical buttons and above them is the radio display that is long and narrow.  A lot of cars that just have a standard narrow radio display use a font/text that makes it look really old, but not in the Sonic, which is good because it would have looked so out of place.  Also like the Cruze, on the right side of the radio controls there is a button for the Bluetooth.  On either side of the radio there are two tall, narrow compartments and I really have no idea what you would put in here, your guess is as good as mine.  It seems that Chevy has fallen into the trap of including a host of pointless openings/spaces that are merely for design aka useless.  The last thing I want to note about the middle console is that there is a small dish on the top, a spot that seems much more practical than the openings by the radio, at least this one can easily fit change or you sunglasses.

Gives a good idea of how narrow the middle section is

I want to move on to one of the most eye-catching features of this car, and that is the dashboard display.  The first time I got into a Chevy Sonic it kind of felt like a tiny spaceship and the dash display does take some getting used to just because it is very different than any other that I have seen.  It is all digital except for the large, round RPM meter on the left side.  The main digital display shows the fuel level, compass, odometer, speedometer, and miles to empty (I like that feature and really wish my Kia Forte showed my miles to empty.  Guess I have to do it the ol’ fashioned way and use math, gross).  You can change the display to show you the engine oil level by pressing a button that says “MENU” on the turning signal stick. On that same stick there is a knob that you can turn that also shows average MPG. Although the display is pretty straight forward, the controls are not very intuitive and I had to play around with them for a while to even discover that you can change the display, and I’m not sure if there are any other screens it can show, you would have to get off your lazy butt and look in the manual for that info.  After you get use to display I think it’s pretty neat, definitely for the younger crowd though, I couldn’t imagine my grandma behind the wheel of a Sonic.

The circles above and below are where the different warning lights appear

The steering wheel is a carbon copy of the wheel in the Chevy Cruze, and I’m pretty sure it’s just their stock steering wheel.  The size of the wheel works in the Cruze but I think it’s just a bit too large for this vehicle, although it doesn’t get in the way like the steering wheel in the Ford Focus.  The left side of the wheel has the cruise control settings integrated in it and Bluetooth and audio controls on the right side.

The red circle is the MENU button and the yellow circle is the knob that changes the display

A couple of honorable mentions are that 1) the Sonic does have OnStar equipped in it, but I know nothing about it except that you have to pay for it, those jerks. 2) The front doors have large round openings in them that could definitely fit a bottle, but do not try to put a Starbucks-esque cup in this space – this is true for all door cup holders but especially for these ones because they are so large, but the size does make the space very easy to clean because it is big enough to fit a vacuum hose down in it. 3) There is no designated holder for your sunglasses, not strange for this car class, but the dish on top would probably do just as well. 4) There is an armrest that can come down on the right side of the driver’s seat, an odd addition that can also be found in the Hyundai Accent, so I wonder if it’s just a sub-compact thing? 5) The right and left side air vents are round and look a bit strange to me, adding to the spaceship feel of the car.

A good overview of the what the driver sees.  The weird round air vent is on the left and you can clearly see the tall narrow openings beside the radio.  The lock/unlock button is in the red circle.

I really like the way this itty bitty car drives.  The steering wheel gives a little resistance, it is not as fluid as the compact Kia Soul but it better than the Ford Focus.  What is surprising is that this tiny car actually drives really smoothly, granted I did not take it on the highway so I’m not sure how it feels when you are going 75 mph, but when I compare it to the Hyundai Accent, which is in the same car class, the Sonic is a much nicer drive.  The Accent feels like a go cart, but the Sonic does not make the driver (I can’t speak for the passengers) feel like they are in such a small car.  The Sonic also accelerates very smoothly (a pleasant surprise) and has a great turning radius.

I really like the Sonic and if you never plan on having people in your back seat then this might be a good choice, but if you don’t want something that can really only fit the driver and one passenger comfortably, or if you are tall then you should probably look elsewhere.  As far as sub-compacts go, this is one of my favorites, it’s much nicer than the Hyundai Accent but I’m sure it comes with a bigger price tag.

2012 Hyundai Accent

2012 Hyundai Accent

 30 city / 40 highway <- MSN auto

A couple of years ago I used to drive an Accent, it wasn’t a 2012 obviously and I didn’t drive it for very long because I was involved in an accident (totally not my fault) and it was totaled (and of course the lady who hit me had only like a scratch on her dumb car.).  Since it was a while ago I don’t remember exactly what the interior looked like but I do remember it feeling bigger, although I just might be the one who is getting bigger.  This car is used in a rental company so there are no fancy options found in it, although I can’t imagine there are too many fancy options even available for the Accent.

The rental company I work for classify the Accent as a sub-compact aka teeny tiny.  Other vehicles in this class are the Toyota Yaris and Chevy Sonic.  Most people will book themselves into a sub-compact because they are the cheapest and then when they get here to rent it, they get all pissy because the car is so small and I won’t give them a larger one for the same price.  So, people, knowledge is power.  Moving on, the first thing you are bound to notice about this car is its size and of course the smaller something the cuter it is, so this car is a cute little thing.  Hyundai has rounded the edges out and given it a line through the middle which makes it look pretty sleek.  Besides that though, there’s not much else to say about the exterior.

Look at that sleekness

It's so teeny

The trunk is surprisingly roomy and is comparable to a midsize trunk and the back seats can go down making the trunk even larger.  But when you actually see the back seat it becomes pretty clear that they have sacrificed the leg room for the trunk.  I think that Hyundai should have made the trunk smaller and given more room to the back seats; I am of average female height and I fit back there but it would not be comfortable on a long ride and anyone over 6 feet would not even be able to get their legs in there.  When you buy a car like this I don’t think you are expecting an exceptionally large trunk, so I think Hyundai should rethink their priorities. (I hope you got the Harry Potter reference there.)  One interesting (ok, probably mildly boring) thing to point out is that there is still a clothes hook that is near the ceiling door handle on the back driver’s side seat.  I didn’t know they still put these in cars and it is definitely the first one that I have seen in a while that isn’t in a Lincoln Town Car.  There is nothing else in the back of this car, very basic.

The front doors have cup holders in them that are intended for bottles only and even have a little diagram depicting that (so don’t go and try suing Hyundai if you burn your leg on hot coffee), and the glove compartment is relatively large, smaller than the compact Nissan Versa but larger than the small SUV Jeep Compass.  The driver’s seat has an armrest on the right side that can go up or down, but this is only found on the driver’s side – an odd addition that seems pretty superfluous.  The middle section is pretty standard but it does not have a lidded cubby that you find in almost all vehicles.  Starting at the back of the middle section is a good sized compartment that could easily hold a phone and/or GPS or whatever tickles your fancy.  Moving towards the front there are two cup holder where one is larger than the other, and next to those you will find the parking brake and then goes the shifter.  Like I said, very basic. 

The bottom of the middle console is a compartment where you will find the AUX and USB ports and also a 12 volt AC jack.  If you are at all familiar with the interior of a Kia, here is where you will start to see the similarities between the two and then you remember that Hyundai and Kia are owned by the same people.  You will find this little space with these features in almost every Kia.  The space is also pretty big and you could easily put your phone or mp3 player in it.  I like when the compartments in vehicles are actually useful and not just for design, too often the size, shape, or placement make them just stupid (ie the Ford Focus Hatchback I reviewed).  Above this little opening are the temperature controls which are very easy to understand and use, and above that is the radio.

You can see the ports on the bottom

The radio is another area that looks startlingly similar to the radio you can find in a Kia, and it is in fact almost identical to the radio in my Kia Forte.  There are some small differences like that the buttons in the Accent are on a slant and that the button for the hazard flashers is found on the bottom of the radio in the Accent not the top like the Kia Forte.  But even the placement of the buttons are the same, I could easily control this radio without needing to look at it too closely.  If you are not lucky enough to drive a Kia then this is not a big deal, and even if you are used to driving a Kia it still isn’t a big deal, but I still thought it worth mentioning.

So similar it's eerie! (Totes exag obvs lolz)

The steering wheel does not have any controls integrated in it like volume control or cruise control settings, and in fact this car does not even have cruise control.  It is not uncommon for a car of this size to not have a cruise control, and that is important to know because that can be a make or break feature for some people.

There is a digital display on the dashboard that is (thankfully) very easy and straight forward.  It has your trip, odometer, engine temperature, and gas level.  It is not the labyrinth that is found in the Ford Focus.  The older I get and the longer I work in this field the more and more I appreciate simplicity when it comes to the controls in a car.  I don’t want to have to memorize the manual just so I can tell a customer how to turn the lights on or where the miles can be found.

There are a couple of things I want to point out and I didn’t know where else to put them so here goes.  First, there is not a holder for your sunglasses, a feature that is commonly left out of very small cars.  Second, there are electric windows but no electric locks, and again, that is not uncommon for this size of car.  Last but not least, is the fact that there is no key fob for this car, which makes sense considering it doesn’t have electric locks.  It makes your key ring less bulky but also less convenient.

Raw and uncut, just how I like 'em

I expected this car to be, what I like to call, zippy. To zip around corners and handle really nicely like the compact Kia Soul, but unfortunately I was wrong.  The steering wheel gives a lot of resistance that I didn’t anticipate, it’s not as bad as a Nissan Altima but definitely not as good as the Soul or the midsize Kia Forte.  I also expected the Accent to be able to take corners like a boss, and here too I was disappointed.  By no means does it have as large a turning radius as a Chevy Impala or some other full size, but it doesn’t turn as sharply as the Soul or even the midsize Chevy Cruze.  This is definitely one of those cars that makes you feel like you are driving a go cart so it’s not at all surprising that you feel the road throughout the car, but a nice surprise is that the acceleration is not at all jerky – something you might expect in such a small car.  All in all I was pretty disappointed in how this car handled, not cool Hyundai.

Ultimately this car is extremely basic, so if you are looking for something affordable that doesn’t eat too much gas, and if you don’t care about certain options and you do not need to haul around a lot of people or things this could definitely be a good choice.  It’s very economical and you could fit in pretty much any parking spot.