2014 Chevrolet Sonic LT Hatchback - Little Notes

2014 Chevrolet Sonic LT Hatchback

Base Price: $16,380
As-Tested Price: $20,405
Drivetrain: 1.4-liter turbocharged I4; FWD, six-speed manual
Output: 138 hp @ 4,900 rpm, 148 lb-ft @ 2,500 rpm
Curb Weight: 2,712 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA City/Highway/Combined): 29/40/33 mpg
AW Observed Fuel Economy: 33.4 mpg
Options: 16-inch black painted aluminum wheels ($995); exterior black flash package including mirror caps, grille surround and spoiler ($710); Ecotec turbo 1.4-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine ($700); advanced safety package including forward collision alert and land departure warning ($395); Chevrolet MyLink ($200)

Some fun on a budget


ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: Well, well, well, this 2014 Chevrolet Sonic LT is a sporty little hatch, isn't it? It's not “fast” by any stretch of the imagination, but it's fun to yank through the gears, though the shifter is a little bendy.

The price is right for a college student, or really anyone who wants a modicum of fun for a low price. Of course, you could spend $5K more and jump into a Mazda Mazdaspeed 3, Ford Focus ST or Volkswagen GTI for some real thrills, but that's beside the point. If you compare this to its likely competitors like the Nissan Versa Note,

Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta, it has the goods. And no one can complain about a 40 mpg highway rating.

I like the gauge cluster; it reminds me of a videogame heads-up display. And it might have a little fighter jet inspiration. The cheapo seatbelt fasteners still make me angry, though. I'm not sure about this MyLink radio setup, either. I like to do my tuning with knobs, not a hard button on the screen. It also takes a bit before responding to commands. It's not my favorite setup.

But this Chevy Sonic is decent transportation for a decent price, the American way.

DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: Surprise and delight: It's only a few times a year a car rolls along and inspires these emotions, and our little turbo Sonic LT pulled it off. Though I've driven probably half a dozen Sonics in the past, this particular car is the first one I can say I'd consider owning. What's happened? Why does the sum of the parts on this specific car equal so much more than it has on previous iterations of GM's little scooter?

Even after spending a half hour on Chevy's “build and price” configurator and poring over the Monroney, I'm not sure. Perhaps the company has recalibrated its 1.4-liter turbo four. Either way, the Sonic LT so equipped is a poor man's Ford Fiesta ST. Sure, it's way down on both power and torque, but it's got the same free-revving boosted nature and slick six-speed manual gearbox that makes the Ford such a delight to drive. Steering and handling, too, are a full notch below the Fiesta in terms of capability, but the tuning -- feel and feedback -- seems cut from the same cloth.

As Jake mentioned, the lack of an analog control for volume (and ideally tuning, too) is the biggest ergonomic flaw in Chevy's otherwise solid MyLink system used in the Sonic. Other instrumentation is standard Sonic fare -- in other words, pretty good. The motorcycle-style cluster gives the driver a big analog tach, digital speedo readout and an LCD for minor functions. It's simple and effective, much like the rest of the interior. Attractive graining masks hard plastic surfaces, but in the sub-$20K category that's what you're going to get. The Sonic is inexpensive, but nowhere does it come across as cheap.

Chevy has been paying attention to the market. Sonic has always been a player, a decent entry-level compact. But our five-door turbo LT shows it can be turned into a credible hot hatch quite easily without requiring the pricey RS box to be checked. This is a ton of fun for the money.

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: I'm with Stoy on this 2014 Chevy Sonic LT Hatchback: I was impressed with this little buggy, and even more impressed and pleasantly surprised when I saw the price. Of course jumping from the $30k Fiat Abarth Cabrio into this, it's hard not be impressed with the Sonic's sticker.

I really enjoyed this car. What's that old saying? It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow -- this little thing is the epitome of that.

The interior is roomy and comfortable and the steering wheel is nice and fat. Fit and finish is good; materials could use an upgrade but for 20 grand, it is what it is. The analogue tach and digital everything else is cool and different. According to the digital mpg readout, I got 31 and change in all-city driving. Impressive.

The little turbo four has good oomph as long as I kept the revs over 3,000 or so, but the engine likes to rev. Turbo lag was minimal. The chassis is good for a small car, it zips around town tidily with little body roll while not beating the heck out of you over broken pavement. The steering is quick -- it could use a tad more weight at speed. Still the overall feeling is quite a bit more refined than I would have guessed.

This is a good small car from Chevy.

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2014 Chevrolet Sonic LT Hatchback - Little Notes