2013 Chevrolet Sonic: What's New

Vehicle Overview

The compact Chevrolet Sonic replaced the Aveo and competes with the Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit and Nissan Versa. Like the Fiesta and Versa, the Sonic is available in sedan and hatchback body styles.

The Sonic has aggressive exterior and interior styling. Engine choices are the same ones you’ll find in the larger Chevrolet Cruze, including a turbocharged offering. A sporty RS hatchback model of the Sonic is also available.

(Skip to details on the: Sonic RS)New for 2013
An all-new RS trim model joins the Sonic family for 2013. Available only as a hatchback, the Sonic RS features exterior enhancements like a ground effects kit for both bumpers and side skirts, 17-inch wheels, a rear spoiler and darker mirrors. Inside, the Sonic gets premium quality leather and large side bolsters for the seats.  

Other changes for 2013 include a Connectivity & Cruise Package for the Sonic LT that includes cruise control, steering-wheel audio controls, Bluetooth connectivity and a USB port/secondary auxiliary jack. Remote start is also now standard on LT models equipped with the automatic transmission.
Exterior
Chevrolet says it took design inspiration for the headlights from the motorcycle world. The Sonic’s hunkered-down, raked stance adds to its aggressive looks. Exterior features include:

• Five-door hatchback or four-door sedan
• Standard 15-inch steel wheels with covers, optional 15-, 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels
• Available rear spoiler and fog lamps
• Available power side mirrors
• Available power moonroof

Interior
Like the outside, the inside takes inspiration from motorcycles, Chevrolet says. The instrument cluster is one of the more identifiable products of that approach, attaching a digital LCD readout to an analog speedometer.

Trunk space for the sedan is 14 cubic feet. The hatchback sees added cargo room behind the rear seats. Interior features include:

• Available power windows
• Standard power locks and air conditioning
• Standard steering-wheel-mounted audio controls
• Cloth seats standard; leatherette or imitation leather available with optional front-seat heating  
• Optional six-speaker premium audio system with available MyLink entertainment and information system
• Available remote start

Under the Hood
Mechanical features include:

• 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine makes 138 horsepower and 125 pounds-feet of torque
• Optional turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder makes 138 hp and 148 pounds-feet of torque
• Five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission (1.8-liter four-cylinder)
• Six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission (turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder)

Safety
Safety features include:

• Front disc/rear drum antilock brakes (all disc on RS model)
• 10 standard airbags 
• Hill start assist
• Electronic stability control

Sonic RS
Chevrolet is introducing a Sonic RS for 2013, bringing show plus a little more go to its subcompact. As we’ve come to expect from Chevrolet’s RS badge, the car gets cosmetic updates and handling improvements. It should be a little quicker than the regular Sonic, which has the same engine, thanks to shorter gearing for its six-speed manual.

Where the front-drive Sonic comes as a sedan or hatchback, the RS is hatch only. It drops the Sonic’s circular fog lights for shapelier ones, while the quad headlights and scowling expression remain. The RS adds ground effects around the bumpers and side sills, plus unique 17-inch wheels, a spoiler and darker, painted side mirrors.

The RS will be the only Sonic to have genuine leather seats. Larger side bolsters should hold you better around corners. Flat-bottomed steering wheels are becoming the rage among sporty cars, and the Sonic RS gets one that’s leather-wrapped with a thicker rim. Aluminum pedals, unique interior trim and an RS stick-shift knob round out the changes.

Chevrolet’s turbo 1.4-liter four-cylinder makes 138 hp and 148 pounds-feet of torque. Four-wheel-disc brakes should improve braking performance versus the Sonic’s disc/drum setup. A stiffened suspension rides less than a half inch lower, but the RS offers neither a limited-slip differential nor a fully independent rear suspension. Back to top