‘Really slow’ Chevy Sonic offers high-tech for small budgets

The Chevrolet Sonic is a simple car. For a reasonable price, you get four seats and a hatchback, a reasonably powered engine, and a pretty good infotainment setup. On paper, there’s not much to go wrong or terribly right either with this followup to the frankly dull Aveo hatchback with which we’re familiar.

Between you and me (and the rest of the Internet), I’m a huge fan of B-segment vehicles. There’s something about the low entry cost, the cleverness of the packaging, and the potential for low-speed thrills that I just get. I’m more of a “drive a slow car fast” kind of guy.

As they say, the devil’s in the details. Look more closely at our 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS and you’ll find a number of interesting gems: That reasonably powered engine is force-fed via a turbocharger. The hatchback design sits atop a sporty suspension. And the pretty-good infotainment system is remarkably cutting-edge in its own way, having more in common with an Android tablet or iPad Mini than your average dashboard stereo.

No one listens to CDs anymore The Chevy Sonic is an interesting intersection of low-tech cost savings and high-tech thinking. Depending on the trim level and options chosen, the Sonic can be had with manual, crank windows and a 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system. This example would also be powered by GM’s OnStar telematics system, which would let you unlock your doors from anywhere in the world, but you wouldn’t be able to lower the rear window… [Read more]