2013 Chevrolet Sonic Family Adds New RS Model and Connectivity

Since its introduction in late 2011, the Chevrolet Sonic – the only subcompact built in America – has been making a name for itself among Corry, Warren, Erie, and Titsuvillle, PA drivers as a small car with big attitude. Available at Crotty Chevrolet Buick in Corry, PA for 2013, an all-new, performance-inspired, Sonic RS five-door hatchback model joins the Sonic family.

Sonic also adds an available version of Chevrolet’s MyLink infotainment system, which uses owners’ smartphones to personalize delivery of music, video, photo galleries, phone books and other information into the vehicle – including full-function navigation via an available smartphone app.

Standard on LTZ and RS and available on LS and LT models, MyLink for Sonic includes a seven-inch diagonal color screen, AM/FM stereo with seek-and-scan and digital clock, Bluetooth streaming audio for music and selected phones, voice recognition for compatible smartphones, and Pandora and Stitcher compatibility. Easy-to-use and intuitive, MyLink for Sonic was influenced by Chevrolet consumer data that shows 90 percent of target Sonic buyers own and are heavy users of smartphones.

Other additions to the 2013 Sonic lineup include the addition of a rear decklid spoiler on the LTZ sedan.

Sonic was designated as one of the Best Family Cars of 2012 by Edmunds and Parents magazine, and its interior was named one of Ward’s 10 Best Interiors for 2012.

New for 2013

• All-new, performance-inspired RS five-door hatchback model (production begins Q4 2012; please see separate release for details.)
• Available PZEV (partial zero emissions vehicle) version of standard Ecotec 1.8L
• Available six-speaker premium audio system
• LT model adds Connectivity & Cruise Package
  • Cruise control
  • USB port and second auxiliary jack
  • Steering wheel audio controls
  • Bluetooth audio streaming
• Available Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system (standard on LTZ and RS) includes seven-inch diagonal color screen, AM/FM stereo with seek-and-scan and digital clock, Bluetooth streaming audio for music and select phones, voice recognition for compatible smartphone, compatible with apps for Pandora and Stitcher
• Available navigation app for MyLink (later availability)
• Bluetooth for phone and steering wheel controls standard on LS
• LT sedan wheel and fog lamp package adds rear decklid spoiler
• Standard remote starter on LT with automatic transmission
• Integral blind-spot mirrors added to outside rearview mirrors on all models
• Standard rear decklid spoiler on LTZ sedan
• Exterior premium color: Black Granite Metallic (additional charge)
• Revised look to OnStar buttons

Sonic family at a glance

2013 Sonic RS

The Chevrolet Sonic is offered in two body styles: a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback in LS, LT, LTZ and RS models (five-door hatchback only). Each body style delivers class-leading rear-seat roominess and cargo space. Standard and available features include:

• Standard Ecotec 1.8L engine (non-RS models) paired with five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions
• Standard electric power steering and StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover sensing
• Sedan offers more trunk capacity than most compact cars; the hatchback and sedan offer better rear-seat roominess than Ford Fiesta. With a rear seat that folds nearly flat, the Sonic hatchback has greater cargo capacity than Fiesta
• Connectivity includes OnStar with six months of Directions and Connections service, including Turn-by-Turn navigation. Available infotainment features include SiriusXM Satellite Radio (with three trial months of service), USB and Bluetooth functionality and MyChevrolet mobile application through OnStar
• Remote start, heated front seats and sunroof – all rarities in the segment
• Ten standard air bags, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist, and OnStar with Automatic Crash Response.

Aggressive, youthful design 

From every angle, the Sonic sedan and five-door hatchback convey strength, stability and refinement. A wide, planted stance, with wheels-at-the-corners proportions, hints at performance.

Other aggressive design cues, including fender flares and motorcycle-inspired round headlamps, are blended with Chevrolet global design cues such as a dual-element grille and round taillamps. The leading edge of the hood forms a character line above the headlamps, which flows in a sleek side profile characterized by uninterrupted body side lines, a high beltline and low roofline. The side mirrors carry the same shape as the car and seemingly disappear into the profile. For 2013, they include integral blind spot mirrors for enhanced visibility.

LT and LTZ sedans also add a new rear decklid spoiler – it’s included in an available 16-inch wheel and fog lamp package on LT and standard on LTZ.

Other details that reinforce Sonic’s quality and attention to detail include chrome grille surrounds and matte black honeycomb grille inserts on all models. A range of wheel sizes, including 17-inch alloy wheels, reinforces its sporty demeanor.

Sonic colors include Silver Ice Metallic, Summit White, Cyber Gray Metallic, Victory Red and Blue Topaz Metallic. Crystal Red Tintcoat, Inferno Orange Metallic and a new, premium exterior color, Black Granite Metallic, are available for an additional charge.

A power, tilt-sliding sunroof with express-open and wind deflector feature is available.

Award-winning Sonic interior

2013 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ Interior

 

Sonic’s cabin complements the motorcycle-inspired exterior with a detailed instrument cluster featuring a large, round analog tachometer set within an asymmetrical LCD readout, with a large digital speedometer display.

Depending on the trim level ordered, Sonic offers two varieties each of cloth and leather seating surfaces.  Interior colors and combinations include Jet Black/Dark Titanium; Jet Black/Brick; Dark Pewter / Dark Titanium and Jet Black (RS).

The mid-instrument panel surface flows seamlessly into the upper doors, with premium, low-gloss finishes. The automatic shift knob has a “cobra head” design, while the manual shifter has a chrome-finished knob.

The interior is functional, too, with storage compartments in the center stack and doors. The rear seats fold virtually flat for carrying larger items such as sports gear.

Front bucket seats are standard and heated front seats are available.  

 

Chevrolet MyLink details 

MyLink is standard on Sonic LTZ and RS, and available on Sonic LS and LT models. It consists of an AM/FM/SiriusXM Satellite Radio (with three months of service) stereo with seek-and-scan, digital clock, Bluetooth streaming audio for music and select phones, voice recognition for compatible smartphones and six speakers.

On Sonic, MyLink operates by integrating the owner’s compatible smartphone and stored media – via Bluetooth, plug-in outlet or USB – with the radio. This lets owners enjoy simple, safe and personalized connectivity while their smartphone is stowed.

MyLink is simple to use: The owner selects from options projected onto the touch screen: Audio, Pictures & Movies, Telephone, Smartphone Link and Settings. Each menu selection takes the user though a list of easy-to-select functions.

MyLink-equipped Sonic models will launch with compatibility for two apps: Pandora internet radio and Stitcher Smart Radio. When owners with these services connect their compatible smartphones, they can access these and other functions:

• Personal playlists of stored music
• Hands-free calling with Bluetooth-enabled voice activation from the customer’s smartphone when the steering wheel button is depressed. (Visit gm.com/Bluetooth for a list of compatible smartphones)
• Ability to project video via USB while the vehicle is parked
• Ability to project a photo album in “slideshow” mode via USB while the vehicle is parked, with the last music selection playing in the background. Once the vehicle is moving, a single photo is viewable. 

Later, full-function navigation will be available – for an additional charge – for MyLink via an embedded smartphone application that also delivers live traffic updates.

The navigation app includes:

• Emergency information such as police, fire and the nearest hospital
• Thousands of points of interest
• Local Search via Google
• Where am I? locator
• Live traffic functionality provides crash reports and lane closures, and with alternative routes
• 3-D maps
• Ability to store native maps to the customer’s smartphone, giving them access to locations and turn-by-turn directions even when phone signal quality is poor. Many GPS-enabled apps do not do this.

Sonic performance

Chevrolet Sonic models are powered by efficient, power-dense, small-displacement engines, including the standard Ecotec 1.8L and the available Ecotec 1.4L turbo (standard on RS).

Several transmissions are available: a five-speed manual and six-speed automatic with the 1.8L and a six-speed manual and six-speed automatic with the 1.4L turbo.

The naturally aspirated Ecotec 1.8L engine has many of the same features of the Ecotec 1.4L turbo, including:

• It is a compact and durable four-cylinder engine designed for low maintenance, low emissions and fuel efficiency.
• Its two-stage variable intake manifold allows approximately 90 percent of peak torque to be available from 2,400 rpm to 6,500 rpm.
• It is rated at 138 horsepower (103 kW) along with 125 lb.-ft. of torque (170 Nm) at 3,800 rpm.

The Ecotec 1.4L turbo’s power ratings are 138 horsepower (103 kW) and 148 lb.-ft. of torque (200 Nm) between 1,850 rpm and 4,900 rpm.

The wide rpm range for the maximum torque – a specific trait of turbocharged engines – helps the engine deliver a better driving experience and performance.

Premium design elements give the engine world-class smoothness and durability, including a low-mass, hollow-frame cast iron block, dual overhead camshafts with variable valve timing, chain-driven cams and roller-finger camshaft followers, piston-cooling oil jets and integrated oil cooler, a variable-flow oil pump and an electronically controlled thermostat.

The 1.4L’s turbocharger is integrated within the exhaust manifold, for reduced weight and greater packaging flexibility. A reinforced crankshaft and stronger connecting rods deliver additional strength to support the engine’s pressurized power and torque over a wide rpm band.

Engineers who also work on the Corvette tuned the Sonic’s ride and handling, giving it a more direct feel, while balancing the vehicle for the broad range of driving conditions in North America. Sonic’s standard hill start assist feature makes it easier to pull away from a stopped position when the vehicle is on an uphill or downhill slope.

Sonic RS offers stiffer, performance-oriented tuning, as well as a lowered (10 mm) suspension and four-wheel disc brakes.

Sonic safety and crash-avoidance features

Sonic’s strong body structure is designed to absorb crash energy and provide a protective “safety cage” around occupants.

The Sonic is the only car in its segment to achieve an overall five-star safety rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and it also earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Sonic is designed to help drivers avoid crashes, while protecting the occupants in the event a crash occurs. Safety begins with a strong body structure designed to absorb crash energy and provide a protective “safety cage” around occupants. More than 60 percent of the body structure is composed of advanced steels.

Other safety and security features include:

• Ten standard air bags include side curtain air bags, which provide head protection for outboard passengers in the event of a side-impact or rollover crash
• StabiliTrak electronic stability control system helps reduce the risk of rollover crashes by keeping the vehicle in the driver’s intended path by applying throttle, braking or a combination of both
• Power-assisted front disc and rear drum brakes are standard; front and rear disc brakes are standard on RS.
• Four-channel antilock braking is standard and incorporates electronic brake force distribution, which balances braking performance based on such factors as road conditions and the weight of passengers and/or cargo
• Pretensioners minimize forward movement during a collision, and are standard on the front safety belts. Load-limiting retractors cinch the belt more tightly
• LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) child seat attachment system, which is included in all second-row seating positions
• Tire pressure monitoring system on all models
• Standard OnStar.

OnStar details

Six months of OnStar Directions and Connections service is standard on Sonic. OnStar is the global leading provider of connected safety, security and mobility solutions and advanced information technology.

OnStar’s RemoteLink Mobile App allows smartphone users to control vehicle functions, access vehicle information and send directions directly to the vehicle. A new, opt-in service called FamilyLink allows subscribers to stay connected to loved ones by checking the location of their vehicle online or by signing up for vehicle location alerts.

Sonic also features new OnStar button icons. Drivers will notice an updated look for the Hands-Free Calling button, blue OnStar button and red Emergency button.

More information about OnStar can be found at www.onstar.com

 

2013 CHEVROLET SONIC SPECIFICATIONS

 Overview

Models:	Sonic 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback in LS, LT, LTZ Sonic RS 5-door hatchback
Body style / driveline:	4-door or 5-door, front engine, front-wheel drive, 5 passengers; Sonic RS: front engine, front-wheel drive, 5-door, 5 passengers
Construction:	unitized body/frame
EPA vehicle class:	subcompact
Manufacturing location:	Orion Township, Mich.
Key competitors:	Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Toyota Yaris

 Engines

	1.8L DOHC I-4	1.4L turbocharged DOHC I-4
Application:	std	opt LT, LTZ; std on RS
Displacement (cu. In / cc):	110 / 1796	110 / 1796
Bore and stroke (in. / mm):	3.17 x 3.47 / 80.5 x 88.2	2.85 x 3.25 / 72.5 x 82.6
Block material:	cast iron	cast iron
Cylinder head material:	cast aluminum	cast aluminum
Valvetrain:	overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, continuously variable valve timing	overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, continuously variable valve timing
Ignition system:	coil on plug	coil on plug
Fuel delivery:	sequential multi-port fuel injectors with electronic throttle control	sequential multi-port fuel injectors with electronic throttle control
Compression ratio:	10.5:1	9.5:1
Horsepower (hp / kW @ rpm)::	138 / 103 @ 6300*	138 / 103 @ 4900*
Torque (lb.-ft. / Nm @ rpm):	125 / 170@ 3800*	148 / 200 @ 2500* manual 148 / 200 @ 1850* automatic
Recommended fuel:	regular unleaded	regular unleaded
Max engine speed (rpm):	6500	6500
Emissions controls:	close-coupled catalytic converters; 58X ignition system; returnless fuel rail; fast light-off oxygen sensor	close-coupled catalytic converters; 58X ignition system; returnless fuel rail; fast light-off oxygen sensor
Estimated  fuel economy (city / hwy):	26 / 35 (manual) 25 / 35 (automatic)	29 / 40 (manual) 27 / 37 (automatic)

 Transmissions

	6-speed manual (1.4L turbo)	Hydra-Matic 6T40 6-speed automatic (1.4L Turbo)	Hydra-Matic 6T30 6-speed automatic (1.8L)	5-speed manual (1.8L)	6-speed manual (1.4L)
Application:	std on Sonic RS	opt on Sonic, Sonic RS	opt on Sonic	std on Sonic	std on Sonic  turbo (non-RS)
Gear ratios (:1)
First:	4.27	4.58	4.45	3.72	3.82
Second:	2.35	2.96	2.91	1.96	2.05
Third:	1.48	1.91	1.89	1.32	1.30
Fourth:	1.07	1.45	1.44	0.94	0.96
Fifth:	0.88	1.00	1.00	0.75	0.74
Sixth:	0.74	0.75	0.74	N/A	0.61
Reverse:	3.82	2.94	2.87	3.30	3.55
Final drive:	4.176	3.53 (Sonic RS) 3.23 (Sonic)	3.47	3.95	3.65

 Chassis / Suspension

Front:	MacPherson struts with offset coil springs and stabilizer bar
Rear:	semi-independent torsion beam axle with coil springs
Steering type:	column-mounted electric power steering
Steering ratio:	14:1
Steering wheel turns, lock-to-lock:	2.8 (15- and 16-inch wheels) 2.7 (17-inch wheels)
Turning circle, curb-to-curb (ft / m):	34.5 / 10.5 (15- and 16-inch wheels) 36.1 / 11 (17-inch wheels)

 Brakes

Type:	ventilated front disc / rear drum, with ABS: std four-wheel disc with ABS: RS
Rotor diameter x thickness (in / mm):	front: 10.8 x 1.0 / 276 x 26 (vented, std and RS) rear: 10.6 x 0.47 / 268 x 12 (solid, RS)
Drum diameter (in / mm):	9 / 230
Total swept area (sq in / sq cm):	front: 116 / 748 rear: 49.3 / 318 front: 116 / 748 (RS) rear:  93 / 602 (RS)

Wheels /Tires

Wheel size and type:	15-inch steel: std on LS
	15-inch painted aluminum: std on LT
	16-inch painted aluminum: opt on LT
	17-inch painted aluminum: std on LTZ
	17-inch aluminum: std on RS
Tires:	P195/65R15 ALS
	P205/55R16 ALS
	P205/50R17 ALS

 Dimensions

Exterior

Type:		sedan	five-door
	Wheelbase (in / mm):	99.4 / 2525	99.4 / 2525
	Overall length (in / mm):	173.1 / 4397	159 / 4039
	Overall width (in / mm):	68.3 / 1735	68.3 / 1735
	Overall height (in / mm):	59.7 / 1516	59.7 / 1516 59.3 / 1506: RS
	Track (in / mm):	front: 59.4 / 1509 rear: 59.4 / 1509	front: 59.4 / 1509 rear: 59.4 / 1509
	Curb weight (lb / kg):	2727 / 1237 (LS) 2745 / 1245 (LT) 2806 / 1273 (LTZ)	2690 / 1220 (LS) 2712 / 1230 (LT) 2776 / 1259 (LTZ) 2811 / 1275 (RS)

 Interior

Type:	sedan	five-door
Seating capacity (front / rear):	2 / 3	2 / 3
Headroom (in / mm):	front: 38.7 / 983 (w/o sunroof) front: 37.6 / 956 (w/ sunroof) rear: 37.8 / 960 (w/o sunroof) rear: 37.8 / 961 (w/ sunroof)	front: 38.7 / 983 (w/o sunroof) front: 37.6 / 956 (w/ sunroof) rear: 38.1 / 968 (w/o sunroof) rear: 38.1 / 968 (w/ sunroof)
Legroom (in / mm):	front: 41.8 / 1062 rear: 34.6 / 879	front: 41.8 / 1062 rear: 34.6 / 879
Shoulder room (in / mm):	front: 53.4 / 1356 rear: 53 / 1346	front: 53.4 / 1358 rear: 53 /  1347
Hip room (in / mm):	front: 51.4 / 1306 rear: 51.6 / 1311	front: 51.4 / 1306 rear: 51.6 / 1311

Capacities

Type:	sedan	five-door
EPA interior volume (cu ft / L):	105.2 / 2978	109.6 / 3103
Cargo volume (cu ft / L):	14.9 / 422	19 / 538 (behind rear seats) 47.7 / 1351 (seats folded)
EPA passenger vol. (cu ft / L):	90.3  / 2556	90.6 / 2565
Fuel tank (gal / L):	12.2 / 46.2	12.2 / 46.2
Engine oil (qt / L):	1.4L: 4.2 / 4.0 1.8L: 4.8 / 4.5	1.4L: 4.2 / 4.0 1.8L: 4.8 / 4.5
Cooling system (qt / L):	1.4L: 6.9 / 6.5 1.8L: 6.3 / 6.0	1.4L: 6.9 / 6.5 1.8L: 6.3 / 6.0

 

*SAE certified

 

Note: Information shown is current at time of publication.