AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |
Back to Blog
2013 chevrolet sonic engine 1.8 l 4-cylinder11/20/2022 ![]() ![]() ![]() Seat-mounted side-impact airbags are also included for both front and rear occupants. There are 10 standard airbags, including knee airbags for the driver and front passenger. A new small-overlap test has not yet been performed (see the details).īoth the hatchback and the sedan versions of the Sonic earned a five-star overall crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Sonic is a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, scoring the top mark of Good in front, side and rear crash tests, as well as roof strength. Doing so expands cargo space to 47.7 cubic feet, which competes admirably against the Fiesta, Hyundai Accent and Mazda2. I was able to fit large bags of mulch without having to resort to folding the rear seats forward. The backseat is competitive in this class, and at 19 cubic feet the cargo area is extremely competitive. Interior volume is rated at 90 cubic feet and is spacious for the driver and front passenger, with a tall greenhouse for plenty of headroom. The more pedestrian Sonic trims have decent interior and cargo room, which doesn’t change with the barrage of RS badging. The grille and front bumper are tweaked, there’s a unique rear spoiler, added rocker molding, special 17-inch wheels, leather and microfiber seats, a stitched leather steering wheel and shifter, aluminum pedals and, of course, lots of RS badging inside and out. It has a slew of exterior and interior tweaks to make it stand out. If the performance isn’t worthy of its own trim level, Chevrolet sure went through great pains to make the RS look the part. But Ford has a significantly more powerful engine in that car, which boasts 197 hp. That model, at $22,195 including destination, costs $2,600 more than a top-level Fiesta Titanium. We would have to test both back to back to see if the difference is that significant in real-world situations, but if you’re buying a compact car more for efficiency than fun, the RS is a tough sell.įord has recently introduced a Fiesta ST - a high-performance variant of that compact. However, because there are so few performance alterations it’s surprising that the RS’ mileage is in fact lower than that of the LTZ with the same engine that car is rated 29/40/33 mpg city/highway/combined. The RS is rated 27/34/30 mpg city/highway/combined. More than one of our editors saw mileage exceed 30 mpg in mixed driving. It’s a small hatchback that feels zippy, with a smooth manual shifter and a light clutch that make it a formidable daily driver that also gets excellent gas mileage. The fact that the RS isn’t a significant performance upgrade doesn’t mean it isn’t relatively fun to drive. The modified suspension tries to lessen this, but there’s no escaping the Sonic’s overall dimensions. The Sonic is short in length and somewhat tall, so it often exhibits unwanted body lean when taking hard corners. What do you get for that extra money? There’s a stiffened suspension that also lowers the car by 10 mm, four-wheel disc brakes and what Chevy calls more aggressive gear ratios.ĭoes that make the RS greater than the LTZ? Not really, and certainly not significantly enough to warrant the extra cash. A fully loaded Sonic LTZ hatchback with a manual transmission costs $1,635 less than the RS, which costs $20,995, including destination charge. Unfortunately, the RS doesn’t offer more power than the more pedestrian Sonics, at least those equipped with the up-level, 138-horsepower, turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine. The main draw of buying a model like the RS is getting an extra dose of power and driving excitement. You can read a review of the 2012 Sonic sedan and hatchback models here. The most significant change for the 2013 Sonic is the addition of the RS trim level, which comes only in hatchback form. But what about performance? Chevrolet looks to answer that question for subcompact car shoppers with the new RS version of its Sonic hatchback. The 2013 Chevrolet Sonic is a well-balanced car for not a lot of money, but the new RS trim level’s engine and suspension tweaks fall far short of a driving enthusiast’s expectations.īuying a small car these days doesn’t mean giving up much in terms of features. ![]()
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |