2013 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ Review: 1.4 Liters of Turbo Powered Fun!

The Chevy Sonic LTZ is Chevrolets latest attempt at taming the largely European-dominated B segment; the Supermini. This car has the good looks, the technology, and the spunky turbo engine to do the job! The tiny 1.4 liter engine is helped along by the aforementioned turbo, giving it enough sportiness to make it incredibly entertaining to drive. The LTZ trim includes all the bells and whistles, with an Iphone 5 port built in directly to the dash for your phone, music, and navigation needs. The 7" touch-screen display is clear even in direct sunlight, and it incorporates air conditioning, XM radio, sound settings and more, right at your fingertips.

Luckily, Chevy actually designed it to look good, rather than leaving the aesthetics as an afterthought, as so many manufactures tend to do when building an economy car. The 17" wheels and the low-lying fog-lamps give it a playful demeanor, while incorporating recessed headlights that don't actually look like they were designed by a five-year old. (see Stingray Corvette)

Everything is touchscreen nowadays, and this is certainly true of the multimedia interface found in the Chevy Sonic. Oftentimes, I find that the surfaces that are to be touched the most are actually made with low quality materials. Not so with this car. You'd be surprised at how nicely everything feels, and how well it seamlessly works together.

There is an interesting "tiptronic" style shifter that I've not seen before, where instead of actually moving the whole shifter up or down, there is a simple button on the side to take care of your rev controlling needs. In practice, it is actually a lot simpler to use than the old tiptronic style, and I'd be inclined to use it more often than the automatic mode anyway.

All in all, this car is far more practical than many other vehicles on the market in this size and price range. Its sporty nature and good looks just helps solidify it into my mind as an excellent choice for pretty much anyone except those with more than one child. You can come check it out at our lot in Santa Clara, or call with questions at (408) 246-1000. Thanks and have a great day!