Refreshed 2017 Chevrolet Sonic Packed With Useful Upgrades
The 2017 Chevrolet Sonic has been unveiled with a refreshed look and a host of useful upgrades.
Starting with a tweaked look all around, the 2017 Chevrolet Sonic gets a similar grille style also featured on the new Bolt, Cruze and Trax. LED daytime running lights, four new colors and new wheel designs are also available.
The bigger upgrades happen inside: a heated steering wheel, 4G LTE and WiFi, rear park assist, a power driver’s seat and keyless open and start are now available, which are rare features to be offered in an economy car. Chevy says the Sonic is the first in its segment to offer a power driver’s seat. A backup camera and 10 air bags are now standard, and other available safety features include forward collision alert and lane departure warning.
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The dash also gets 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible. Up to seven devices can connect to the Sonic’s WiFi hotspot.
Underneath, the powertrain remains the same, with the Sonic being powered by a standard 1.8L four-cylinder engine with 138 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque. Official fuel economy has not been released yet, but Chevy expects it to be the same as last year’s model, which was rated at 26 mpg city and 35 mpg highway.
A 1.4L turbo with 138 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque will continue to be optional. The sedan will be available in LS, LT and Premier trims, while the hatch returns exclusively in the sportier RS guise with the turbo engine, offered in LT and Premium trims. Pricing for 2017 Chevrolet Sonic models have not been released yet.
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Jodi has been obsessed with cars since she was little and has been an automotive journalist for the past 12 years. She has a Bachelor of Journalism from Ryerson University in Toronto, is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and a jury member for the prestigious North American Car/Truck/Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY). Besides hosting videos, and writing news, reviews and features, Jodi is the Editor-in-Chief of AutoGuide.com and takes care of the site's day-to-day operations.
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This thing looks terrible now. I drove a 2012 1.4t manual when they first came out it was the ltz model. Tons of fun slow but very fun. With the cruze receiving the hatchback however I would have dumped the sonic from the line up and invested in something more sporty. Either the code 130r or tru 140s concepts. A sporty coupe model that sits under the camaro price tag(20xxx-24xxx) something that an enthusiast on a budget can afford. Make a civic si competitor as its the only sporty fwd coupe in its class. I had an 07 cobalt ss and it was incredibly fun to drive and had some serious performance! It was unfortunate gm of that time was building their cars so low in quality and the car practically murdered itself with hundreds of little electrical and mechanical gremlins. With gms new found quality control they could build us a little sport(y) coupe.