Consumer Reports review
- Thread starter SuperFudd
- Start date
Swordsmith
242hp/252 ft-lbs BNR EFI
I owned a stock sonic for such a short span of time it is hard for me to remember enough about it to do a decent review. What is it like to only have 138hp, anyway? I get a little antsy when I've been forced to put gasoline in, where's my power!
Edit to add:
Did my duty, review is posted as Zippy little Tardis
Edit to add:
Did my duty, review is posted as Zippy little Tardis
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Swordsmith
242hp/252 ft-lbs BNR EFI
Reading their results on the Sonic Hatchback:
Highs Braking, secure handling, fairly quick and quiet for class.
Lows Front-seat comfort, rear seat room, manual transmission gear ratios and shift action, rear visibility.
Seriously, low front seat comfort and rear seat room? This was by far the most comfortable and roomy of the host of small hatchbacks I tested, I have a 6'4" tall son and this was a major factor in the decision. I drove cars from the next size class up that were tighter and less comfy by far. Did anyone even get in a Sonic before they decided this would be a good comment to make?
Highs Braking, secure handling, fairly quick and quiet for class.
Lows Front-seat comfort, rear seat room, manual transmission gear ratios and shift action, rear visibility.
Seriously, low front seat comfort and rear seat room? This was by far the most comfortable and roomy of the host of small hatchbacks I tested, I have a 6'4" tall son and this was a major factor in the decision. I drove cars from the next size class up that were tighter and less comfy by far. Did anyone even get in a Sonic before they decided this would be a good comment to make?
attrapereves
New member
The rear seat room is limited compared to an S-class Mercedes, but compared to other cars in its class, it is roomy.
People need to realize that you can't be comparing the Sonic to the Cruze, Malibu, or Impala, but instead need to be comparing it to the Focus, Fit, etc.
Kuntryboy865
New member
They could of worked better on the front seat comfort. The very first time I got in a sonic It felt like half my ass cheek was hanging off the side of the seat lol.
laborsmith
New member
But they did nail the rear visibility thing.
Nice to know CR can get something right.
Laborsmith
Nice to know CR can get something right.
Laborsmith
attrapereves
New member
Yeah, those rear pillars beside the window added with the rear headrests really limit rear visibility. It's the worst when trying to back out at an angle.
Removed the rear headrests in the first week (hatchback). Made a HUGE difference.
But CR nailed it with the lousy front seats. It boggles my mind how uncomfortable I am in those things. I get neck aches when I have to take longer drives. The stupid headrests in front don't help. I finally replaced those with headrests from a VW and things are certainly better. I knew the seats sucked even before I bought the car (had one as a rental and had back aches in the first half hour), but I liked the rest of the car enough to buy it anyway.
Still trying to figure out how to actually get decent seats in there that still have the airbags...
But CR nailed it with the lousy front seats. It boggles my mind how uncomfortable I am in those things. I get neck aches when I have to take longer drives. The stupid headrests in front don't help. I finally replaced those with headrests from a VW and things are certainly better. I knew the seats sucked even before I bought the car (had one as a rental and had back aches in the first half hour), but I liked the rest of the car enough to buy it anyway.
Still trying to figure out how to actually get decent seats in there that still have the airbags...
Yeah, I have noticed that the seats are a very particular thing. Some people have no problem with them. Others really like them. Personally, I have never sat in a car with worse seats for my particular body (6'3", fairly thin but with that damned middle aged bulge). I'm slowly trying to figure out how to fix em up. I see lots of foam projects in my future 
Blue hedgehog
New member
I have no issues with the front seats or front headrests, and I'm a big guy, 5'10" 275lbs. The rear pillar blind spot does suck. There are a few merges where I need to look over my right shoulder at a stop sign to see if there are any cars comming. The only way I can see the traffic coming is if I adjust the mirror. That dam pillar blocks 120% of my view.
Here is a perfect example of one of those merges. The stop sign is dead center of the pic. And the road I come down is on the left, and merges with the road the pic was taken from. Between the road the pic was taken from being slightly elevated and the barrier wall, you can't see anything from the sonic unless you use the adjusted mirror or get 3/4 of the way into the merge. At that point you will probably get creamed.
Here is a perfect example of one of those merges. The stop sign is dead center of the pic. And the road I come down is on the left, and merges with the road the pic was taken from. Between the road the pic was taken from being slightly elevated and the barrier wall, you can't see anything from the sonic unless you use the adjusted mirror or get 3/4 of the way into the merge. At that point you will probably get creamed.
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Blue hedgehog
New member
For anyone familiar with Queens NY it's the turn around on northern blvd by the Van Wyck Expwy/Van Wyck exit to Northern Blvd west.
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Luv2xlr8
New member
It's funny but I find the seats comfortable, my mother sat in my car a couple of times and all she complaints about is the headrests. Lol have you ever tried sitting in a Marcielago? I'm 6'2" 220 and my fat ass barely fit in it. Lol
[/URL][/IMG]"sneak pic of one of my civics in the background"
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