Sonic RS manual versus Focus

[quasireversible]

Hello, Everyone! I'm the present owner of a 2012 Focus HB automatic, but I've been looking at leftover 2013 Sonic RS manuals.

I'm a little torn, since I do like my Focus. It drives well and is very comfortable.

I don't like that it's an automatic (my mistake) and it's the Ford dual clutch, so it's kind of quirky (not always, but enough to be annoying). It also has a slightly noisy suspension (low speed subtle front end clunk that dealerships blame on, interestingly, summer AND winter weather).

Does anyone have experience comparing these two vehicles? I noticed there are multiple complaints about the 6 speed MTs. Are there any other widespread problems? I might wait until end of 2014 and pick up something else (Verano turbo MT? I would miss having a hatch).

 

[ahtoxa]

Early models had some problems. Some owners were trouble free while others replaced multiple sets of front sway bar links, water pumps and an occasional trans. Those seemed to be the more common issues.

 

[Insanika]

Before I test drove my RS manual, I fell for a black, loaded, automatic 2013 Focus hatch.

I was coming from a 2003 Pontiac Vibe, which I was still madly in love with. The Focus was comfortable and familiar and felt very much like a brand new version of what I was driving. I kept the salesman a good 45 minutes just driving it around like it was mine. To work, parking lots, stores, highway. I was sure I'd come back and buy it.

I was concerned about the fact that with my seat in the optimal position, and the short salesman comfortable in his seat, I tried to get in the back seat and was quite cramped. I had to sit with my knees sideways and I was still against the back of the front seats.

I also was not particularly impressed with the complicated ICE system. I had driven a Dart before the Focus and the ICE was much more driver friendly.

FF to my test drive in the Sonic. I was able to just hit the interstate and go. Oh man was I impressed with the torquey little turbo rocket ship. I grinned from ear to ear the entire ride. I knew it was for me.

The hatch space is slightly limited compared to the focus, and I say only slightly as the focus is deeper, it's got that weird shape. The Sonic has a nice rectangular area that you can at least stack squarely and pile it in.

The backseat was the final nail. I could sit comfortably in the back knees forward. The sales lady had to scoot forward to talk and had room to do so.

Every day I am glad I chose the Sonic. And especially the shorter-geared RS version. People will say that the RS is "just aesthetics". No, it doesn't have a bigger engine, but it it more properly equipped to handle the way you're gonna wanna drive it

 

[ShadowRS]

Also test drove a focus before purchasing the sonic. I drove a manual one though, ended up choosing the sonic RS because...

1. I liked the seats more
2. I liked touchscreen more. (Felt the dash on the focus was too busy.)
3. I felt that the car was more "fun to drive"

Remember though, all of these are just opinions. Go test drive a sonic RS and see then. Also, with the 6 MT.. Yea it kinda blows. You kinda learn how to shift it. I just slow the 1-2 shift a tad.

 

[quasireversible]

Thanks for the input! I hear you on the back seat space. It's plenty dismal back there. Beyond the legroom constraints, the ingress and egress through the rear doors is challenging despite relatively large openings. I'm glad to hear the Sonic has better packaging.

 

[Isambard]

The character of the Verano Turbo should be much different than the Sonic. It seems to be more of a comfy cruiser, where the Sonic is more of a tossable, short wheelbase fun-mobile :banana:

A test drive with the RS should be enough to familiarize yourself with the sometimes frustrating transmission. I have found that double clutching (both up and downshifts) makes it a considerably more enjoyable car to pilot sedately. But when you absolutely need to merge in front of that semi RIGHT FRIGGIN NOW, the 1-2 shift is a pain in the ass to execute smoothly. Hate that rev-hang

If I could make my decision again, I'd get a loaded LTZ. The RS touches and looks are nice, but 6th gear kills fuel economy on the highway, and redlining the car at 25 mph in 1st gear just sucks.

 

[muffin_man]

I've been comparing the RS and the Fiesta ST, to see if the extra money was worth it for the Fiesta.

I think the sonic is awesome, love the engine and the exterior and interior design, but that 1-2 shift is definitely a deal breaker for me. Also, no integrated navigation is a poor choice at this price point.

I also think the RS is a little bit overpriced.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

[Isambard]

I've been comparing the RS and the Fiesta ST, to see if the extra money was worth it for the Fiesta.

I think the sonic is awesome, love the engine and the exterior and interior design, but that 1-2 shift is definitely a deal breaker for me. Also, no integrated navigation is a poor choice at this price point.

I also think the RS is a little bit overpriced.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

Out of the box, I'd say the Fiesta ST is a better car, objectively, in almost every single way. Subjectively, most people will agree. Praise for the ST has been effusive, with a lot of people finding it more enjoyable than the Focus ST. There is a case for modding the Sonic yourself and saving money versus the more expensive Fiesta. But out of the box, it's hard to beat the Fiesta ST on features and fun per dollar.

As for integrated nav, I would prefer to not have tech in my dash that will be outdated in a few years. The MyLink is halfway decent since the apps are phone-side. They just need to add support for better nav apps, iOS in the car, Google integration. Car manufacturers are going to hold on to their proprietary systems (which they have spent lots of R&D time and money on) as long as they can. Moving to a "dumb" screen in the dash means they just wasted all that time and money on their GUIs, dedicated apps, partnerships with app makers like BringGo (what a joke), etc. I just want my phone screen in the dash, no BS. Open source dash screens FTW.

 

[muffin_man]

I agree with all your points - but didn't want to bring rain clouds into the forum on my first post. But I'm here b/c I'm a fan, and used to have an Aveo which I loved for some reason.

I don't think the Sonic could even be modified to Fiesta ST levels for the difference in MSRP. On top of it, Sonics can't be leased (at least right now) which is the other thing taking it off my list. (this will be a work vehicle).

Honestly, I don't know how the phone connection to the nav works in the Sonic and the dealer couldn't explain it. Looking online suggests there if I connect my Android phone I can use the BringGo app or something to display navigation?

The dash screen is not "open source." It will be restricted by Chevy some way or another. Google can't even keep malware out of google play, and you don't want that in your car. This also only matters if you keep your car a very long time. My wife's 2010 Mazdaspeed3 screen is the tiny crappy one that's like 3 inches across, non-touch screen. Yet it works perfectly fine, set the address before you leave and go. Could it be better? Probably, but it works well, is easy to understand and/or read, and in a few years we (and most car owners) will move on to something else that will be newer and possibly better.

Out of the box, I'd say the Fiesta ST is a better car, objectively, in almost every single way. Subjectively, most people will agree. Praise for the ST has been effusive, with a lot of people finding it more enjoyable than the Focus ST. There is a case for modding the Sonic yourself and saving money versus the more expensive Fiesta. But out of the box, it's hard to beat the Fiesta ST on features and fun per dollar.

As for integrated nav, I would prefer to not have tech in my dash that will be outdated in a few years. The MyLink is halfway decent since the apps are phone-side. They just need to add support for better nav apps, iOS in the car, Google integration. Car manufacturers are going to hold on to their proprietary systems (which they have spent lots of R&D time and money on) as long as they can. Moving to a "dumb" screen in the dash means they just wasted all that time and money on their GUIs, dedicated apps, partnerships with app makers like BringGo (what a joke), etc. I just want my phone screen in the dash, no BS. Open source dash screens FTW.

 

[Zurn]

You should be able to pick up a 2013 RS for around $18.5K right now. Even the 2014's should come in under $20K. Over priced? I don't get that at all. I did a lot of leg work to try and find a car with better features than the Sonic RS at a price point of $20K, and you won't. Maybe a Kia Rio SX with all the options, but you can't get a manual. Look at the options on the Focus ST vs. the Sonic RS. Sonic comes standard with all the features; leather, touch screen radio, heated seats, cruse, etc. The only option is if you want a sunroof, witch will run you $800 more. The Focus will run you $23K with none of the features. Yes the focus might be faster and have more power, but you have to run premium fuel. With the Sonic you have a choice. And with that $5000 you are going to save, you can easily get the sonic to 200hp with a modified suspension and it will be just as fast as the Focus on the streets. The Focus could probably still beat you on a track, but when are you really going to be able to push the Focus hard on the streets without putting others in danger? And don't forget to compare insurance too. The Sonic, even in RS trim is a "sub-compact/economy car". The Focus ST is a "performance car." I went off on a rant a while back where they compared the Sonic RS with the Fiesta ST, Mini S, and Fiat Arbarth. Same thing, the Sonic comes in under $20k, none of the others do. In fact, to get the same features you are looking at closer to $28K in all the others. PLUS the Sonic will get get you 30+ mpg, and I'm not very nice to mine. Try that in the Focus ST! :banana:

 

[Isambard]

I agree with all your points - but didn't want to bring rain clouds into the forum on my first post. But I'm here b/c I'm a fan, and used to have an Aveo which I loved for some reason.

I don't think the Sonic could even be modified to Fiesta ST levels for the difference in MSRP. On top of it, Sonics can't be leased (at least right now) which is the other thing taking it off my list. (this will be a work vehicle).

Honestly, I don't know how the phone connection to the nav works in the Sonic and the dealer couldn't explain it. Looking online suggests there if I connect my Android phone I can use the BringGo app or something to display navigation?

The dash screen is not "open source." It will be restricted by Chevy some way or another. Google can't even keep malware out of google play, and you don't want that in your car. This also only matters if you keep your car a very long time. My wife's 2010 Mazdaspeed3 screen is the tiny crappy one that's like 3 inches across, non-touch screen. Yet it works perfectly fine, set the address before you leave and go. Could it be better? Probably, but it works well, is easy to understand and/or read, and in a few years we (and most car owners) will move on to something else that will be newer and possibly better.

Sonic can be leased as far as I know. And if you are willing to monkey around with your car enough, you can get some serious performance for less than the cost of entry of the Fiesta ST.

There's a lot of info about BringGo elsewhere on this forum. The gist is that you pay for the app, download the maps, and the app runs on the MyLink screen through the Bluetooth connection. TuneIn, Stitcher, and Pandora are supported this way as well, with additional apps promised in the future (we'll see). I know MyLink is Chevy proprietary. I'm saying that I wish it wasn't. Something like MirrorLink would be great. And I do plan on keeping the car for a while, so ICE implementation is very important to me. I had a Mazda3 with the nav system, and it was a pain. I also am not keen on updating every year through SD cards. With Google Maps, it's free, always up to date, and works pretty damn well. I just want it right in my dash. I'm all about seamless user experience. I have my Nexus phone and Nexus tablet, and I'm waiting for the perfect GoogleTV set top box (Hulu+ support please!) and perhaps a Chromebook in the future. Having my phone screen mirrored in the dash would be fantastic.

You should be able to pick up a 2013 RS for around $18.5K right now. Even the 2014's should come in under $20K. Over priced? I don't get that at all. I did a lot of leg work to try and find a car with better features than the Sonic RS at a price point of $20K, and you won't. Maybe a Kia Rio SX with all the options, but you can't get a manual. Look at the options on the Focus ST vs. the Sonic RS. Sonic comes standard with all the features; leather, touch screen radio, heated seats, cruse, etc. The only option is if you want a sunroof, witch will run you $800 more. The Focus will run you $23K with none of the features. Yes the focus might be faster and have more power, but you have to run premium fuel. With the Sonic you have a choice. And with that $5000 you are going to save, you can easily get the sonic to 200hp with a modified suspension and it will be just as fast as the Focus on the streets. The Focus could probably still beat you on a track, but when are you really going to be able to push the Focus hard on the streets without putting others in danger? And don't forget to compare insurance too. The Sonic, even in RS trim is a "sub-compact/economy car". The Focus ST is a "performance car." I went off on a rant a while back where they compared the Sonic RS with the Fiesta ST, Mini S, and Fiat Arbarth. Same thing, the Sonic comes in under $20k, none of the others do. In fact, to get the same features you are looking at closer to $28K in all the others. PLUS the Sonic will get get you 30+ mpg, and I'm not very nice to mine. Try that in the Focus ST! :banana:

Why are you talking about the Focus ST? It's a whole size bigger, of course it's more expensive. For a new car under $20k, the Sonic is fantastic value, I agree. And I agree that the Fiesta ST is expensive, but it's your best bet for out of the box performance and utility for not a whole lot more money. Some people don't have the time for or don't want to be bothered with modifying their car, or they may want to keep their warranty intact.

 

[Zurn]

First post was Focus vs. Sonic. To me it should be Fiesta vs. Sonic. Focus is more like a Cruze or even Malibu. I guess my point is the Sonic RS is a better value in my opinion over the Ford ST line. Chevy would have to make a SS to compare to the ST line. Like a Soinc SS vs. Fiesta ST and a Cruze SS vs. Focus ST. If I was looking at a Fiesta ST or Focus ST, I'd also have to consider a BRZ or FR-S. I just think it's a totally different price point. If you are looking at a car under $20K that is fun to drive, get's 30+ MPG, comes loaded with leather, cruise, touch screen, and a manual transmission, there are no other options. I looked. Maybe the Fiat 500 sport, but it was just way too small for me. And it's a bonus that there are quite a few aftermarket companies taking notice of the Sonic and this little 1.4L turbo.

 

[Swordsmith]

I drove a lot of small cheap hatchbacks, and had settled on the Fiesta as my pick. But the dealer had some trouble with the battery in the Fiesta I test drove, and got me to also test a Sonic, mostly to keep me busy while he was charging the Fiesta. To be honest, the whole lot of other hatches, Fiesta included, were all more or less neck and neck... the Sonic blew them all away immediately. More comfortable, better handling, zippier, just fell in love with it, right there. I admit, that was not the Fiesta ST, which might be a different kettle of fish, but its hard for me to believe they could change the car enough to make me prefer it to a Sonic.

And that's the 1.8 model Sonic, mind you, and before I modded the daylights out of my 1.4T.

I also ended up driving a Focus as a rental for an entire week, after having my Sonic for about months. It was larger on the outside, but felt smaller on the inside. I know if you fill it with water you can get a few more liters inside the Focus... but not enough to compensate for how much bigger it is outside, and meanwhile I have to fit people or boxes inside my ride, not water, the Shape is far less useful. My Sonic hatch was about half full between a single passenger and all our gear, I barely managed to cram that all into the Focus. My 6'4" son and his similarly oversized friends fit into my Sonic (we've crammed 3 in the back seat and one in the passenger), while the only way to put him in the back at all was to move the passenger seat all the way forward... and he was NOT comfortable back there.

I did like the automatic on the Focus. The complaints people have had about the Sonic transmission, though, have all been about the manual, the auto seems to be very strong.

I do question getting the Sonic RS, though. It's mostly (I know Insanika will disagree... but I only said mostly) just an expensive appearance package, and the gearing is arguably worse than that of the LT/LTZ 1.4T. You can get that same engine on the LT and LTZ trims, and save a chunk of change.

I'd spend that change on performance mods, which you aren't going to do... but still, getting a "better" car for less money is never a bad thing. This only applies if you decide the LT/LTZ is actually better of course... some folks really do see the difference as an improvement.

 

[Breezybro]

I can't bring much more than people have said, but even having a Manual RS I love this car over any other thing in the price range, even with the 1-2 gearing. Get it, you won't be disappointed

For the record on gas, I was getting 32mpg with probably 750 pounds of people plus 80 in luggage at 75mph, and with the normal 650 pounds in the car I get 36mpg and 34mpg at 65mph and 70mph respectively. Resetting the mpg gauge after hitting the intended speed.

Edit: This is northern Indiana(around Chicago, I-94) elevation and probably 20-30 degrees fahrenheit, no wind(i think).

 

[Insanika]

First post was Focus vs. Sonic. To me it should be Fiesta vs. Sonic. Focus is more like a Cruze or even Malibu. I guess my point is the Sonic RS is a better value in my opinion over the Ford ST line. Chevy would have to make a SS to compare to the ST line. Like a Soinc SS vs. Fiesta ST and a Cruze SS vs. Focus ST. If I was looking at a Fiesta ST or Focus ST, I'd also have to consider a BRZ or FR-S. I just think it's a totally different price point. If you are looking at a car under $20K that is fun to drive, get's 30+ MPG, comes loaded with leather, cruise, touch screen, and a manual transmission, there are no other options. I looked. Maybe the Fiat 500 sport, but it was just way too small for me. And it's a bonus that there are quite a few aftermarket companies taking notice of the Sonic and this little 1.4L turbo.

The OP has a focus and was asking for thoughts. Comparisons of every other thing even remotely close to the Sonic are everywhere on this site already.

 

[quasireversible]

Well, I test drove a Sonic RS today before going on a road trip back home (Michigan -> NY). I enjoyed the Sonic a lot. It's better packaged than the Focus, more fun to drive, and I prefer the interior styling.

In the end, I'm not sure if I like it more than the Focus, or if it is still a compromise. The hard points in the interior are frustrating, and the transmission in the Sonic isn't Honda-smooth. So I don't think I'll be purchasing one, but I totally get why people love these cars. They're very underrated.

Maybe GM will bring the next Cruze Hatchback to the US...

Thanks for all your input, everyone!

 

[Nimda]

Love the Sonic and Chevrolet.. but for those of you that like turbo engines I feel that Fiesta ST or Veloster Turbo are a little more bang for your buck. All 3 vechiles are around $21k MSRP but the Fiesta and Veloster have the larger 1.6L engine and therefore push out more HP and torque. I'm also with Swordsmith on this one.. why get an RS when you can a much lighter LT with the same exact engine you like?

To each their own.

 

[Breezybro]

Love the Sonic and Chevrolet.. but for those of you that like turbo engines I feel that Fiesta ST or Veloster Turbo are a little more bang for your buck. All 3 vechiles are around $21k MSRP but the Fiesta and Veloster have the larger 1.6L engine and therefore push out more HP and torque. I'm also with Swordsmith on this one.. why get an RS when you can a much lighter LT with the same exact engine you like?

To each their own.

In reply mentioning the Veloster.. I test drove one, and holy hell, the suspension and the steering wheel made me feel like I was going to die every time I went over a bump. Granted, this is not the Veloster turbo, but I can't imagine it being much different.. even if it was better there is many other cars before I'd even consider it, even though I adore the exterior and interior styling. Also, in reference to the Fiesta.. I can never get around the SMALL leg room it has, its such a small car compared to the Sonic.

Why RS? Because much more style imho.

 

[Nimda]

In reply mentioning the Veloster.. I test drove one, and holy hell, the suspension and the steering wheel made me feel like I was going to die every time I went over a bump. Granted, this is not the Veloster turbo, but I can't imagine it being much different.. even if it was better there is many other cars before I'd even consider it, even though I adore the exterior and interior styling. Also, in reference to the Fiesta.. I can never get around the SMALL leg room it has, its such a small car compared to the Sonic.

Why RS? Because much more style imho.

Difference in the suspension between the turbo and NA veloster is probably the same as an RS and a different trim Sonic. It is a damn sexy car though and you can definitely tell where Hyundai decided to spend their time and money.

 

[ahtoxa]

Yeah. It is too bad that even the turbo veloster doesn't perform to the expectations. Doesn't feel as fast as it should.