Thinking of buying a Sonic - a bunch of questions

[bvz]

After my e46 croaked on me yet again I finally decided it is time to quit messing about and get a nice new (or newish) car.

To my (happy) surprise I find myself looking at a Chevy for the first time in my life. After my car had left me stranded, I wound up renting a Sonic LT sedan. Even at such a basic level it was a pretty nice car. Personally, I am interested in an LTZ Hatchback with the 1.4L Turbo and 6 speed MT.

But, before I buy, I have a couple of questions that I think you kind folks here would be the best at answering.

1) Seats. Like I mentioned up top, I had a Sonic rental sedan and was really pleasantly surprised at how well it drove and how solid it felt. But, at 6'3" I found the seats to be rather uncomfortable. Part of the issue was that the shape pushed my shoulders forward (or, in other words, not enough lumbar support), and part of the issue was that the head rests do not adjust from front to back, further pushing my head forward. I mean, it was really really awful and I was in a bit of pain. My question is: I am interested in the LTZ hatchback. Does it have the same seats as the LT sedan? Do you think it is possible to get an adjustable headrest aftermarket that would fit in the Sonic seatback? What about aftermarket seats or seats from another vehicle? I can't believe how much I am attracted to this car and would hate to have to bail just because of sub-par seats.

2) Issues. Every car has its weakness. The new focus has many many known issues with its DCT. My e46 had to have its transmission replaced because of the famous no-reverse issue. Like I said, every car has its failings. What are the most common issues that the Manual 1.4L turbo Sonics are having? I have read about the gear crunching going from 1st to 2nd quickly. Anything else to look for?

3) 2012 vs. 2013 vs. 2014. Any major differences between the years? Or if I find a low mileage 2012 is that every bit as good as a low mileage 2013?

4) Price. How much do you suppose a 2012 LTZ hatchback with the 1.4L Turbo and a Manual Transmission (with, say, less than 25K miles) should go for? Roughly speaking of course. Alternatively: I have never purchased a new car before in my life - I've always bought used from private individuals. If I were to buy new, any suggestions? Truecar? carwoo? USAA? What do you think a 2013 14L Turbo 6MT Hatchback should go for?

I know these are a lot of questions so I appreciate the time you take to read this and, if you have any answers (short or long) I am doubly appreciative.

Thanks!

 

[barch88]

• You could always buy aftermarket seats. I'm pretty sure almost all headrests are interchangeable as well, at least most of them. They do have the same seats, just wrapped in Leatherette (or leather if you opt for the RS model). I hate the stupid "arm-rest" - really, hate it. The placement is terrible, when you have to reach in your back pocket for your wallet or buckle/unbuckle your seat belt it's just in the way. Not only that but the thing barely touches my "arm" - not sure if like 3 foot people designed this part of the car or what but I'm average, 5'11" - bigger guy, but the thing doesn't hold my arm what so ever. My girlfriend riding in the passenger seat though, fits her arm perfect! Odd, right? Makes a ton of sense....
  
• My 1.8 LT (5 speed) will drop gears between first and second then find myself revving and looking stupid in traffic sometimes. Not sure about the LTZ 6 speed, I know it's had some issues, that the RS doesn't. Then again it could be me trying to act like Paul Walker from Fast and the Furious...
  
• 2013 has fixed some issues with heater core recalls I believe, other than that, no difference.
  
  
• Buy new, get the warranty. This class of car, it's cheap enough where buying new would be worth it just for the warranty, plus dealers and banks can provide you a much better rate on a new car rather than a used one because it's less risk. Price wise, 16k-18k I'd say. RS go for around 18-22k I've read...I paid 17k for my LT but didn't haggle much, could have gotten it lower. These are brand-new prices. I've seen used for around 10k-12k.
  
• To put it in perspective. I came from a Audi S4. I really like the car, but it's still slow...pros are it looks great and a lot of good bolt-on aftermarket mods. If I could do it again, honestly, I'd save more money and buy a VW GTI. At the end of the day though, it's 10k less than a GTI. It's still slow, the turbo model is going to be a bit quicker than my 1.8, but even with all the bolt on's you're lucky to be pushing 160-170 hp. Granted it's an EcoTech economy car, what do you expect?
  
  You didn't say you were looking for modding and stuff, or speed. I think we were looking at the Sonic for different reasons...that being said, So if you're looking for a solid priced, decently built economy car, go for it. I personally got it for the aftermarket following and looks (front end is so nice), price was cheap and it's a good Mpg, American made which is cool, even though my next car will most likely be a VW GTI or Subaru STI (if I don't get into an F150). I'd prefer the interior of the new Focus though, much nicer IMO.

 

[bvz]

• You could always buy aftermarket seats. I'm pretty sure almost all headrests are interchangeable as well, at least most of them. They do have the same seats, just wrapped in Leatherette (or leather if you opt for the RS model). I hate the stupid "arm-rest" - really, hate it. The placement is terrible, when you have to reach in your back pocket for your wallet or buckle/unbuckle your seat belt it's just in the way. Not only that but the thing barely touches my "arm" - not sure if like 3 foot people designed this part of the car or what but I'm average, 5'11" - bigger guy, but the thing doesn't hold my arm what so ever. My girlfriend riding in the passenger seat though, fits her arm perfect! Odd, right? Makes a ton of sense....
  
• My 1.8 LT (5 speed) will drop gears between first and second then find myself revving and looking stupid in traffic sometimes. Not sure about the LTZ 6 speed, I know it's had some issues, that the RS doesn't. Then again it could be me trying to act like Paul Walker from Fast and the Furious...
  
• 2013 has fixed some issues with heater core recalls I believe, other than that, no difference.
  
  
• Buy new, get the warranty. This class of car, it's cheap enough where buying new would be worth it just for the warranty, plus dealers and banks can provide you a much better rate on a new car rather than a used one because it's less risk. Price wise, 16k-18k I'd say. RS go for around 18-22k I've read...I paid 17k for my LT but didn't haggle much, could have gotten it lower. These are brand-new prices. I've seen used for around 10k-12k.
  
• To put it in perspective. I came from a Audi S4. I really like the car, but it's still slow...pros are it looks great and a lot of good bolt-on aftermarket mods. If I could do it again, honestly, I'd save more money and buy a VW GTI. At the end of the day though, it's 10k less than a GTI. It's still slow, the turbo model is going to be a bit quicker than my 1.8, but even with all the bolt on's you're lucky to be pushing 160-170 hp. Granted it's an EcoTech economy car, what do you expect?
  
  You didn't say you were looking for modding and stuff, or speed. I think we were looking at the Sonic for different reasons...that being said, So if you're looking for a solid priced, decently built economy car, go for it. I personally got it for the aftermarket following and looks (front end is so nice), price was cheap and it's a good Mpg, American made which is cool, even though my next car will most likely be a VW GTI or Subaru STI (if I don't get into an F150). I'd prefer the interior of the new Focus though, much nicer IMO.

Thanks for the quick reply.

I expect it will be a bit of a letdown after my bimmer, but like I said, I kinda was surprised at how much I liked the rental - in a kind of "well, if it wasn't an automatic and had a bit more power and looked a bit better this wouldn't be half bad" kind of way.

You are right that I am mostly looking for a dependable, newish car with a bit of style, but on the cheap end. Not likely to do much if any modding. I really like the way the hatchback looks (with the LTZ rims) and I think I am willing to trade some of the higher end car perks (like interior material quality and performance) for a car that won't leave me stranded and then cost me $1K for a new fuel pump. (And take premium gas and only get 18 mpg...)

My wife wants a Honda Fit, but I drove one the other day and was kind of unimpressed with it. Everything was so light it was hard to drive smoothly. The weight of my boot was enough to depress the gas pedal by itself. Also, I made the mistake of driving a used 2008 GTI right after that. Kinda really ruined the Honda for me.

I'm also considering the Focus but it is a fair bit more expensive. Definitely going to drive them back to back though and see if the Focus is enough better that I am willing to go deeper into debt for it. I'd love a Golf (or, even GTI as long as I am dreaming) but the past year hasn't been too kind to me money wise. Gotta keep my expectations in check.

Anyway, thanks for the tips. Gonna go have some fun test driving cars on Saturday while my wife is in school.

Edit:

BTW, I checked out your car on your build thread. Nice!

 

[Calculon]

Just my own opinion, but from test driving them, I thought the 1.8L 5sp seemed like a better shifter than the 6sp, which was a bit notchy in comparison.

Personally, I think the Sonic is a terrific commuter. It handles nicely, gets good mileage, it's quiet for a B segment, if that's what you're looking to get. I looked at the Fit too. The reliability and utility are very good, but it's boring. It looks like a shrunken minivan.

Yeah, I'd go test drive some to see if you like the LTZ seats.

 

[Swordsmith]

A quick fix for the headrests is to remove them (you have to push both buttons), reverse, and replace. Or just leave them off entirely. I do wish they were adjustable, and I haven't heard about this idea of putting headrests from other cars in, I might look into that.

The driver's seat moves up, down, forward, back, and leans, I would try sitting in one, with the headrests off or reversed, and playing with the position a while. Most people, in a range from 5'1" to 6'5" and in a wide range of body types, have reported finding the seats comfortable. I'm 5'6" and my son is 6'4" and we're both pretty happy with it, we just each have to adjust to fit when we swap seats.

That said, there are some folks who have swapped other seats in.

I'm surprised someone found the Focus interior superior to that of the Sonic, I rented one for a week this summer and found it vastly inferior, the Focus is a bigger and more expensive car, but the inside felt smaller and more cramped, with less cargo room.

 

[ChrisJ]

The 6 speed has its issues, but I don't recall them being any different in an RS or between years.

I've owned two Sonics and I plan on buying a third when the time comes. My first was a 1.8 auto LT and the second is a 1.4T 6M. My advise is don't bother with a 1.8. The 1.4T LT or LTZ or RS is what you want. The RS isn't for me just because of the gearing and the effect it has on gas mileage.

 

[Insanika]

I'm an RS owner, I get that 2nd gear grump if I shift too fast at high RPMs. Never during normal driving, and I avoid situations that would exacerbate it.

As for the seat, like sword says, the butt part will tip up further or sink down into major bucket mode.

I've never gone new, but I was tired of buying other people's problems. I am not disappointed in my new purchase.

One big new thing on the 2014 is the backup camera. I find that the hatch has a pretty bad blind spot when backing out of diagonal parking, and will be begging for the camera hardware to be installed on mine soon.

 

[attrapereves]

I'm an RS owner, I get that 2nd gear grump if I shift too fast at high RPMs. Never during normal driving, and I avoid situations that would exacerbate it.

As for the seat, like sword says, the butt part will tip up further or sink down into major bucket mode.

I've never gone new, but I was tired of buying other people's problems. I am not disappointed in my new purchase.

One big new thing on the 2014 is the backup camera. I find that the hatch has a pretty bad blind spot when backing out of diagonal parking, and will be begging for the camera hardware to be installed on mine soon.

The car itself for me doesn't have poor visibility, but the huge rear headrests definitely block rear visibility.

 

[laborsmith]

The car itself for me doesn't have poor visibility, but the huge rear headrests definitely block rear visibility.

Which is true and could be the reason why I have removed the rear headrests.


Laborsmith

 

[Insanika]

The car itself for me doesn't have poor visibility, but the huge rear headrests definitely block rear visibility.

I don't have that issue, it's the rear pillars when I'm backing out of a diagonal spot.

 

[sx sonic]

I don't have that issue, it's the rear pillars when I'm backing out of a diagonal spot.

Same here. I don't think a backup came would help. I'm not worried about backing over something, It's backing into a moving vehicles path I'm worried about....

Backup cams just aren't focused in the right area to fix that IMO

 

[barch88]

We're getting off topic here, but don't you have to have those god awful things in your rear bumper if you get a backup camera too?

 

[ChrisJ]

We're getting off topic here, but don't you have to have those god awful things in your rear bumper if you get a backup camera too?

Our Cruze has that and I didn't even think of them as bad. Really, "god awful"?

 

[barch88]

The BMW's I've seen with them are ugly.

 

[bvz]

We're getting off topic here, but don't you have to have those god awful things in your rear bumper if you get a backup camera too?

what things are those? I was considering getting an aftermarket backup camera system for whatever car I buy. I always thought they were just tiny little cameras mounted above or below the license plate.

 

[River_Rat]

what things are those? I was considering getting an aftermarket backup camera system for whatever car I buy. I always thought they were just tiny little cameras mounted above or below the license plate.

I believe he is referring to those sensors that normally accompany a camera:

.

 

[ColonelPanic]

I looked through the 2014 owner's manual... The Sonic shouldn't have those sensors as there does not seem to be a backup warning system on the 2014's that I saw mentioned. Just a camera. Even the forward collision alert features seem to operate off camera only (there is one near the rearview mirror looking forward.)

The manual shows the rearview camera above the top left corner of the license plate, nothing on the bumper.

 

[Larry]

I believe he is referring to those sensors that normally accompany a camera:

.

Those are proximity sensors, not cameras. The camera is a singular black orifice below or above the license plate.

 

[River_Rat]

Those are proximity sensors, not cameras. The camera is a singular black orifice below or above the license plate.

Perhaps if you would have read a little more attentively, you would have noticed that I said "I believe he is referring to those sensors that normally accompany a camera."

 

[bvz]

I believe he is referring to those sensors that normally accompany a camera:

.

I see. I always just figured those were decorative. Or something.