Used 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Sedan Consumer Reviews

I own TWO 2012 Sonics... Read this Review!

I'm not sure what some people do with their cars. We have TWO 2012 Sonic LT Auto's, both with the 1.8L engine. One is a Sedan and the other is a Hatch. I like the sedan a bit better because is is actually longer, giving more cargo space in most cases. Plus, due to aerodynamics, the sedan gets better MPG, especially on the highway, where we routinely get 37 MPG out of that car. But, I also like the hatch, because it has the bigger wheels and fog lights. If it only got the same MPG... There have been a few recall issues, but not many. I do my own oil/filter changes and full synthetic is the way to go. The only odd thing on the sedan was the air intake hose between the air box and manifold cracked on the sedan and that tripped the engine light. It was a $35 part, so I just replaced it in the garage. UPDATE: GM extended the warranty on this part and reimbursed my repair cost. UPDATE: Both cars have had the air intake break and both were fixed by GM. Also, we are starting to get some thermostat codes popping on the one with 75k miles on it. It's either a dirty connector, or a failed sensor (less than $50) as they all seem to do this. On the hatch, I took a pot-holed exit ramp too fast and broke a ball joint, so that was $150 with labor and alignment. Other than that, we have about 100K miles combined and ONE unexpected repair. BTW tie rods and ball joints on smaller cars are almost routine maintenance when driving on Michigan roads. Overall pretty good repair record, in my opinion. These are good cars for the money. The insurance is reasonable (we are over 50) they ride pretty well for being so small, especially compared to the imports. We live in Michigan and have full sets of snow tires for these cars, since the factory tires are useless in the snow. But, with the right tires, they are good in winter. I routinely drive though 6-8 inches of snow and isolated patches up to a foot and have never been stranded. The sedan was rear-ended early on, and the fix was done well at the dealership. We take care of our cars and these have been particularly trouble-free. But, a lot of younger people buy these cars and maybe they don't take care of them. Also, a lot of used Sonics are coming on the market now from rental fleets, so they might not have been cared for that well either. The flood of rental returns is also lowering the resale right now. All things considered, I'd buy another one tomorrow, probably a turbo LT sedan. UPDATE: I did buy a 2013 LT Turbo Sedan, slightly used a few months ago, so now I have THREE Sonics. They are pretty good cars, my only recent gripe being a few rattles have developed, but they are cheap and easy to fix. The dealer put a replacement set of plastic stabilizer bar links on the 2013 with only 5k miles and there was a TSB put out for a bad seal between the engine and transmission on the car with the turbo engine. That leak was fixed at no cost to me. UPDATE: I sold the 2012 hatch and traded off the 2012 sedan with the 1.8L engine, so we are down to only the 2013 turbo sedan now. Still good cars, but the cooling systems on them do tend to get leaks and cracks in the plastic parts. None of these parts are expensive or difficult to replace for a DIY person, but bleeding the air out of the system after repairs is nearly impossible. I had to take them to a local shop to have them do it for me because we had air in the heater core and it was 20 below zero outside... They pressure tested it and everything was good, but then a month or so later, the water pump started weeping coolant, and it was due for a timing belt... A few months after that I traded it off. The 2013 now has 20k miles on it and the rear shocks are starting to go bad - another common but inexpensive issue. I did this on at least one of the others and it was easier than I thought, but I'm waiting until spring to do this car. I still recommend these cars, but you really need to get the right deal on them, as I did on two of the three I bought. They do tend to have some issues, but they are inexpensive repairs if done yourself and none of them ever left us stranded anywhere. I actually never replaced any of the batteries.

Critics Overlook this Valuable Car

This was my first new car purchase after college. I've grown up driving Hyundai, Mercury, Ford, etc, but never a Chevrolet. The dealer and service support is fantastic, and this car is worth every penny. After 50k miles, I've only needed one minor repair on the fuel valve, and the warranty covered everything. This car has some road noise, but that's what happens when you're in a small, fast car low to the ground on the highway. Yes, gas and brakes are sensitive in the best way possible - I've lived in Dallas for four years and have never gotten in an accident, thanks to the amazing brake response. Acceleration is super easy - I've caught myself speeding a few times without meaning to. The car handles well and the alignment is still perfect four years after purchasing. The A/C is super efficient and the sound system is decent enough. There is major storage space. The only drawback is that the car IS little, so not perfect for roadtrips of 4 or more people, considering rear seat space. The size of the car makes up for it since there's no parking space too small for this car, but it totally doesn't feel like a small car from the driver or front passenger seat. Perfect for families of three or less. My average MPG in the DFW area is around 32, but gets up to 45 on long road trips. Definitely would buy again.

Solid Dependable Economy Car-Love it!

I knew that purchasing The 2012 Chevy Sonic was a bit of a gamble as it was the first model year replacing the Aveo that only survived a two year run,and there weren't any consumer reports. My two prior cars were the Monte Carlo and the Impala; I was tired of getting fleeced at the gas pump with the 6 bangers though. In March I drove all the way from NH to FL and it was a comfortable ride. The car handles very well and has great fuel economy on the highway. It only costs me about $32 to fill up the tank, and I almost made it to PA on a single tank of gas! In retrospect I am happy I took the gamble with My Sonic LT! It is my 9th car and my 6th Chevy; I have never had a problem with a Chevy

1 LZ turbo Love it

Absolutely love my sonic ordered the car march 7 showed up at the dealer april 20 and i couldn't be happier. Due to the low price i bought one loaded love the performance hankooks and the size of the trunk, also doesnt look like everything else available and this is one of the most gorgeous blues ever sprayed on a car. over 6000 miles in three months and going strong. consistently average 34-38 mpg and the car handles better the faster you go.

Amazing performance for a small car!

My husband actually brought this car to my attention after my current vehicle had to put in the shop with no hope of repair. After going back and forth, I finally decided to give it a chance and test drove the vehicle for 2 days. I was amazed! I have one child and there was plenty of room for him in the back and they really made every little bit of space count in this car!! Needless to say I was sold and we ended up buying it on the day I was to return it!!

Sophie the Sonic is a great car for my teen driver

This car is very well suited for my new teen driver. We love the many airbags and it's size is easy for her to handle. We have big SUV's and Crossovers so this smaller car was much needed. Don't let the size fool you - my husband 6 ft. 2 in. and not a small guy and can sit in the front and back very comfortably. The price point was great and we love Chevy's and GMC's so this was a great buy for us.

Should have kept looking

There was a recall on this car for the transmission 2 years after I purchased it. It was repaired. The next year, I was driving to work and noticed when I put my foot on the gas, it didn't sound right. About a mile later, the car began making an extremely loud noise then stopped running. Luckily, I had just gotten off the highway (rush hour traffic). The car was towed and the repair shop diagnosed it as the transmission. Again, it was repaired. I'm still not pleased with how the car sounds and no longer trust it to go on a long trip. Also, I was told gas mileage was close to 30 miles to a gallon. It's not even close to that, even on highway driving. I've had problems with the tires regularly needing air, even shortly after purchasing the car. Just too many problems for a new car.

Paid to much for what I got

I bought my 2012 chevy sonic new in October 2011. I change the oil every 3000 to 5000 miles and use only synthetic. I keep up on the maintenance regularly. I had the front struts go out at about 15000 miles which was covered under the warranty and was a recall. I am now at about 69000 miles and the engine is making a tapping noise and starts rough. There is a strong smell of burnt oil in the cabin frequently and the mechanic has not been able to find out why. The gas mileage is about 24 to 25 mpg on average which is ok but really not that impressive for such a small car. The car was recently valued at about 3500 dollars and I paid 21000 for it new. I tried trading it back in the dealer I bought it from and they told me they didn't want it because they have a hard time selling these card. The dealer even told me they were garbage. This is a decent car for your college kid if you find one for about 3000 to 5000. Don't make the mistake of buying one new because the value will plummet and you probably will be disappointed in the end. I bought this car because it was a Chevy but honestly I'm not impressed.

who needs a battery or hybrid car

I have a 6 speed manual, with turbo, rated 40 mpg highway, I am getting 40 on average, frequently I travel to lake, 220 miles one way, I have had the car for 3 years now 93,000 miles, on that trip I average 44mpg. Its just fantastic on gas, run regular nothing else. It handles great, and is comfortable, the only part that could be a little larger is the floor board area, I have a size 13 foot, and the brake and gas pedals are so close, sometimes I end up hitting both at the same time. Not much room in the back but I never ride back there. A couple of issues have happened, 38,000 miles in a wheel bearing went bad. Called GM, they agreed is low milage for that to happen, they paid for it, just yesterday 93,000 miles, check engine light, vacuum leak, cracked manifold, covered under the 100,000, other than those, perfect car, will buy another one.

excellent vehicle

I recently purchased a Sonic LT because of its interior comfort and fit, performance, economy, and in-cabin features. Although pleased, I soon discovered a problem with electronic display...gas mileage indicator and odometer were faulty or not working...will have to return for repairs two weeks after purchase. Also, after driving off lot, was struck at busy intersection on right rear quarter panel...damage was minimal...07 Scion was totalled. I really like having gas consumption, compass, outdoor temperature indicators and blue tooth capability. Bought Sonic over Cruz due to hard seat cushions in Cruz. Got exactly 35 mph on road. Aside from problem mentioned, I'm very satisfied.

STILL! LOVE MY SONIC

December 2018 - still not one mechanical failure. Sadly, though, GM has decided to stop making these kinds of cars and the Sonic is not something one can find, brand new, anymore. Or I would buy one. Another Update: June 2018. Finally rolled over 100,000 miles. Not one issue with this car. I still love it. It's the best car I've ever had, and I find it so much fun to drive. One thing I will change, if I can buy another one someday, is to not have black interior. I have a little dog who sheds like crazy, so the seats and carpeting stick to and show that white hair quite easily. I'd also add cruise control, and USB ports for phone. I bought a basic version of the car, and I wouldn't mind upgrading to a version with more technology. Tires are inexpensive. Oil changes done regularly. Nothing that needs repaired, still. Update: Still loving my Sonic in (almost) 2018. It's November. Haven't had to have any repairs, as yet, other than maintenance and new tires. A deer did hit my front side bumper, and scrape my passenger door, but it was minor damage which insurance company paid for. This little car is quite durable, and I'm still not tired of driving it. The only thing I miss is the cruise control, and wish there were some USB ports. Other than that, it's my favorite car. Older review, right after I bought it: I'm retired, and this is almost the best fun I've ever had, driving. I had a '78 Mustang Cobra in my younger years, so that's hard to beat. But I LOVE my 2012 Sonic! The only thing I wish is that it has cruise control, and all the ports for cell phone and other things the newer cars have. My fault. I didn't realize they came with that stuff, and I forgot to check out the cruise control feature, because I was having so much fun when I test drove it. It's a hatchback and I toted an 8' x 2' x 1" board home with me for an entertainment system I built. Just about as good as a little truck, which is what I was looking for. Love all the little storage features it includes. Can't say enough good about my Sonic, which I've had for about three months. Whoever designed it had women in mind! I've already taken it on three long trips. Ohio to NC twice, and Ohio to Syracuse NY once. I went 70 mph with no problems, and it's a whole lot of fun to drive. In a few years, if I'm still on this planet, I'll be looking to get a newer Sonic with cruise! December 2019 I have about 113,000 miles on my car now, and just had to have the water pump and the gizmos that handle the belt spinning. It cost me $530, but this is the first repair I've had to do to the car, except for tires. Brakes are still good, nothing else is breaking. I'm happy with it, still.

Things start falling appart

I drive about 120 miles per day and do get a little better gas mileage than my last car. The problem is the gas tank is so small I have to fuel up every other day, although the tank is smaller than my last car. My check engine light started coming on recently and I had the codes checked, indicating an oxygen sensor. I checked and the bold that holds the bracket and wiring for the oxygen sensor had fallen out and was gone leaving the oxygen sensor cable on the hot manifold. Can't find the bolt so I have it zip tied to a little loop on the engine. I have checked some forums and it is common on the Sonic and Cruz (same motor) The engine over temp light started coming on as well.

33k on 2012 Sonic

Bought this car new. Stock tires are useless in MI winters, so 4 snows are used in winter. Still gets 30+ mpg with snows! Good equipment package on LT models. We just got back from a trip to the UP of Michigan. Got 38.5 mpg overall and its rated at 35 hwy. I'm picky about my cars and this one has had minor damage and repairs (others fault) twice. Drives very well at highway speeds and has usable seating for four. Holds a good amount of cargo with rear seats folded down, even in the sedan. No mechanical problems or issues to date. My only complaint is that it is not very forgiving on rough roads and we have a lot of those around here.

Great Buy!

bought this car for my daughter, I was enjoying my new camaro and noticed what a sharp looking vehicle this was, she needed a new car and we got a good deal, about 14k. car gets over 35 mpg highway and 30 mpg in town mixed communting, never misses a beat. handling was funny when new, car came with 46 pounds of air in tires, tail would wag on hwy, reduced pressure and broke tires in and handling is perfect. what more could you ask from this 14k$ car? its fantastic

Great little car for the money

Went from a 2007 Civic to the Sonic. Got a good deal on a 2LT ($16,500). Now at 5k miles on the Sonic. Handling is solid, though I've ordered some new tires to get rid of that squishy ride that I attribute to the stock (soft) tires. Gas mileage is on par with the civic (~30 MPG mixed). If I had a lighter foot on the highway I'm sure I'd get the rated 35MPG and then some. Features set can't be beat in the price category. Only the Kia Rio (?) comes close. What Edmunds fails to stress is that dollar for dollar you get much more with the Sonic than any competing vehicle. No brainer.

The Sonic

My wife and I were looking at getting a used cobalt when we noticed online that Chevy was releasing a new vehicle (the sonic). I was a little worried at first with the track record of the aveo but went for a test drive and we noticed the quality difference right away. We fell in love with the car almost instantly and bought it a number of weeks later. This car combines smart technology with a stylish fun to drive vehicle that gets excellent gas mileage. A soon as we can we will be getting another one, and as many people say it is one of the cars from the transformer 2 movie so it gets extra cool points.

Plastic Toy Car!! DON'T BUY!!!

Do not buy this car, I repeat do not buy this car!! This car is hunk of junk. The out side design and interior are unique and appealing, but don't let that suck you in. You feel every single bump no matter what, and the suspension is horrible. This Car Has Terrible heat, absolutely terrible. If you live in Canada like myself, stay clear. The gas mileage is good as it's 90% hwy driven. The gears shifting are very noticeable, and acceleration is very slow (1.8 L). The sound system is terrible and most LS, and LT's don't even come with rear speakers. Besides the appealing look it, its horrible to drive, It's like driving a plastic toy car! Not worth the $, buy a cobalt, anything, but not this!!

Should have bought a Ford

First thing I noticed was the headrests were too high to see over. I was told I would get about 30+ mpg. I get maybe 24, pushing it, and I drive mostly highway. There was a recall on the transmission and I had it repaired in 2014. In 2015, the transmission went out, and so did the brakes. The wiper blades are custom, and cost anywhere from $35 on up. Very disappointing and if I didn't want to get this thing paid off and not deal with a payment again, I would have gotten rid of it.

supersonic

this car runs great, gets 37 mpg, is roomy and gutsy. I am very glad i bought it. My price was 13 k total after gm card rebate. Assembled in mich too. Help the workers in lake orion GM assembly and buy a sonic

Awesome little car!

It's an awesome small car that doesn't drive like a small car. I've had it for over 7 months and 10,000 miles and it's been a great experience. The 6-speed manual turbo is a must for this car, though. I test drove the 5-speed auto 1.8L and it doesn't cut it for highway driving. The turbo engine is pretty responsive makes on-ramps and passing a blast. MPG is pretty decent at about 36–40mpg on average, and that's not taking it easy on the accelerator. In cold weather (i.e., 32F or lower), however, mpg drops to about 30–34mpg. Great little car, definite recommendation from my experience.

Sonic

For a fwd car it is ok, its nothing special. Good for a first car or someone who doesn't care about how much space you have. Would i recommend this car for winter driving, not at all. (even with winter tires its not much better in snow) Best things about it would be heated seats and remote start, if equipped.

Sonic LT 1.4l Turbo Sedan

After almost 3 weeks of trying to appropriate a Hyundai Accent SE with a manual transmission, I finally gave up and started looking around at alternatives in the price range. After much research I decided on the Sonic and I am very pleased. The build quality is top notch and the manual transmission is butter smooth and is by far the easiest clutch I have ever driven, and I've driven many. Road and wind noise is very quiet in spite of the miserly size of the car. The interior is reasonably roomy for this class of car, but it's no Continental. Trunk space is excellent. I went with the Sound and Connect package with the bluetooth and it synced up with little complaint with my LG Optimus.

Sonic review

I bought my sonic as a cheap commuter car. I got a pretty good deal on it. I have 800 miles on it as of this post, 90% of which is highway miles. The car is getting about 41 miles to the gallon on the hwy and about 38 in the city. I am truly impressed with the mileage. I really didn't need the car to look good as I just wanted a reliable commuter, but it looks nice as well. The ride is very good for the class of car. I own a BMW, and it's not in that class, but holds its own in the lightweight class. The inside of it sucks compared to my BMW, but it works for what I need it for. It has Bluetooth and that's all I need. The other features such as Sirius radio and iPod controls are a plus.

Great little car

I read some of the neg. reviews and i had to post my experience. 2012 LT 1.4 Turbo 6-spd. manual , love the car gets 41.0 avg on highway good trunk space decent seats stereo is lacking a little power but that's just me. The only neg. i have is visibility to the sides and rear, headrests get in the way. currently have 4100 mile's.Added fog lights to it and they fill in reg lights real well . Instrument cluster is good all info right in front where u need it , steering wheel controls very handy.would buy it again .Turbo & 6-spd. manual are key to this car.

Great car, handles very well

I love it

I am 25 y/o and this is my first new car I test drove the Hyundai accent and ford fiesta and the sonic was the best of both worlds. It has an incredibly smooth ride and quiet ,spacious interior. Not to mention it was the cheapest car of the 3. I would recommend this car to anyone I have gotten about 28 mpg city and have not had it on the highway yet.

Nothing Exciting

We bought this car because of the price and advertised MPG. Since owning it, we have noticed that the MPG is no where near what it claims to be, as much at 7 MPG less at times. The look of the car is interesting to be kind. The front end is UGLY and the rest is bland. The inside has some nice features such as leather, heated seats, bluetooth, and power everything. However the cabin is very cramped and the driver seat is painful at times. The arm rests are at different heights which can be awkward. Do not expect to be comfortable if you weigh more than 150lbs. Performance of this car is a joke. The non-turbo has no throttle response at all and struggles on even small hills.

2012 chevy sonic lt i love my car

I have owned this car sense may 2012 I wanted a new escape but I went to ford to look at them and for a used 09 escape they wanted 25,000 i said no way. Went to Chevy and looked around they where nice and very helpful I looked and looked at the sonic until i found the one I Loved Test drove it and went back to buy it, They made sure i could really afford the car because Im 19 buying a car WITHOUT CO SIGNER and going to college. I knew I could and may I say Im glad I got my Sonic I love it I had a 95 nissan that I loved but I wanted a New car so I got what I wanted. It gets 26 mpg and Im happy with it i wish was more because of the STUPID gas prices but not complaining. Love this car!!!

disappointed

i purchased a new 2012 chevy sonic 5 miles my car sways all over the place at highway speeds dealer will not help me and i am talking with gm. i wouldnt recommend this car to anyone .i am so upset over this i am not hte only one with this problem they are posted all over the internet .this car should be recalled. the dealer i purchased the car from will not adress my concerns at all . this is an unsafe vehicle

So far, so good

This Sonic is my first Chevy. I got it when my 2007 Saturn Ion had a serious breakdown that was too expensive to fix with the mileage it had on it. I It took me only a few days research to find it and it had been on the lot for several months before I came across it. It's been over a year now and I've had absolutely no probems with it. Only minor complaints are AC felt a little weak and the engine noise is more more noticeable than on my Saturn. I would definitely consider another Sonic if and when I need another car.

Worst junk I have ever wasted money on

It’s basically a piece of crap that squeaks during the ride you can hear and feel every little crack in the road beside all that when the oil cooler fails and it will don’t even waste your money on repairs afterwards it’s a down hill every week something was needed either to add or replace I’ll never buy another POs Chevy again baxk ro nissan

Poor fuel economy

While Edmunds reviews of the 2012 Sonic sedan state an estimated 26 MPG for city driving, my experience is only 20 MPG with my new Sonic. Huge difference. I would have never purchased the vehicle had I known it would perform so poorly. I depended on Edmonds for accurate data as I shopped for a new car. I am extremely disapointed in both Edmunds and the Sonic.

JUNK

Nothing but problems gas mileage is crap 13 to 15 in the city 20 on freeway.cracked head at 64330 miles two months later it needs both o2 sensor and the button to shift gears broke the key will not come out of the ignition switch some time it will if you get lucky not to safe to leave key in car at night or any time

Less then 3 weeks out of warranty

Less then 3 weeks out of warranty, the Transmission blew and GM and the dealership says "oh well" your problem to fix. Any Car and Car company that pulls that stunt, I would not recommend purchasing this car or any GM vehicle. Very disappointed.

Got my sonic jan 2012

I love this ca.r I have over 5000 miles on it already. Gas milage is just unbeleivable. I love trucks and I went from a crewcab colorado to this sonic and I just love it. Drove it from florida to san antonio texas and back, the car was just awesome.very very pleased would buy another with no hesitation.

Nice but too big

I like it but I need it to be smaller and better gas mileage!

sonhit

terrible value bounces on every bump on the road waiting for next repair

I got a 2012 chevy sonic sedan 1.8 liter

I'm going make ya sick when I tell u I only pay 300 for mine only problem is I didn't have a chance to enjoy it yet been siting 5 month all its needs is a blower and alternator and im good to go but the guy alter my title so I go to court on Sept 4th hoping to get title in my name and enjoy it for once I can't wait its paid for no payment not having to pay 6000 to 8000 for it but nice to know if I want to sell it I can get that out of it its dont even got 100000 miles yet close but not there yet keep ya posted when I get to drive the dang thing can't wait look like the sonic hedgehog like off the movie

Exactly what I figured

Good car, but as you get older your back and the rest of you can only handle so much.