Used 2014 Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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Limited Drive Time But Very Impressed
ihanson, 09/04/2014
updated 09/18/2020
2014 Chevrolet Sonic LT 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 5M)
52 of 52 people found this review helpful
I purchased a '14 LT Turbo Hatch 6-spd manual (option not shown) 7" MyLink, fog lights, 16" upgraded rims and rearview camera with the upgraded red crystal color for $16.4k before taxes. While waiting for that vehicle to be delivered, I drove an LT sedan with the 1.8 auto and was impressed. I'm getting 40.4MPG according to the computer on my 46 mile round trip commute in warm temps. I even got to test out the airbags when a woman made an illegal turn in front of me and I hit her going 35 mph. Car performed great in the crash and the headlights were still even intact. I think it's going to be a safe car - very strong steel frame. I'm glad it was just a loaner! UPDATE - 3/16/2017 So I've owned the vehicle for almost three years now, I think I have like 40,000 miles on it. No issues so far. My wife bought a LEAF, so we use that as our primary car now, but mine still gets snow duty (I bought winter tires) and road trips. UPDATE - 4/2/2019 Vehicle is still going strong, have since put on a trailer hitch receiver for a bike rack, tinted the windows slightly, and had some body panel repairs done after I scraped on a wall near a driveway. After repairing those scratches, I feel like it's like a brand new car again. The manual transmission continues to function well, no engine issues, just replacing the oil, wipers, tires, etc. Still getting 38-40MPG average life time. My plan is to keep it for another five years as it is quite pleasant to drive in. I do about 9,000 miles each year - I could see keeping this car around for road trips if I get a second EV for around town. I plan on putting on a roof rack and roof box for summer road trips as well. UPDATE - 9/17/2020 Still have the vehicle and drive it as needed (much less in the pandemic). I keep telling myself that I will get a new car, specifically an electric one, but to be honest my paid for Sonic does everything I need still and is so economical. I have one child now, and the back seat works just fine for a child seat. Will replace the tires soon (still on the original set after 6 years, although 1/3 of the 70k miles were on separate winter tires). My mother drove it for one minute and managed to mess up the manual transmission so it now makes a noise going into third. Last time I let her near a manual car - she had not driven one since the 70's and thought she was up for it. That aside, it's been great and just will not go away or have issues. Still enjoying it!
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LT Hatchback (1.8L auto): All-around Solid
Mr. Geb, 10/18/2015
updated 10/22/2018
2014 Chevrolet Sonic LT 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
17 of 18 people found this review helpful
Value is always going to be determined by the price you can get any given car at, but this is a solid vehicle I'm happy to have ended up in. I bought used, one year old with low mileage. ----- Pro reviews overstate the Sonic's cons. Notably, it has lower fuel economy than other subcompacts but it's also the heaviest subcompact out there at a sturdy 2700+ pounds curb weight. It's still lighter and more fuel efficient than any compact, so it fits right where it belongs. For me, it was the right balance of fuel economy and "doesn't blow off the road from a stiff gust of wind" peace of mind. ----- The cargo space is a bit horizontally-challenged but enough to hold a regular 6-8 sack load of groceries for one or a couple. There's a surplus of vertical space for tall/stacking objects, if you remove the cargo cover, and the back seats flatten for more room. Acceleration is fine at lower speeds, at higher speeds it's a bit sluggish but not really a big deal. Interior is adequate for an economy vehicle without feeling too cheap: Comfortable cloth seating; lots of hard plastics but really thick and sturdy; the so-called "egg carton" economy headliner has a soft dimpled cloth surface, and perhaps a layer of foam beneath it, that masks any cheap feeling to it. ----- There's but a few other minor gripes I have which are mostly just not in line with my preference, or non-issues that take some getting used to, as would be the case when starting to drive any new vehicle. The only legitimate complaints for me are the low-beam headlights feel angled a bit too low, might be an issue if you're navigating unknown territory, and the rear view is fairly narrow which is just a product of the small vehicle size and hatchback. Power-folding side mirrors would be nice, though. The "passenger" door lock is situated on the driver's side of the center console, making it a pain to access when simply reaching in from the passenger side to grab something before re-exiting the vehicle. ----- No major problems, though. The stock tires are supposedly horrible in snow too, so budgeting to replace them might be a good idea up north. (I wasn't about to personally put them to the test.) It accelerates smoothly, handling is responsive, seating is comfortable and decently spacious, general interior construction feels solid. The instrument cluster is compact and all digital, save the analog tachyometer (RPMs), but gives you all necessary information and then some. Safety ratings are top-notch. ----- After driving it for the past three years at this point, and putting roughly another 25k miles on it, the only repairs I've needed was body damage from a minor accident. Everything has held up well so far with regular maintenance.
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2014 Chevrolet Sonic for sale near you
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- LT 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $8,495460 mi away
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Best bang for buck!
mbro77, 09/30/2014
2014 Chevrolet Sonic LT 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
26 of 29 people found this review helpful
This car offers a lot for the $. We shopped around for months. Looked at/considered 1. Ford Fiesta-not impressed by performance, very cramped interior, nice front end, but ugly in back, price not that great. 2. VW Golf- nice car over all but felt very bland/cheap on inside and was a bit bland to drive, and more expensive than our Sonic, but with less features. 3. Toyota Corolla- great new design, very bland and not many features for the price, not spacious interior.4. Hyundai Accent 5-door- we really liked this car, but it seemed very soft and conservative in comparison to Sonic. 5. Nissan Versa- it's advertised as the "cheapest" car in America, the aren't lying. It feels/looks
Loved the first one so much I bought another one!
DeJay Bailey, 07/10/2017
updated 01/12/2018
2014 Chevrolet Sonic RS 4dr Hatchback (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
The only downside to this car (after putting $150,000 miles onit) is it's small fuel tank. I loved the car enough to buy another one exactly the same. The handling is superb the gas mileage is great. Not as good as they say it is, but good enough. It just has a really sporty Zippy fun-to-drive feel that it's hard to describe until you drive it. Very Euro feeling. Had to have another one. Didn't last 6 months in a Honda. Went back to my Sonic
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2014 LTZ 1.4l turbo hatchback
Garrett, 07/13/2015
2014 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
This car has been good for me in that it is sporty, roomy, and has the power you would expect. The only issue I have is that it is so full of hard plastic even for the highest trim behind the RS, that it seems like a joke. Everything rattles and it gets to be very annoying. I have had this car for about 2 months and being this new, I am considering getting a different car. Come on Chevy, enough with the [non-permissible content removed] interior of your cars and maybe we will regain your trust as something quality that is American made!
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