Chevrolet Sonic priced at $14,495
The Sonic will be offered as a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback. It replaces the Chevy Aveo, which was priced $2,249 below the new Sonic's sticker
The Sonic will be offered as a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback. It replaces the Chevy Aveo, which was priced $2,249 below the new Sonic's sticker.
GM says the Sonic will come with the most standard safety equipment among subcompacts, including electronic stability control and 10 airbags. Keyless entry and 15-inch alloy wheels also are standard.
"Today's customers have high expectations for small cars," Rick Scheidt, vice president of Chevrolet marketing, said in a statement. "Sonic comes with an unexpected level of standard equipment so that every customer will have comforts and amenities they desire."
The car, which comes with a base 1.8-liter Ecotec engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission, will come in three models. The lineup, with prices that include shipping, includes:
* LS: Sedan starts at $14,495; hatchback at $15,395. In addition to the safety features, the package includes traction control and antilock brakes.
* LT: Sedan starts at $15,695; hatchback at $16,495. The package adds a six-speaker premium sound system, heated front seats and side mirrors, 17-inch alloy wheels and cruise control.
* LTZ: Sedan starts at $17,295; hatchback at $17,995. It gets all the features on the LT plus a connectivity package that includes a USB port, Bluetooth and steering-wheel-mounted audio controls.
Buyers can upgrade to a six-speed automatic transmission for $1,070. The LT and LTZ models offer and optional 1.4-liter turbo with a six-speed transmission for an additional $700.
GM will build the Sonic at its Orion assembly plant in suburban Detroit. It will be the only U.S.-made subcompact, the result of a 2009 agreement with the UAW that will allow GM to hold down costs by paying an entry-level wage to 40 percent of workers at the plant.
