While Ford is causing a stir for announcing its decision to stop making all but two passenger car models as it focuses on crossover SUVs and trucks for larger profit margins, it seems General Motors is waiting in the wing, beginning potentially with a next-generation Chevrolet Sonic. Even as rumors began surfacing that GM was going to axe the stagnant subcompact.
But now it seems it’s only the current Sonic that’s coming to an end, in order to make way for a next-generation model. A recent government document surfaced from California Air Resources Board in relation to General Motors LLC suggesting its return, according to The Truth About Cars. This is just after a report noticing that the Sonic was missing from CARB documents.
Some details in the document mention emissions test results for a few 1.4-liter-powered GM cars, including the all-wheel drive Chevrolet Trax. Next to the Trax however was a small detail: a line that listed sedan and hatchback variants as applications for the company’s newest turbocharged gasoline four-pot. Of course, the Trax comes in neither sedan nor hatchback body styles, as it’s a crossover SUV, but does share the Gamma II platform with the current-gen Sonic.
This could imply that GM is indeed working on a future Chevrolet Sonic and that small cars could remain to be a part of GM’s portfolio. However, don’t be surprised if the Sonic – along with several other GM passenger cars – are part of an upcoming vehicle cull. Meanwhile, GM seems more interested in building autonomous electric cars at the Sonic’s Orion Assembly plant in the upcoming months.
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Comments
Or the engine is just going into the Cruze sedan and hatch. So this doesn’t really give us any insight either way, but makes for great clickbait for everyone involved.
Actually, I hope to see Sonic/Aveo after this year. As I’m some of few people who like subcompact cars, I really liked Sonic’s design, and the existence of Sonic RS. Maybe it would be ended up nothing but a desperate, unfeasible hope though…even in South Korea, subcompacts are nothing but unpopular: unless it’s a SUV, everyone go to compacts(Elantra and Forte, of course) and city cars(Spark, Picanto, Ray).
GM marketed the heck out of the Sonic when it was initially launched, but then didn’t really pay much attention to it.
I currently drive a 2013 Chevy Sonic LTZ sedan with the 1.4 Turbo, and hope they continue to make them. The car is reliable and fun to drive.
With nearly 175,000 miles, other than regular maintainance, I have never had any issues with this car. I still get between 38 – 40 MPG on the highway, and does not burn a drop of oil!
With rising gas prices, Ford could be making a big mistake. GM is playing it smart by waiting it out a bit. I believe there is still a market for this segment.
The 2019 Sonic just popped up on GM’s order guide, so it is definitely sticking around for 2019 – with one major deletion: The 1.8L engine, which could have stood to happen a few years ago…
“Meanwhile, GM seems more interested in building autonomous electric cars at the Sonic’s Orion Assembly plant in the upcoming months”.
This is very scary and depressing. I didn’t think they were anywhere near ready for this nonsense.
Chevy needs to adress the problems with misfires and pistons failure on engines 1.4 and 1.5, and put one of this engines in the Sonic. Sonic is a good looking little car, put a better engine on it.
Add a premiere trim add a wagon like body style.