Chevrolet Sonic Beats Every Vehicle To Top J.D. Power Initial Quality Study
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J.D. Power released the results of its annual Initial Quality Study this week, which ranks vehicles based on the number of reported problems experienced in the first 90 days of ownership.
General Motors fared well in the 2020 Initial Quality Study, with many of its brands performing above average. In addition, a GM vehicle also performed better in the study than any other vehicle currently on sale, though it wasn’t one of GM’s more popular models like the Chevrolet Silverado or Tahoe, but rather the unassuming Chevrolet Sonic compact.
Chevrolet Sonic owners reported just 103 problems per 100 vehicles in the 2020 Initial Quality Study, making it not only the best non-premium compact car for initial quality, but the best vehicle period. The current Chevrolet Sonic has been in production since 2011 (it was introduced for the 2012 model year) so it’s possible that GM has simply ironed all the kinks out of it over the years. Recently introduced vehicles typically fare worse for initial quality, as they may be more prone to experiencing small issues due to their newness.
Non-premium vehicles like the Chevrolet Sonic also have an advantage over premium products like the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Premium products typically have more standard and available technology, making them more prone to tech-related bugs and other issues. The only premium brands that performed better than the industry average in the study were Genesis, Lexus and Cadillac.
Additionally, the Chevrolet Sonic also outperformed the Chevrolet brand, which experienced an average of 141 problems per 100 vehicles. This was enough to place Chevy third in the study among brands behind Dodge and Kia, which tied with 136 problems per 100 vehicles. Rounding the top ten brands were Ram, Genesis, Mitsubishi, Buick, GMC, Volkswagen and Hyundai.
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I think this is much like why Dodge was at the top of the study results. You build the thing forever and you get all the issues ironed out.
I agree. But I can’t figure out the disparity between Dodge and Chrysler.
@Nate and @steak: I couldn’t agree more. The biggest thing for me is how the hell Chrysler is so low. They have two (exactly two!!) products. One is older than dirt (300) and the other has been out for several years now (Pacifica). What gives?
That’s a very good question. The Pacifica has only been since what, 2017 though?
Don’t discount the employees building the car in Lake Orion Michigan. They have good quality department. What happens on the factory floor is a factor. I don’t disagree with you on age of product though.
Got one in my delivery fleet. Reliable little runner.
Friend has a Sonic. Just said loves the way it handles but wishes it had a manual to really get full experience in windy country roads. Bring back manual and add awd.
The manual is ok, but he’s not missing much. It’s an economy car, not a hot hatch. Sometimes I wish I had just got the automatic, its kind of a sloppy gear box and clutch. The M32 transmission itself is relatively bullet proof as it is rated to 320 Nm, you’d have to put a lot of money into a Sonic to get that much torque. The Opel M32 gearbox does show its age a little, as it was introduced in 2004. The all wheel drive Sonic is called the Trax. You can’t just add awd to something that’s not engineered for it.
The best hope for eventually replacing the sonic/ cruze lies with the Trailblazer platform because it handles very well, less body roll than my Sonic. It would be an ideal Sonic replacement if it came with a more powerful motor and sat a little lower to the ground.
This should merit keeping it around for consumer perception alone!
As my “time” to trade is upon me, I’ve been looking at a possible down-grade into just a small (or smaller) city type car from my 2018 Buick Encore. I love my Buick and have two. My thought is that I can use the good car (lol, my 2006 loaded Lucerne CXL V8) for longer trips and just have the cheaper small car for running the kids around and going to work. This is not a for-sure plan yet because I really do like my Encore that much, but it’s a plan that is gaining steam for me.
I’ve looked (via computer) at VW, Kia, Hyundai, Ford and Chevy. Dodge would be in the running, but nothing at all small. Jeep would be in the running for a base Renegade, but they have gotten really up in price and I’m looking to spend no more than $20,000. VW is out after looking at price. Hyundai is leaning out. Kia Rio looks promising. But it’s looking like I’ll end up with a brand new Spark or Sonic and may even go LS trim! I really like the little Spark, hatch and the price, but the Sonic being built in the USA helps and this great showing kind of nudges me closer. Although I can get a Sonic in hatch, the price jumps up a lot. I can actually find brand new Sonic LS sedans for under $17K after rebate. With some discount and work, I think I’d be able to purchase for closer to $16,800 before state fees and tax.
The Mazda CX-3 is a nice little AWD car for about 20k, the extra 3k is worth it. I think it is a much nicer all around vehicle than the Sonic, coming from someone who owns 1.4t 6mt Sonic hatch. If you want a GM the only car I’d personally Consider right now is a Regal Sportback, but they cost 26k.
@h4cksaw: Huge lol. You may not have noticed in any of my posts, but I actually sell Mazda and Volvo. Been at this dealership just under 5 years now. Sorry to bust your suggestion, but the CX3 is a total heap! It’s loud, rides like crap, had terrible ergonomics, and doesn’t come close to the Chevy/Buick’s in quality. To top it off, even as a dealer employee, I’d still be spending around 19 grand for the “sport” model. To top that off, taking advantage of Mazda’s financing special would require a loan through Toyota Motor credit now. No way, no how, never. When Mazda used Chase financial services, I would have been hard pressed to buy or lease a Mazda. Now that Toyota is involved, there will never be a Mazda in my drive.
My wife’s Cx-3 is much much quieter has a higher quality interior than my Sonic. The biggest difference is the ride quality, her Mazda is light-years more refined than the Sonic. Her car has zero body roll and drives like a sports car compared to my Sonic, which drives like a microminivan. The Motor and trans mounts in the Sonic are soft and cause front end rattling, whereas the Mazda has more rigid mounts, and one mount located topside of the motor. My wife was able to finance for 0%. Why are you all worried about financing, it’s pretty much all the same. Also isn’t 19k under 20k?
I’m a GM enthusiast, but the Cx-3 just gives a consumer more car for the money.
In the words of someone else on here: We will agree to disagree! haha.
I have nearly 5 years of experience with the CX3. It’s cramped inside. Cheap materials. Loud as hell inside. Rides like crap. As a dealer, we have people trade them in all the time and go with another Mazda because they like Mazda, but they can’t get out of the CX3 fast enough. I’ve driven the CX3’s many miles on deliveries and the absolute best part is when I arrive and could get out of that thing. Are you sure you are referring to the CX3 and not the all new CX30?
As for financing? Even at 0%, Toyota gets fees and makes money on the lease. There are two companies that will never get a penny of my money: Toyota and Honda. And now that Mazda is in bed with Toyota, you can add a third car to my list: Mazda.
Toyota also owns part of Subaru now. The cx-3 is a bit smaller than my Sonic in terms of cargo space, but the back seats in my sonic are just as cramped as the back seats in the cx-3. The cx-3 is a more modern vehicle than the Sonic, that’s just a plain and simple fact and recent sales figures reflect that. Personally, if i was going to be in the market for the cx-30, which are thousands more than the cx-3, I’d just buy the mazda3. I’ve never leased a vehicle, never will. You still didn’t give a reason why you won’t finance with Japanese companies, huh?
As mine is sitting in the shop at this very moment, with 104K on it and is 5 years old, let me give you some insight J.D. Power is NOT telling you. Who cares about 90 days later, before this car hits 100K, you will have headaches. So far, several repairs have been done prior to 90K: turbo charger, PCV, camshaft, air intake manifold. These are expensive repairs, and the only ones covered by Chevy, meaning they were willing to admit there were problems, was with the PCV, which I got a letter about, nearly a year after we replaced it the first time, and I am also having it replaced again, as I write this. I would NOT recommend this vehicle for anyone not upgrading it for rally driving. This is not a reliable everyday vehicle. Air intake manifold is a known issue, and most rally drives get it replaced at a fab shop. I will never be buying Chevy again. American cars are not being made as well as they once were.
“American cars are not being made as well as they once were.”
Ok, please tell me about this imaginary time in the past when they were better. Just name the decade so we all point out terrible cars and issues from that era.
Since we’re talking about the Sonic, I could probably use my 2006 Aveo (the previous version of the Sonic) as an example of how wrong you are.
Nate,
My aunt and uncle both have vehicles from the 30’s, 40’s, 60’s and 1980, all Plymouth, all running beautifully. Cars were indeed once made with love, consistency and pride. They were also once made without plastics, and if they were “American”, the whole thing was manufactured and put together in America. But we may agree to disagree. That is why it is an opinion. Opinions are where you state your opinion, show facts to support, evidence to further support and then restate your opinion. You are entitled to disagree with opinions. As my late grand pappy would say, “they are like the place where the sun does not shine, and everyone has one, and thinks its the first, last and only”. Have a wonderful day!
Yeah, my opinion is that old cars were crap as far as reliability compared to what we have now. They required far more maintenance, were much less capable, and were extremely lucky to make 100k miles.
Cars are better today. Even yours.
Jennifer,
All cars/brands can and do have issues at some point. Please understand that JDP also does other studies where they take into account older cars with more years and miles on them. They also offer one study of longevity that is great to look over. But back to your problems. I’ve been in the auto business for about 18 years total now and I’ve seen nearly every make out there. I’ve sold Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Honda (all at one dealership), Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and now Mazda and Volvo. First, I can personally tell you that there are a lot of people out there who buy new cars and have issues immediately. Mazda and Volvo are great examples of this, but they can all have them. But one of the things I’d like to point out that I feel is really telling of any brand/model car. It’s a side almost nobody will see unless you work for a dealer and even then you won’t always see this. All dealers trade in cars. Any models, any brands. Nearly every dealer will (or should) recondition the used cars they sell. One thing I learned when I was running the sales at one dealer was just how much it costs to recondition the cars to make them lot ready. You know what I found? The import brands had just as many issues or even more than the domestics. The reconditioning costs was certainly higher with them, and I’m talking mostly Nissan, Toyota and Honda. Some of the lowest cost cars to get lot ready? Chevrolet, Buick, Dodge. Just another “point of view” to think about. Oh, and for every one person like you who has dealt with some issues, I could find 10 more that have had great luck with their cars.
We will agree to disagree.
@Jennifer: Agree to disagree on?? Opinions? What I wrote is not opinion. It’s factual and there are ways of looking this stuff up if a person wishes to. Although I fully agree with your comments about opinions, there is a huge difference in factual and opinion. So you agree to disagree on facts?
Opinion: I think Chevrolet’s are junk and Toyota’s are great (as an example).
Fact: In the most recent IQS study by JDP, the Chevrolet Sonic ranked better than anything else.
Please explain what you disagree with in my above comment. Thanks.
It sounds like you work for JD Powers, no bias there, eh? Good job being able to find folks that disagree with what I am saying. Would you like a reward? I’ve sold cars too! That must make me an expert! I have burned through Honda, and even several mechanics I saw said they are going downhill, why would it not be the same for Chevy? Also, if the Sonic is SOOOOOO great as is, why stop making it? Don’t get me wrong, I loved my Sonic, AT FIRST, but as I watched things fail at 50, 60, 70K, it became disappointing, even my Honda that failed did not fail that early on. Bottom line, this car is great for rally investment but not much else unless you like throwing money at problems. The air intake manifold is a known issue that Chevy still fails to acknowledge (but were willing to acknowledge on the Cruze), just like they did at first with the PCV system. Next vehicle will likely be Toyota or Subaru. If only american automakers were willing to make a “car”, not a crossover or suv, that has AWD. Must be too challenging for the americans. Innovation is gone these days.
If you think the cost of maintenance of a Sonic was high just wait until you get a Subaru 😂
No Jennifer, I don’t work in or for JDP. In working at numerous dealers, I was trained in how to read and understand the JDP survey results. Reason? Too many brands and dealers were wrongly advertising the results of JDP, thus they make it mandatory for dealers to train on it and adhere to JDP policy. Finding others to disagree with you? Wow, you must think I’m special do pull something like that off. What do you think, that there is some secret room where a bunch of us sit and post things?
As for being an expert just because you sell? Sarcasm for sure, but a person doesn’t work in and around a business like I have and not learn many things. I’ve been in numerous roles in several dealers, so I may have learned a little more than someone who just sold cars for a short time just to pay some bills. Don’t know how old you may be, but the way someone becomes knowledgeable in something is by working in it for a long time. Anyhow, I’ve responded to the silly things in your post and still you never answered my question. You agree to disagree on what?
PCV is not an expensive fix. Why do you keep talking about making a rally car out of a Sonic? Are you driving your Sonic like a rally car? because that will cause things to break. I just find it hard to believe that you would need repairs to a camshaft and turbo at under 100k miles unless you were abusing the vehicle. If you beat on your car expect things to break.
My 2013, which I’ve owned since new, has never left my stranded and has been a great daily. So far it has needed a new PCV valve at 105k and at 120k needed the turbo to be removed, but not replaced, in order to repair coolant leaks. All of this maintenance is what I would consider to be routine and has cost a total of well under 2k.
I’ve been very happy with my 2015 Sonic, I’d trade in for a new one if they offered stick shift. I’ve got the 5sp/1.8L LS sedan. But really no stick, no sale. I hope there’s still a Sonic in 2021!
Timing chain on the Sonic 1.8 liter is an expensive maintenance that is needed. Shops won’t generally touch on account of a specialty tool needed. So, $700 for timing belt unless someone has the 1.4 liter which has a timing chain.. Around 45k miles the electronically controlled thermostat went out, but covered under 5 years 60,000. Also water pump was leaking at 90,000 and did the timing belt $1300 for both.
2015 Chevrolet Sonic touch screen radio stuck on one channel cannot change the channel can’t change the clock time can’t get the Bluetooth to work it’s like everything is Frozen
Tena: I’d recommend having the dealer do a flash on the computer. There may be an update or maybe a bulletin? Could be more, but I’d certainly ask the dealer at least. Maybe there’s a free fix or update.
Yeah. This happened to me not long after I bought it. Took it straight back to the dealership. They had to replace the onstar module and communication interface module. This was my very 1st repair on this lemon of a car. At least I did not have to pay for the repair, but that really should have been the very first sign. Sorry to hear about yours. Mine was a 2015 as well.
So I’ve read a few other’s post. I know there are a lot of very happy Sonic owners. I also see numerous comments on repairs and the costs. Do people really think that you just buy a car and drive it forever without costs? Serious question.
What I don’t think many of the people understand is just how expensive many cars can be to own/maintain. As h4cksaw said above, just wait till you get a Subaru! Any of the import brands will have higher repair costs. Hell, take any Volvo in for brakes on all 4 corners and you will drop $3,000 like that. Just replacing 4 tires any more will normally cost you 4-500. I recall way back in the early 90’s when I was at the GM/Honda store. Every 15K you had to bring the Honda’s in for the manual valve adjustment. Even back then, the 15K would run you about $200 and the 30K would hit $400. In the course of 100K, you would have spent at least $1,000 just in routine maintenance. But what I don’t understand is just why so many of the Toyota/Honda/Subaru owners will just pay those costs and think nothing about it. Yet, if it’s a GM product, you would think the world was coming to an end if they had to spend a grand on the car in 100,000 miles.
Many places do have heavy repair costs, and I have no problem paying the repair costs, however my experience with repairs through GM certified repair shops has been an absolute nightmare. Which brings me right back to why I cannot recommend. Every dealership I have taken my car to, including the most recent repair (picked the car up yesterday) they have made a mistake, or could not diagnose a check engine light. Every, single one of them has failed. The most recent one was they forgot to put turbo hose clamp back on. I relished hearing them own their mistake after telling me they were not like all the other dealership repair shops (which is the only way to get work done with a warranty where I live). Several Subaru owners in the area I live in have had much better success with repair shops not making the kinds of mistakes with repairs. I even reported these shops directly to GM and nothing was done. Much like the Nielson ratings, I have never seen a J.D. Power Survey, and probably if you asked 10 of your closest friends, they provably have not either. The sonic is not that quiet in the interior, the only saving grace is the very decent sound system I can crank up to drown it out. And, I drive this car 65-85mph daily, not like a rally car. Around here that is the speed limit range and I don’t think that is an unreasonable load on a car that was built with a turbo standard. I referenced rally car as the author is a race enthusiast and many people have used these as rally cars and have spoken extensively on what parts were not made to a higher quality (air intake manifold and pcv were on that list, along with other known poorly manufactured parts). Still grateful I have started this arguement, as some others agree and have suggested some other options that I would not have considered. So thank you for hashing this out further with me. Have a beautiful day!
The thing about strain on a vehicle is that it’s not really about cruising speed, It’s about the stress on the motor to achieve cruising speed. Newton’s first and second laws of motion teaches us about inertia and unbalanced force, which are the principles ideas for this point. Rapid acceleration is a much much larger stress on a motor than cruising along at an established speed because it requires less force to stay in motion.
As far as your next vehicle goes, hope you have better luck than you did with your Sonic, but my Sonic treated me very well. I would definitely still try out a GM like the Buick Regal Sportback, but if you’re looking for a Sub-compact or sub-compact plus size AWD unfortunately GM is not very competitive in that space right now. Mazda has both the cx-3 and cx-30 which I prefer over the New Trailblazer. They are both naturally aspirated. I prefer Turbos and the Kona with 1.6t seems like it would be a fun little awd hatch, but I haven’t driven one. Hyundai also offers a 100k mile warranty. If you are considering 2wheel drive I’d look at the Regal Sportback, Mazda3, and Toyota Corolla hatch if you want a MT. I’m generally not a huge fan of Subarus because they only carry CVTs, but the AWD is more capable for extreme conditions than Mazdas.
“Do people really think that you just buy a car and drive it forever without costs? Serious question.” – Dan
Exactly what I was thinking reading through these posts, there was a time where a cars with 100k miles on it was a milestone for the motor. Lest not forget, back then, way less traffic, stops, lights, speed bumps and ooh yeah, parts to fail.
How much doe has the average joe spent on cell phones, internet/cable/satellite, cocktails (ok, i’ll give you that one), Starbucks, game consoles since their last car purchase? A friend of mine who does HVAC once told me every so often a client would complain about the cost of a new system (once it had been installed), even thought their signature was on the dotted line, his response would be something like how much has you/your wife spent on hair-do and make up since your last air conditioning investment. normally followed with silence.
Maybe it is time for the car to become an electronic device (completely), just like y’alls A/C! just be ready for that bill.