All-New 2012 Chevrolet Sonic now available in the Middle East

Press release

Published October 16th, 2011 - 11:44 GMT

All New 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback

The all-new Sonic is available for sale now across the Middle East and is designed to be a successful car in the highly competitive small car market. It will be offered as a five-door hatch and a sedan, each delivering excellent ride and handling characteristics and a sporty and sophisticated design, as well as roominess and fuel efficiency. The all-new Sonic complements the range of Chevrolet new vehicles that are being launched throughout 2011, Chevrolet’s centennial year.

“The all-new Sonic is a completely new car which is ready to compete against the best in the small car segment. This is the perfect car for those who care for a compact vehicle that provides a sporty drive, with sleek designs, and fuel efficiency.” says Ahmed Soudodi, Chevrolet Marketing Manager at General Motors Middle East Operations.

Chevrolet Sonic is an all-new vehicle that features an exterior form that convey strength, stability and sportiness, a newly developed chassis and body structure, as well as an upgraded fuel-efficient, low-emission engine.

The all-new Sonic has been engineered to make everyday driving in a small car a more dynamic and enjoyable experience, while delivering practical, hands-on solutions and value. In order to ensure responsive handling, engineers developed an all-new chassis for the Sonic that is among the most rigid in its segment.

Featuring a sporty exterior that speaks Chevrolet’s global design language, the all-new Chevrolet Sonic appeals to the young and the young-at-heart. This holds true for both body styles, but especially for the five-door hatchback, with its aggressive, flowing body lines. Meanwhile, the all-new four-door version conveys a more mature, upscale feel. The notchback is aimed at young families in particular.

A road-gripping ride

The all-new Sonic’s sporty driving experience is a key feature that contributes to the car’s appeal. It consists of an exceptionally rigid body-frame-integral structure, with the upper body and the frame engineered as a single unit, ensuring a more mass-efficient and stiffer structure. Advanced steels used on the all-new Sonic have considerably greater tensile strength, which improves passenger safety.

A McPherson strut front suspension with coil springs and stabilizer bar, and a torsion beam axle-mount compound link-type rear suspension, deliver a tempered, stable ride.

Meanwhile, the Sonic’s tight body-frame-integral structure is also key to the vehicle’s advanced safety performance. In the event of an accident, the roof will be able to carry 4.2 times the car’s weight. A carefully tuned set of sensors is wired to four airbags that are standard on LT, along with a four-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) with brake assist that is available on LS and standard on LT. In addition, the driver can activate cruise control with speed limiter function. Once the set maximum speed is reached, the system triggers an audible alarm.

The all-new Sonic also offers a quiet, relaxed driving experience. Refined noise control measures have, in some instances, resulted in a damping performance that is 10 to 40 percent greater than previously applied materials and techniques in other Chevrolet small cars.

Two distinctive body-styles

The all-new Sonic’s exterior styling will bring a fresh breath of youth and sportiness to the segment. At the front end, the Sonic’s large, dual-port grille with the centrally positioned bowtie immediately identify it as a Chevrolet.

A key signature element distinguishing the Sonic is its exposed, motorcycle-inspired headlamps, which are devoid of any lens cover. They are housed in dual tubes, with high-gloss black bezels and chrome rings. Pronounced wheel arch forms, the 114 mm offset between the roof-rails and short overhangs underscore the hatchback’s planted, assertive posture.

The hatchback’s rear door pull handles are positioned in the upper section of the door, creating a coupe-like appearance. The hatchback’s taillamps have no lens cover and play harmoniously with the vehicle’s front-end design. In contrast, the notchback’s rear lamps are enveloped by a dual element lens, delivering a touch of chic to the sleek, aerodynamically refined sedan. The sedan is 360 mm longer than the hatchback, which measures 4039 mm in length.

All wheels feature Chevrolet’s five-spoke design and are available in the following sizes and styles: 15-inch steel and 16-inch painted aluminum.

Background Information

Chevrolet

At Chevrolet, we do more than just move you. We drive you toward new possibilities. It's a promise that enables us to keep you safe and connected on the road. Along the way, we constantly challenge the status quo and change the ways people move throughout the world. After more than 100 years of persistence, ingenuity and making every mile count, we remain driven to helping you Find New Roads.

Company Profile

General Motors

We envision a future of zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion, and we have committed ourselves to leading the way toward this future.

General Motors has been pushing the limits of transportation and technology for over 100 years. Today, we are in the midst of a transportation revolution. And we have the ambition, the talent and the technology to realize the safer, better and more sustainable world we want.

As an open, inclusive company, we’re also creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed and valued for who they are. One team, where all ideas are considered and heard, where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential, with a culture based in respect, integrity, accountability and equality.

Our team brings wide-ranging perspectives and experiences to solving the complex transportation challenges of today and tomorrow.