GM Authority Highlights What's New and Exciting on Deck For 2020 Chevy Sonic

When all of us on duty here at O'Rielly Chevy are fielding inquiries from customers about what is in store for coming models, we always have our choice of resources to glean from, and like to be choosy. With so much out there on the internet up for digital grabs and speculation, we have always appreciated GM Authority as being the “real deal” as far as claims and stats are concerned. We gave their page a visit this week to check out the scoop on the 2020 Chevy Sonic, and they offered up the details needed to inform our curious counterparts!

While it's true that cars in the subcompact category have been losing their foothold a bit while customers with buying power are favoring small crossovers, GM is planning to stand firm and proud with the Sonic range. The color selection will see the removal of the Orange Burst Metallic and Shock exterior colors, with the addition of Oasis Blue and Cayenne Orange Metallic exterior added to the hatchback variant. The biggest changes are in the powertrain department, where the 2020 Sonic ditches the manual transmission across its entire range, affecting the LS, LT, and Premier Sedan as well as the Premier Hatchback and LT.

The turbocharged 1.4-Liter engine continues on as the primary power producer, generating 138 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque. We know full well that during March 2017 there was a rumor that GM would definitely discontinue the Sonic as soon as 2018, but this news from GM Authority confirms that it will stick around for the coming year. This was the vehicle to originally replace the Aveo in the Chevy lineup, and is still Chevy's second-smallest car situated above the Chevy Spark and underneath the Chevy Cruze, midsize Malibu, and full-size sedan Chevy Impala.

There was a midcycle refresh seen by the Sonic during the 2017 model year, and during 2018 it saw a change to the Sun and Sound Package, and the 7-inch diagonal color touchscreen added as standard. This piece from Carsdirect.com states that production will most likely begin July of 2019, and result in a release date sometime around early September. We are fully aware that the stiff competition poised to battle the Sonic will be the Nissan Versa Note, Honda Fit, and Hyundai Accent. The engine new for last year can achieve up to an EPA-estimated 27 miles per gallon city, 38 mpg highway, and 31 combined. Come down to see us this spring and check out the vehicle that Car and Driver themselves claims offers awesome “practicality, efficiency, and agility in a compact package!”