Chevrolet revealed the 2013 Sonic RS in full production form, powered by a 1.4 liter turbocharged engine.
Making its public debut at the 2012 Detroit Motor Show, the Sonic RS is Chevy’s idea of a hot hatchback. And they’ve got it spot on. It’s relatively inexpensive, it is very practical for its size, it’s packed with features, it’s economical and it has decent performance. The Sonic also looks quite nice.
The RS features a sporty bodykit to be distinguished over normal Sonics, including front fascia with new fog lamp design, RS-specific grille, rear fascia, rear spoiler, rocker moldings, unique mirror cap finish, and retuned sport exhaust with chrome outlet. What’s more, the suspension is lowered and stiffened and it’s been fitted with 17-inch five-spoke wheels.
Unique interior features include front sport seats, sport steering wheel with thicker rim and racing-inspired flat-bottom design, shifter knob (manual transmission), aluminum sport pedals, specific instrument panel cluster graphics, and RS-specific interior trim color for the instrument panel and door trim inserts.
The car even gets Chevy’s latest MyLink infotainment seven-inch color touch screen radio. This system allows customers to bring customized music libraries into the vehicle and use their smart phones and Bluetooth connectivity to access Pandora and Stitcher Internet radio and navigation.
The turbo engine of the RS is a 1.4 liter as mentioned, and it churns out 138 horsepower (103 kW) and 148 lb.-ft. of torque (200 Nm). It’s matched with a six-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic, both tuned for sporty driving feel.
Pricing for the Sonic RS is yet to be confirmed, but the normal entry-level Sonic has a base price of $14,495.
