For those who can’t be bothered moving their arms to changes gear, or those mostly American people who get confused with the stick shift, Chevrolet announced an automatic version of the new Sonic (Aveo) Turbo. The automatic is more comfortable for city driving, which is what the Sonic is for, but it’s slightly less fuel efficient than the manual version.
Also, the auto is a tad slower. The engine to which these transmissions are hooked is an Ecotec 1.4L turbo engine. With the manual it can take the Sonic from 0 to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds. With the automatic it will take eight second.
As far as fuel consumption is concerned, the 2012 Chevy Sonic Ecotec 1.4L turbo six-speed automatic delivers an EPA-estimated 37 mpg highway and 27 mpg in the city, while the manual gets 40 mpg on the highway and 29 in the city.
So logically, you should get the manual. But many people will gladly trade a slice of speed and economy for more comfort and convenience.