2017 Chevy Sonic Downsizes Camaro Styling In New York

The new Sonic ditches its distinctive quartet of round headlights, split front grille, and angular side vents for a fascia similar to the bigger muscle car. The taillights have been updated along with the rear bumper, but the rest of the form looks largely the same. The sedan version receives similar visual cues. Whether the updates strike you as an actual improvement over the existing model is largely a matter of taste.

Whatever you think of the refresh, the Sonic represents a vital model for Chevy, attracting younger buyers to the brand – a good third of whom are trading in from other automakers. Aesthetics aside, the refreshed Sonic is mechanically the same as the outgoing version. In addition to bodystyle and trim levels, buyers will be able to choose once again between a naturally aspirated 1.8-liter four and a 1.4-liter turbo, mated to either a manual or automatic transmission with six forward gears in either form.