Chevy Sonic unites in the small car boom

GM showed three small car designs, aiming to shuck its old SUV habit and cater to economic-minded buyers. After some time spent sifting the group, GM settled on one of the cars, making it as the Chevy Spark in Europe, but not in the U.S.

After some dithering, the company came up with a new, somewhat larger, less funky looking version of the Spark aimed at the U.S. This new car is called the Sonic, and substitutes the current Aveo.

The Sonic is a small car, but appears considerable, with a stance evocative of Scion models. Some features take over directly from the European Spark, such as the rear door handles set into the side graphic, and the compact instrument cluster module.

However the Sonic has a more conservative looking join between hood and cabin than the Spark. Engines are also suitably sized for the U.S., with option of a 1.8-liter four cylinder or a turbocharged 1.4-liter.

Production starts this year, and GM is proud to point out that the Sonic will be the only small car built in the U.S., bringing 1,000 latest jobs to the Detroit area.