2012 Chevrolet Sonic Turbo with An Automatic Transmission

2012 Chevrolet Sonic Turbo Automatic equipped with its Ecotec 1.4L is now available with a six-speed automatic. It made one potential marketing error: the car was only available with a six-speed manual transmission. While turbocharging is usually associated with enhanced performance, it also allows automakers to use smaller engines to save fuel. In the case of the Sonic hatchback, the 1.4-liter turbocharged engine gets nearly 12-percent better fuel economy in the city and over 14-percent better fuel economy on the highway than a manual-equipped 1.8-liter car. The new automatic-gearbox 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Turbo will return an EPA-estimated 27 mpg city and 37 mpg highway, which is down by 2 mpg city and 3 mpg highway compared to the manual transmission car. Acceleration is a tick slower, too, with the run from 0-60 mph taking “about eight seconds” with the automatic, compared to 7.8 seconds with the manual. “Providing the option of a turbocharged engine to our non-stick driving Chevy customers allows us to offer everyone the thrill and power of a fuel-efficient Ecotec 1.4L powerplant,” said Jim Danahy, vehicle line director and vehicle chief engineer for North American small cars. “Both in the Sonic and Cruze, the engine enable better fuel economy without sacrificing power or performance. It’s really a winning combination.” “Traditionally, turbocharging was used to enhance the performance of engines, but today it is as much about fuel economy as a 0-to-60 time,” said Bob Benedict, assistant chief engineer for the Ecotec 1.4L engine. “The turbocharger provides high-pressure airflow for high torque to boost the vehicle and give the driver a fun driving experience with improved fuel efficiency.” For drivers uncomfortable rowing their own gears, none of that matters, and we suspect the automatic-transmission-equipped 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Turbo will be an instant success. Gas prices, it seems, aren’t coming down any time soon.