Sonic the pokey hedgehog

What we like:

Easy to manoeuvre and park

punchy engine

fantastic infotainment system

What we dislike:

Gearbox is a bit slugglish unless you select manual

The Sonic packs a 1.4l engine that delivers 100 bhp and 130 Nm of torque. This is plenty for the small and light car, and doesn’t ever feel slow. The ECOTEC engine is mated to a 6 speed automatic gearbox, which has enough ratios to ensure adequate power delivery throughout the road legal speed range and also to provide good fuel economy while cruising down the highway.

A manual shift function is provided through some odd gear lever mounted buttons instead of the usual paddle shifters. In practice, it works just as well but doesn’t allow you to keep both hands on the steering wheel. For the folks that drive one hand on the gear stick anyway, it’s the perfect way to shift gears yourself.

And if you do shift the gears yourself, you'll be rewarded with the engine's punchiness and torque that sees the car getting up to speed much faster than you'd think. The gearbox doesn't always select the right gear to give you the shove that you need when you want to have a little extra go, but is competent enough for regular driving.

As far as ride quality goes, it certainly feels comfortable enough for grandma to sit at the back without complaining but still retains enough suspension stiffness to zip around traffic and not roll too much. If you really push it hard into corners, you will find some body roll, but it’s still largely acceptable.

Overall, it’s a good car that provides value for money and allows you to choose the body style you prefer. Be it the easier to load hatchback or the more “normal” sedan body style, you will be hard pressed to find another car that gives you everything you need and still manages to retain some fun without breaking the bank. And if you're still wondering, no there isn't any real difference between the hatch and sedan save for the posterior of the car.

Credits: Story and Photos by Alvan Sio