Chevrolet Sonic makes ASEAN debut in Bangkok Motor Show
Greetings from the Challenger Hall of Impact Muangthong Thani, where we are reporting live from the press day of this year’s Bangkok International Motor Show. Over at the Chevrolet booth, we have the all-new Sonic making its first ASEAN appearance alongside the Trailblazer SUV which was launched just last week.
A replacement model of the Aveo, the Sonic is Chevrolet’s new B-segment entry scheduled for entry into the ASEAN market later this year. Its target market is aimed squarely at buyers who would previously consider the the Honda City, Toyota Vios, and Ford Fiesta. It has thus far been launched in the US, Canada, Japan, Middle East, and Europe. Some markets have continued to retain the Aveo name.
In what was a packed programme last week, after witnessing the Trailblazer’s world debut and putting the Colorado to the test, GM officials proceeded to give members of the ASEAN media a sneak preview of the Sonic before sending us our merry ways. The preview was held in a small and less than brightly lit conference room, so do excuse the slightly dark pictures you see here.
The Sonic is built on GM’s Gamma-II compact car platform. Chevrolet claims that its body structure is made of 60% high-strength steel. High stiffness of its chassis is achieved by using the Body Frame Integral (BFI) design, which features main underbody rails running continuously from front to rear to give what Chevrolet claims to be ‘a heightened sense of solidity and stability’.
Our pre-production preview unit in Bangkok was a sedan unit, with its overall silhouette reminding us of the Cruze. We witnessed this model’s debut in the 2010 Paris Motor Show in hatchback form, so it was a rather appropriate coincidence that we got to check out the sedan version this time round.
Chevrolet’s design brief is for the Sonic to feature a sporty flavour, and on the aesthetic front, that promise is delivered by a pretty aggressive design. Its dual-port grille immediately reminds us of the recently facelifted Captiva, and its exposed headlamps is certainly an unusual design touch.
Inside, we observed improved design and quality of our pre-production vehicle compared to our recollections of the Aveo. Chevrolet’s signature dual cockpit design underpin the layout, and the instrument panel, which features a large analog tachometer paired to a digital speedometer is another unconventional feature in this segment.
Detailed technical specs were not revealed to us at the media preview; further information will be revealed nearer to the Sonic’s launch date later this year. To recap, the European Aveo got three petrol engines and a diesel at launch time. Forget about the 1.3-litre diesel, but open your conjecture at anyone of the following possible petrol powerplants – 1.2-litre, 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre. Transmission will likely be a 6-speed auto for the Malaysian market.
The Sonic, and the newly-launched Trailblazer, will be on display at Chevrolet’s booth (A12), during the 33rd Bangkok International Motor Show, from 28 March to 8 April 2012, at Challenger 1 – 3, Impact Muangthong Thani, Thailand.
Further Details:
– Chevrolet vehicles prices & specifications in Malaysia
– List of Chevrolet official dealers and branches in Malaysia
