Chevrolet Sonic 1.4T RS - Won’t Make Your Heart Go Boom

You can blame the likes of Ford and Renault for associating the RS moniker with top-of-the-range performance. But in Chevrolet-speak, RS (Rally Sport) has always denoted entry-level sportier cars, preceding the SS and Z badges.

2013 Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback

So the new Sonic in RS trim does exactly what it says on the tin: provide a slightly fizzier offering than the naturally aspirated 1.4 in the standard LS. For that, it uses Opel’s boosted Ecotec 1.4, a 103kW/200Nm 4cyl shared with the Astra and now the Chev Cruze. Except here its slower, taking 9.5sec to 100kph vs 9.3 sec in the heavier Cruze. Physics be damned.

So it’s no pocket rocket. Performance data points to an experience rivalling a Renault Twingo RS or Suzuki Swift Sport, but sadly the reality is less thrilling. Acceleration feels lethargic and the revs expire just as you think you’re about to enter the sweet spot. Gear changes from the six-speed manual are positive, but the whole process feels woolly – even though the drivetrain relationship seems better here than it does in the Cruze.

First extensive drive of the Chevy Sonic

Compared to LS base spec, handling and steering are better thanks to a mildly tweaked suspension (MacPherson front, torsion rear), and while it’s not exactly playful, the RS goes where you tell it and is never corrupted by the turbo torque on offer. Though granted there aren’t much. Tackle a complex set of corners enthusiastically and provided you’ve selected the correct cog, the RS attacks with conviction. But again, it’s no hot hatch. So we must appraise it differently.

Sportiness is not to be confused with performance; the first refers more to the tinsel tacked on to give the illusion of the latter, and this is what the RS is really all about. Outside, the RS gets darkened alloy wheels and revised bumper, grille and diffuser treatments. Climb aboard and you’re met with red detailing in the cabin, RS lettering embossed on the seats and a flat-bottomed helm.

Perhaps the most interesting feature though, is the full-function GPS navigator app, which uses the phone GPS to turn the My Link into a full-function navigation system

Perhaps more to the point, the Sonic RS marks the South African debut of My Link, Chevrolet’s multimedia hub that syncs with your smartphone in new and interesting ways. Guaranteed to delight younger buyers and alienate the elderly with its techno foolery. In truth, it’s a great touchscreen system with voice command functionality and GPS compatibility that will no doubt be copied by others. Meanwhile, a spot of confusion reigns inside the Sonic RS cabin, akin to that which accompanied the launch of BMW’s first iDrive ate mpt. Though nothing, that a bit of enthusiastic thumbing about won’t solve.

So, the RS: not a hot hatch, but a neatly warmed-up one instead.