Chevrolet Sonic Pulls CARB Vanishing Act for 2019

by Steph Willems

Published: April 26th, 2018

chevrolet sonic pulls carb vanishing act for 2019

Unlike Ford, which wants everyone to know that small cars aren’t something it’s very interested in building, General Motors is keeping its product cards much closer to its chest.

Still, loose-lipped sources were abuzz this spring, informing various outlets that GM might be going the same route, albeit in a slower, less public fashion. The Chevrolet Sonic was listed as one of the nameplates bound for the graveyard. Now, a California Air Resources Board engine certification document offers new evidence that the subcompact sedan and hatch will not stage a reappearance for 2019.

Uncovered by Bozi Tatarevic, document sleuth extraordinaire and possible private investigator, the CARB doc covers vehicles powered by the lesser of the two GM 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinders. That engine, making 138 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque, powers The General’s subcompact class (the Chevy Cruze get a direct injected 1.4).

While the CARB certificate for the 2018 model year lists the Sonic, Chevrolet Trax, and Buick Encore, the 2019 doc lists only the Buick Encore and Trax. Not only has the Sonic dropped from the 1.4’s fan list, the all-wheel drive version of the Trax is also nowhere to be found. Currently, adding AWD adds $1,500 to the price of an LS, LT, or Premier model.

Should GM drop the AWD Trax, it would leave the all-weather duties to the slightly pricier Encore.

As for the Sonic, like most small cars, recent years haven’t been kind to sales figures. Volume shrank 21 percent over the first quarter of 2018, and 2017’s tally was less than a third of the model’s 2014 volume. The Sonic’s potential demise comes as GM gears up for an electric vehicle offensive, and the model’s home — Michigan’s Orion Assembly — seems ripe for new models. Besides the Sonic, the only other model produced at Orion is the Chevrolet Bolt. The little EV’s architecture and propulsion system is expected to underpin at least one other GM model.

An email to GM regarding the CARB document was not immediately returned. We’ll update this post after receiving the company’s response.

[Image: General Motors]

Steph Willems

More by Steph Willems

Comments

Join the conversation

2 of 7 comments

FreedMike on Apr 26, 2018

Pour one out.

Like Reply
Guitar man on Apr 26, 2018

Both the Trax and Spark are being replaced by new crossover models. The Sonic made in Mexico and Korea is fitted only with the older, and cheaper to manufacture, cast iron block Family I engine, which they've managed after 30 years to make without them falling to bits. If the Sonic survives, its likely to be imported from either of those countries.

Like Reply

Recent Comments

Alan Well, it will take 30 years to fix Nissan up after the Renault Alliance reduced Nissan to a paltry mess.I think Nissan will eventually improve.
Alan This will be overpriced for what it offers.I think the "Western" auto manufacturers rip off the consumer with the Thai and Chinese made vehicles.A Chinese made Model 3 in Australia is over $70k AUD(for 1995 $45k USD) which is far more expensive than a similar Chinesium EV of equal or better quality and loaded with goodies.Chinese pickups are $20k to $30k cheaper than Thai built pickups from Ford and the Japanese brands. Who's ripping who off?
Alan Years ago Jack Baruth held a "competition" for a piece from the B&B on the oddest pickup story (or something like that). I think 5 people were awarded the prizes.I never received mine, something about being in Australia. If TTAC is global how do you offer prizes to those overseas or are we omitted on the sly from competing?In the end I lost significant respect for Baruth.
Alan My view is there are good vehicles from most manufacturers that are worth looking at second hand.I can tell you I don't recommend anything from the Chrysler/Jeep/Fiat/etc gene pool. Toyotas are overly expensive second hand for what they offer, but they seem to be reliable enough.I have a friend who swears by secondhand Subarus and so far he seems to not have had too many issue.As Lou stated many utes, pickups and real SUVs (4x4) seem quite good.
28-Cars-Later So is there some kind of undiagnosed disease where every rando thinks their POS is actually valuable?83K miles Ok.new valve cover gasket.Eh, it happens with age. spark plugsOkay, we probably had to be kewl and put in aftermarket iridium plugs, because EVO.new catalytic converterUh, yeah that's bad at 80Kish. Auto tranny failing. From the ad: the SST fails in one of the following ways:Clutch slip has turned into; multiple codes being thrown, shifting a gear or 2 in manual mode (2-3 or 2-4), and limp mode.Codes include: P2733 P2809 P183D P1871Ok that's really bad. So between this and the cat it suggests to me someone jacked up the car real good hooning it, because EVO, and since its not a Toyota it doesn't respond well to hard abuse over time.$20,000, what? Pesos? Zimbabwe Dollars?Try $2,000 USD pal. You're fracked dude, park it in da hood and leave the keys in it.BONUS: Comment in the ad: GLWS but I highly doubt you get any action on this car what so ever at that price with the SST on its way out. That trans can be $10k + to repair.