7-1 update...Focus Bought!

[vi edit]

Have you looked into the Illinois tax credit for electric vehicles? With up to 4000 locally, 7500 federally and 5000 cash incentives from GM it brings the total down to a reasonable amount (but yeah the up front sales tax will be double or triple what a sonic would be).

It's $4000 from GM, $4000 from state, and $7500 from Feds. Yeah, I definitely considered it. But I just don't want to finance $35,000+ and then sit around and wait 8 months to get that $11500 back. It's still a $25,000 car at that point which is still $10,000 more than what I'm looking at. At the time I finally broke even on the gas savings between the two I'd be looking at a several thousand dollar battery pack replacement.

 

[Mermaidman]

The driver's armrest bugs me. Its angle is fixed relative to the driver seat back, so if you lean your seat further back, the armrest points up!

(This was an observation from a rental Sonic last year. GM may have fixed this design flaw since then.)

 

[vi edit]

The driver's armrest bugs me. Its angle is fixed relative to the driver seat back, so if you lean your seat further back, the armrest points up!

My $32,000 Sienna does the same thing. I prefer a pretty straight seatback anyway so that's not a big deal.

 

[vi edit]

As I browse around stats/magazine numbers/ect I'm finding it really hard to find another car out there that offers the economy and spunk of that 1.4t in the Sonic/Cruse. Most other cars in this segment are in the 9-10 second 0-60 range. The Sonic can scoot up to that speed in around 8. Not that it's the be all, end all peformance number but it's nice to know it's not a total dog.

The Elantra GT from Hyundai is also in consideration. I just need to try and drive them back to back to see which one is more enjoyable.

 

[disappoint]

Still love my Chevy Cruze 1.4T. You don't notice it's slow 0-60 time when everyone around me drives like they have a misfiring cylinder. In other words, it's the driver not the car. Around here you see an $80k+ Mercedes driving slow in the fast lane, pass him in a Chevy Cruze like he's standing still and wonder if he's listening to Yanni or Michael Bolton.

 

[vi edit]

Dealer with the Sonic is near this dealer with a program car Dart...
http://www.uftringchryslerdodgejeep...oria+IL+-7745ed7b0a0a006500ffed1d9b53e7ba.htm

Might have to stop and look at that while I'm in the area.

 

[draknon]

I'd hunt down a used Veloster Turbo.

 

[exar333]

I'd love to look into the "RS" trim as the little extra bling looks kinda fun. But the gearing changeup takes the highway MPG from 40 down to 34

Kind of unfortunate because you don't get any extra power in that trim, just a bit tighter ratios between gear to keep that tiny turbo on boil a little bit more.

Friend just got the RS auto (not MT ) and it looks and drives great. The 1.4T is a great little engine and the car is a great hatch. Definitely recommend.

If you just want MPGs, don't get the RS and opt for the LTZ instead. Awesome car for the money.

 

[NutBucket]

RS seems overpriced for what looks like minor upgrades. The only meaningful difference I see is rear discs instead of drums.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

As I browse around stats/magazine numbers/ect I'm finding it really hard to find another car out there that offers the economy and spunk of that 1.4t in the Sonic/Cruse. Most other cars in this segment are in the 9-10 second 0-60 range. The Sonic can scoot up to that speed in around 8. Not that it's the be all, end all peformance number but it's nice to know it's not a total dog.

The Elantra GT from Hyundai is also in consideration. I just need to try and drive them back to back to see which one is more enjoyable.

To be honest the Sonic doesn't seem to offer anything compelling from a performance or fun standpoint, 0-60 in 8s puts it well behind many midsize sedans, SUV's and full size trucks.

Is there any reason you aren't considering the upcoming Fiesta ST? Granted it's more expensive but it's also a real performance car.

If you don't want to spend the money on the ST I would consider looking for a used Mazdaspeed 3, at least around here they can be had for very reasonable prices. A used Honda Civic SI would also be an option, it's not exactly a fast car either but the driving experience would still put the Sonic to shame.

 

[Ferzerp]

And I don't really care for the Fiesta or Mazda 2

Why is that?

Also, the 1.0L Fiesta will be out in a few months (manual only). I was planning on getting one, but ended up realizing that the spare car needed to be an automatic, so just went with the normal 1.6L.

 

[vi edit]

To be honest the Sonic doesn't seem to offer anything compelling from a performance or fun standpoint, 0-60 in 8s puts it well behind many midsize sedans, SUV's and full size trucks.

Is there any reason you aren't considering the upcoming Fiesta ST? Granted it's more expensive but it's also a real performance car.

I'm not all about the 0-60. It's more about the total package. My old Mazda 3s wasn't a stoplight scorcher by any stretch, and is actually slower than my current minivan. But it was just a well compromised, excellently tuned little car that had an incredibly high cost to fun ratio. I have a preference to small, hatchback cars that are nimble and like to be wrung out. My van is the opposite of that.

I really *want* something like an ST or a GTI. But I don't need them. I don't want to pay the $.40 a gallon premium for premium fuel or the decreased economy that comes with them. I just want something that offers a more engaging drive than my 4000 pound van and gives me the most fun per mile that I can get while still being able to haul a couple kids around when needed.

The Fiesta and Mazda 2 are just *too* small and kind of insect looking to me. The squared off sonic is more my style.

But in recent events I started looking around and I think a Focus hatch is in my future. I can get a brand new 2013 5 speed SE hatch w/ winter package for under $17,000. That's some very good value. I drove an SE sedan with a stick yesterday and that is a buttery smooth, incredibly easy to drive car. I really liked it. For $17,000 (or less) I can't really come close to that in any other make/model.

 

[yottabit]

I'd also through a vote in for at least test driving a Veloster turbo

The Sonic will feel quick at non-highway speeds but the Veloster will have a lot more pep on the highway

It's not as responsive but I imagine you can easily fix that with some cheap mods

Also takes regular fuel, gets close to 40 mpg, etc

EDIT: See you are considering the Focus, that's also a very good option if performance isn't your number one priority.
Also note the Focus ST has the ability to run on regular and still return decent gas mileage, that or a next-gen WRX (once they are announced) maybe could fill your performance void someday

 

[Topweasel]

Yeah I don't know about the Fiesta but most of the Ecoboost line is geared and tuned for regular. They do test and run well on Premium with a 8-10 hp boost performance, but they are still reg running engines.

 

[thomsbrain]

I don't have much interest in the Sonic but I have to confess a soft spot in my heart for the dinky little Spark. Something about simple, basic, transportation still gets me going.

For the Sonic/Fit debate, I think it is pretty simple. You can have a GM engine with little to no long-term reliability data, AND it has been heavily boosted, or you can have a time-tested bulletproof Honda naturally aspirated engine, which has always been the core of their expertise. I know which one I would put money on to still be running like new at 200,000 miles.

 

[vi edit]

I'm in the process of working with some dealers on a 2013 Focus SE hatch.

Something like this:
http://edge.vinsolutions.com/images/live/DealerImages/113751000/113751382/0.jpg

Can get the following:
- 2013 Focus SE hatch
- Manual transmission
- Heated seats/mirrors
- MS Synch tech w/ app link
- Leather & ambient lighting package
- Blackout trim pack

$19,000.

No turbos to deal with. Skipped the touchscreen stuff in favor of traditional dials/knobs. No quirky DSG or CVT transmissions. Just a buttery smooth 5 speed shifter.

 

[NutBucket]

I wouldn't call the 5-speed buttery smooth but its not bad

 

[vi edit]

I wouldn't call the 5-speed buttery smooth but its not bad

I've owned several manual transmissions - MKIII GTI VR6, 1st gen Mazda 3, Ford Contour with the duratec 2.5L, an old ass Ford ranger, ect. The clutch and shifter on the new Foci(?) is a very smooth operator and the easiest to use out of what I had in the past.

 

[NutBucket]

Sounds reasonable. Just don't compare it to a Honda

 

[SearchMaster]

The 6M transmission on my Focus ST is pretty smooth and a joy to use, so if the 5M on the regular Focus is similar then it should be a gem. I've read that Getrag supplied a bad batch for a couple of months for the ST that were not smooth and eventually failed.

I know the ST offers two stereo/tech systems - is the one you're looking at like the lower or upper end system? It's probably the lower end since you said it didn't have touch screen. The Sync on my car is its weak spot. It has rebooted itself a few times in the month I've had it, it gets horribly slow to respond at times, ignores your commands at others, and the nav system is often infuriating. It either doesn't recognize the address you speak no matter how slowly and clearly you enunciate, or it just does stupid stuff.

For example: you might give it an address of "123 Main St". It will then say, "did you mean 123 Main St, 123 Main St NW, or 123 Main St SW?" But only one of those will be valid, so if you say "line 1 (123 Main St)" or "line 2 (123 Main St NW)" it will say "I'm sorry, that's not a valid choice." Then it goes back to the beginning and you have to start over. If it's not a valid choice, why the F did you give it to me???

 

[vi edit]

I updated the OP. Getting some pretty competitive price quotes on the Focus. $400 under invoice with another $3750 in rebates. Yikes.

Drove one again today and really like it with some reservations. Back seat, stock radio, and basic storage are all pretty sketchy. Ride quality and overall "feel" of the car are very good for the price point though.

 

[nitrous9200]

Skipping the DSG and touchscreen is a smart move - you still have Sync and manuals FTW. $19k seems like a really good deal and I'd have one over a Sonic any day of the week.

 

[NutBucket]

I guess I must be the only one who would have opted for MFT. Guess I haven't used it enough to go PC Load Letter on it.

 

[vi edit]

I guess I must be the only one who would have opted for MFT. Guess I haven't used it enough to go PC Load Letter on it.

I just think that touch screens in a car are one of the worst things you can do for "safety". There's just too much shit going on there that takes your attention off the road. My wife has a small touch screen in her Camry and that takes like 4 taps to switch inputs between radio and Bluetooth. I messed around the 8" touch in a Dart and that even controlled the heated seats. Meh. Give me a simple dial or knob or button for most of that stuff. I can reach and hit it without looking away or worrying about hitting the wrong button next to it.

Plus god forbid the panel or software shits the bed and half your cars utility is crippled. It's just kind of tech for the sake of tech IMHO. Some of it is kind of cool, like being able to program all of the different lighting options, defaults, and other various functions. But for basic driving and driver input...eh. Not sold on it.

 

[SearchMaster]

The MFT touch screen system is pretty good - WHEN IT WORKS. There's a lot they won't let you do while you're driving (which can be very annoying), and to complicate things the voice recognition is poor. But a function like switching between radio and bluetooth does very well with a single voice command.

It will control the seats/climate control as well but nobody ever uses it since you can do all that through other means.

$20K for that car with leather sounds like a very nice deal if it seems like it fits your needs. I have 3 kids (including a 6 foot teenager and his friends) and though I've only had 5 in my Focus a couple of times, nobody has ever complained about space.