Tank Ledger

Chevrolet Sonic MPG by year — every rating on record

The Chevrolet Sonic has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 9 model years, from 2012 to 2020. Across those years its best rated version returned 32 mpg (2012) and its thirstiest returned 28 mpg (2012). The EPA record holds 31 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Compact Cars.

32best combined mpg (2012)
28worst combined mpg (2012)
29latest year best (2020)
31configurations on record

Year-by-year EPA ratings

Model yearConfigurationsBest combinedWorst combinedClass rank that yearDrivetrainsFuelEPA class
2012432 mpg28 mpg#10 of 76 (88th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
2013432 mpg28 mpg#12 of 84 (87th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
2014432 mpg28 mpg#17 of 96 (83th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
2015432 mpg28 mpg#20 of 102 (81th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
2016432 mpg28 mpg#20 of 108 (82th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
2017432 mpg28 mpg#20 of 100 (81th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
2018432 mpg28 mpg#19 of 95 (81th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
2019231 mpg29 mpg#20 of 86 (78th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
2020129 mpg29 mpg#25 of 79 (69th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars

Where it has stood in its class

Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Chevrolet Sonic placed highest in 2012 at #10 of 76, and lowest in 2020 at #25 of 79. It spent 9 of its 9 ranked years in the top half of its class.

Every configuration on record

All 31 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.

YearConfigurationEngine detailCityHighwayCombinedGallons/yrBarrels/yrEPA fuel cost/yrCO2 g/miGHG
20201.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged263429396.610.3$2,1503086/10
20191.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged263429396.610.3$2,1503086/10
20191.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged273831371.09.6$2,0002857/10
20181.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.8L 4-cyl253428410.710.6$2,2503116/10
20181.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular1.8L 4-cyl263529396.610.3$2,1503066/10
20181.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged273530383.39.9$2,1002967/10
20181.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged283732359.49.3$1,9502807/10
20171.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.8L 4-cyl243428410.710.6$2,2503176/10
20171.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular1.8L 4-cyl253328410.710.6$2,2503126/10
20171.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged273630383.39.9$2,1002957/10
20171.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged283832359.49.3$1,9502817/10
20161.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.8L 4-cyl243428410.710.6$2,2503187/10
20161.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular1.8L 4-cyl263429396.610.3$2,1503057/10
20161.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged273630383.39.9$2,1002957/10
20161.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged283832359.49.3$1,9502768/10
20151.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.8L 4-cyl243428410.710.6$2,2503177/10
20151.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular1.8L 4-cyl263429396.610.3$2,1503057/10
20151.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged273630383.39.9$2,1002958/10
20151.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged283832359.49.3$1,9502768/10
20141.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.8L 4-cyl243428410.710.6$2,2503177/10
20141.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular1.8L 4-cyl263429396.610.3$2,1503058/10
20141.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged273630383.39.9$2,1002958/10
20141.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged283832359.49.3$1,9502768/10
20131.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.8L 4-cyl, start-stop243428410.710.6$2,2503177/10
20131.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular1.8L 4-cyl, start-stop263429396.610.3$2,1503058/10
20131.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged, start-stop273630383.39.9$2,1002908/10
20131.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged, start-stop283832359.49.3$1,9502768/10
20121.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.8L 4-cyl243428410.710.6$2,250317.39285714285717n/a
20121.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular1.8L 4-cyl263429396.610.3$2,150306.44827586206895n/a
20121.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged273630383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
20121.4L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Regular1.4L 4-cyl, turbocharged283832359.49.3$1,950277.71875n/a

How the rating has moved between model years

Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 0 of 2 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.

ChangeBest combinedDeltaGallons a year at the newer rating
2018 → 201932 → 31 mpg-1 mpg371 gal
2019 → 202031 → 29 mpg-2 mpg397 gal

What Sonic fuel costs over a year

At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 2020 Chevrolet Sonic burns 397 to 397 gallons depending on configuration. Below is what that costs at three pump prices, and how much more the thirstiest configuration costs than the most efficient one.

Pump priceMost efficientThirstiestSpread
$3.00/gal$1,190$1,190$0
$3.50/gal$1,388$1,388$0
$4.00/gal$1,586$1,586$0

EPA’s own estimate for the 2020 model year is $2,150 to $2,150 a year in fuel, or $500 less than the average new vehicle over five years.

How it compares with other Compact Cars

Across the 498 nameplates EPA classifies as Compact Cars, the median best combined rating is 26 mpg. At 29 mpg the Chevrolet Sonic is 3 mpg better the median, which is worth about $160 a year at $3.50 a gallon.

Other Chevrolet nameplates

Every Chevrolet model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.