"LJ909" (lj909)
06/01/2015 at 18:18 • Filed to: None
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"LJ909" (lj909)
06/01/2015 at 18:18 • Filed to: None | 2
| 27 |
To me a half assed car is a car that has much more potential but comes up short in not one but many ways. Best example to me of that is the Chevy Sonic RS. I have no idea why the automotive press compares it to other “hot hatches” like the Fiesta ST etc. It has a turbo, nice driving dynamics and a decent exterior. Thats about it. Chevy had the chance to do so much more engine and performance wise straight from the factory. But what other cars are half assed?
sellphones2493
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 18:21 |
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Leon711
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 18:23 |
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We don’t get the Sonic RS in the UK, but if we did it would be laughed at. Other cars that are similarly sized but with more power are the Ford Fiesta ST, VW Polo GTI, Vauxhall Corsa VXR(Sonic’s cousin), Renault Clio RS200, Peugeot 208 GTI and Citroen DS3 Racing just off the top of my head. There is of course the full fat hot hatches above that like the Golf GTI and Megane Rs275
jkm7680
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 18:23 |
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I haven’t driven the Sonic RS, but it’s a very nice car to sit in. Besides the glove box door, it’s a great interior. Especially the seats, those things were amazeballs. Saying that, I’d still rather a FiST but still.
Logansteno: Bought a VW?
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 18:25 |
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Except, both historically and currently, the RS is an appearance package. That’s what it is on the Sonic. Sure, it throws discs brakes on the back and gives the manual transmission shorter gearing, but other than that you’re dealing with a Sonic with visual upgrades. Same goes for the RS packs on the Cruze and Camaro, nothing much but visuals.
As for an actual half assed car, my vote is the current Civic Si. Instead of the usual revvy motors that beg you to rev the nuts off them, this one just has the base Accord motor. They basically took away what made the Si the Si.
DPillar
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 18:27 |
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I have a hard time trusting GM at all, everything they make seems like cost is the only concern. And after the frankly embarrassing number of large scale recalls they issue, it hasn’t improved the situation.
Ballzonya
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 18:36 |
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Jeep Compass and Patriot were an embarrassment to the Jeep name.
Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 18:43 |
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Saab 9-3 I had. Solid feeling car, good engine and transmission, pretty good handling. Let down by cheap interior bits, crappy plastic HVAC control shafts that would break and an inadequately stiff front subframe that would contribute greatly to the torque steer problem. This turned off many people... but I think Saab did the best with the Opel chassis they were given to work with.
PT Cruiser I had. Cheapened up for the 2006 model year. It was a Chrysler so it was supposed to be more luxurious than what was offered by Dodge. Yet steel wheels were standard and A/C was optional. Plus the seats were cheap and many found them uncomfortable. And the suspension tuning was firm and the rear bounced out on curves when hitting a bump. I found it to be fun... but let’s face it, the suspension design could have been better. And the automatic in the PT have you V6 fuel economy with 4 cyl performance. The manual ones were much better. Definitely more fine tuning or a better-matched automatic was needed. Also given that the PT was conceived as a premium small car, it was a bit disgraceful that they didn’t come with painted bumpers right from the start. The PT was a good basic design let down by details like this that put off many people (but not me).
2005-2007 Ford Focus. Ford cheaped out on the wiring that goes into the hatch. Cracked and broken wiring is a common issue that results in blown fuses, things like the rear wiper and 3rd brake light not to work and contributes extended starting times. And the Focus continues Ford’s tradition of having weak-assed tie rods. At least two of the tie rods have been replaced on my Focus. By comparison, the PT Cruiser and Saab 9-3 didn’t have this issue. Also Ford installed a version of the Mazda 4 cyl engine... but cheaped out by not having VVT like the Mazda 3 had. And that meant a loss of about 15HP.
Of these three, I’d say the PT Cruiser had the most potential and was let down the most with nickel and diming.
JR1
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 18:58 |
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Where is the manual?
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LJ909
> jkm7680
06/01/2015 at 19:22 |
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When I got my Sonic ( an LT not an RS sadly) the interior was one of the main selling points for me. I knew that the car didn’t have any performance to back up that sporty interior but still I was impressed.
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LJ909
> Logansteno: Bought a VW?
06/01/2015 at 19:25 |
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That’s true, but Chevy to me tried and still tries to pass it off as a hot hatch even though they might not directly say it. Its the subtle things like the Turbo badging in red, those RS seats etc.
Your right about the Si. It’s become soft and a poser of a car. The aftermarket still is strong for it though.
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LJ909
> Ballzonya
06/01/2015 at 19:28 |
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Pretty much anything car based coming from Jeep is going to be half assed.
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LJ909
> JR1
06/01/2015 at 19:30 |
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Honestly that’s the one thing that has kept the Charger from feeling complete to me. I dont get how the Challenger has a manual but the Charger doesn't.
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Logansteno: Bought a VW?
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 19:31 |
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The Turbo badging on the standard Sonic is red too...
I really think you’re just looking too far into the sporty body kit and wheels, honestly. Never once has Chevy tried to market the RS as a hot hatch.
Jayhawk Jake
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 19:36 |
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The Sonic RS was around before the Fiesta ST.
In Europe there’s the Opel Corsa I think, and it gets a bigger engine.
Chevy should put a bigger engine in the RS, but what it has is ok. You get upgraded brakes, shocks, a different transmission, and a bunch of visual mods for like $1500 on top of the LTZ.
It's a great platform that comes alive with a $350 aftermarket ECU tune.
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LJ909
> Jayhawk Jake
06/01/2015 at 19:39 |
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I just think it needs about 40 HP more than it has from the factory and it would be good.
camaroboy68ss
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 19:50 |
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Yeah the RS package has always been a visual package. Since debuting in 67 on the camaro the RS package was all flash no extra go. The only time the RS was hotter performance over the base was on the late 4th gen Camaros were SLP built RS cars that were V6 cars with SS suspension goodies.
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JR1
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 19:53 |
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Dodge is increasingly stupid for not offering a manual
Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 19:56 |
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As an owner of the exact car you pictured I feel I should step in and second what others have said - the Sonic RS is not a hot hatch. Warm hatch maybe due to its great chassis and handling, but it was never positioned against the STs or GTIs by Chevrolet in terms of performance. It does however match them in other top-trim content and options. Sunroof, heated leather/suede seats, leather wrapped wheel etc
I will say, as an RS owner, I felt the tighter gearing really changes the driving experience vs the non-RS. It’s really not any faster or anything but it’s easier to keep that little engine in its relatively narrow powerband and makes you feel like speed racer with all the shifting.
When I was looking for a car, I decided against the traditional hot hatches as they all have become pretty fast, capable cars. Even the FiST gets above the speed limit so easily, it’s not really the “slow-car-fast” experience like the old, old GTI used to be.
The Sonic felt juuuust right.
Plus, I would have so many tickets now if I had those cars, haha. The Sonic lets you rip through the gears, shifting and shifting and shifting... to get to 40mph haha!
It’s a blast and a bit of an overshadowed gem in my opinion.
DoYouEvenShift
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 20:05 |
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The Sonic is mostly Korean, so I dont really count it as a true Chevy.
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Jayhawk Jake
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 20:54 |
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I agree. I've got around 170 hp 190 ft lb torque
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LJ909
> DoYouEvenShift
06/01/2015 at 22:41 |
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Its not that Korean. Not as much as the Aveo was. At least its built here in the US unlike the Fiesta.
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LJ909
> Jayhawk Jake
06/01/2015 at 22:43 |
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That’s what I need but as you know I have a non turbo LT.
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Jayhawk Jake
> LJ909
06/01/2015 at 22:46 |
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I can't imagine the 1.8 is all that exciting stock, it's lacking torque
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LJ909
> Jayhawk Jake
06/02/2015 at 01:09 |
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Hell yea it is especially on the low end. Its peppy around town but freeway wise it makes merging and lane changing a chore.
BobintheMtns
> LJ909
06/02/2015 at 08:27 |
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Preparing to don my flamesuit, but wrx’s. I haven’t been in the current version so I can’t speak to that (but I have done seat-time in current impreza’s, and ugh...) But they always seemed to me like a base-level 1980’s camry that got a turbo... Between that shitty, shitty interior and the poor fuel economy, “half-assed” is exactly how I’d describe them.....
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LJ909
> BobintheMtns
06/02/2015 at 11:51 |
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Its weird you mention that. I was parked next to a last gen WRX hatch yesterday & I was thinking that interior is really shitty compared to the rest of the car. I didnt know that the gas miliage waa terrible on them though. But I guess that’s the appeal of it: a shitty car made better by a turbo, reworked suspension and a body kit.
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BobintheMtns
> LJ909
06/02/2015 at 12:05 |
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Yeah.. the interior really is inexcusable.... and I do like the cars... but it just seems that they got to about 75% and then were like, “eh, good enough”.