2012 & 2013 Chevrolet Hatchback Reviews & Ratings

Chevrolet, a General Motors brand, is one of the best-known American car brands. It was formed in 1911, and GM owned it by 1918. Chevrolet has proved very popular since its inception, especially due to its production of mid-size pickup trucks and sporty cars, like the Chevy Silverado and the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro sports cars. More recently, Chevrolet has begun to market a wider type of vehicles, including sub-compact cars, SUVs, and hatchback vehicles. Chevrolet is offering two small ... (full review continues below)

Chevrolet, a General Motors brand, is one of the best-known American car brands. It was formed in 1911, and GM owned it by 1918. Chevrolet has proved very popular since its inception, especially due to its production of mid-size pickup trucks and sporty cars, like the Chevy Silverado and the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro sports cars. More recently, Chevrolet has begun to market a wider type of vehicles, including sub-compact cars, SUVs, and hatchback vehicles. Chevrolet is offering two small hatchback vehicles in its current 2012 model line-up: the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic and the 2012 Chevrolet Volt.

The 2012 Chevy Sonic is all-new for this year and comes with a feisty, adventurous personality, which is showcased in its advertisement campaigns that have professional stunt people taking it on incredible, awe-inspiring adventures. The hatchback model starts at only $14,765 and comes with an amazing amount of power and comfort for its class. It has such features as an ECOTEC 1.4-liter turbocharged engine (the only in its class) that works in tandem with a six-speed manual transmission. The Sonic has a zero-to-sixty time of 8.2 seconds, the most available torque in its compact-car class, and a smooth, fun ride. It's fuel efficient, too; the Sonic gets 40 mpg on the highway.

The Sonic comes with ten standard air bags, standard OnStar, tons of cargo space, Bluetooth integration, and several bright color choices. This hatchback is available in LS, LT, and LTZ trims, and even with all of its options, it manages to stay under $20k.The Sonic four-door hatchback has a quiet, calm ride along with its quirky and fun motorcycle-inspired interior. It competes with such vehicles as the Hyundai Accent GS Hatchback and the Toyota Yaris L Hatchback, both of which come in around the same price.

The other hatchback available for the 2012 year is the Chevy Volt. The Volt is a plug-in hybrid EV that was first sold in select markets in the U.S. in December 2010. It holds the honor of being the most fuel-efficient compact car in America (as determined by the EPA). Federal tax incentives and credits are available in some U.S. states to offset the cost of the Volt, which starts at $39,645 for the hatchback variant. Stepping into the Volt is like stepping into the future. It incorporates push-button start and a variety of displays to show the driver how much fuel he/she is using and other vehicle functions- gone are the traditional gauges.

The 2012 Chevrolet Volt hatchback uses a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack for power and can go about 35 miles on battery power alone when fully charged. With a fuel tank of standard gas as well, the Volt can go up to 375 miles, achieving around 35 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. The Volt competes with such vehicles as the Toyota Prius Plug-In and the Kia Optima Hybrid, and does well despite coming in at a slightly higher price, due to its amazing technology features and reliable nature.