Chevrolet Sonic Fuel Economy (MPG)
What is the real-world gas mileage of a 2020 Chevrolet Sonic?
The 2020 Chevrolet Sonic gets up to 32 MPG combined (28 city / 37 highway) in EPA testing.
Latest model year (2020):
The Chevrolet Sonic gets up to 29 MPG combined (26 city / 34 highway) in the Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L trim.
Chevrolet Sonic MPG — All Years
| Year | Trim | Engine | Fuel | City (MPG) | Hwy (MPG) | Combined (MPG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020Config 1 of 2 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 34 | 29 |
| 2020Config 2 of 2 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 34 | 29 |
| 2019Config 1 of 4 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 34 | 29 |
| 2019Config 2 of 4 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 34 | 29 |
| 2019Config 3 of 4 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 35 | 29 |
| 2019Config 4 of 4 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 27 | 38 | 31 |
| 2018Config 1 of 8 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 27 | 35 | 30 |
| 2018Config 2 of 8 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 27 | 35 | 30 |
| 2018Config 3 of 8 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 34 | 28 |
| 2018Config 4 of 8 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 34 | 28 |
| 2018Config 5 of 8 | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 35 | 29 |
| 2018Config 6 of 8 | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 35 | 29 |
| 2018Config 7 of 8 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 28 | 37 | 32 |
| 2018Config 8 of 8 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 28 | 37 | 32 |
| 2017Config 1 of 8 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 27 | 36 | 30 |
| 2017Config 2 of 8 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 27 | 36 | 30 |
| 2017Config 3 of 8 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 34 | 28 |
| 2017Config 4 of 8 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 34 | 28 |
| 2017Config 5 of 8 | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 33 | 28 |
| 2017Config 6 of 8 | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 33 | 28 |
| 2017Config 7 of 8 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 28 | 38 | 32 |
| 2017Config 8 of 8 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 28 | 38 | 32 |
| 2016Config 1 of 12 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 33 | 28 |
| 2016Config 2 of 12 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 27 | 36 | 30 |
| 2016Config 3 of 12 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 27 | 36 | 30 |
| 2016Config 4 of 12 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 33 | 28 |
| 2016Config 5 of 12 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 34 | 28 |
| 2016Config 6 of 12 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 34 | 28 |
| 2016Config 7 of 12 | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 34 | 29 |
| 2016Config 8 of 12 | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 34 | 29 |
| 2016Config 9 of 12 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2016Config 10 of 12 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2016Config 11 of 12 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 28 | 38 | 32 |
| 2016Config 12 of 12 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 28 | 38 | 32 |
| 2015Config 1 of 12 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 27 | 36 | 30 |
| 2015Config 2 of 12 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 33 | 28 |
| 2015Config 3 of 12 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 27 | 36 | 30 |
| 2015Config 4 of 12 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 33 | 28 |
| 2015Config 5 of 12 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 34 | 28 |
| 2015Config 6 of 12 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 34 | 28 |
| 2015Config 7 of 12 | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 34 | 29 |
| 2015Config 8 of 12 | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 4 1.8L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 34 | 29 |
| 2015Config 9 of 12 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 28 | 38 | 32 |
| 2015Config 10 of 12 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 28 | 38 | 32 |
| 2015Config 11 of 12 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2015Config 12 of 12 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L | 4 1.4L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
Data sourced from fueleconomy.gov (U.S. Department of Energy). MPG figures are EPA-tested. Fuel costs are estimates based on average fuel prices and 15,000 miles/year.
Chevrolet Sonic data analysis
How Chevrolet Sonic combined fuel economy varies
Across 46 configurations recorded for the 2015 through 2020 Chevrolet Sonic, combined fuel economy runs from 28 MPG to 32 MPG. The strongest figure belongs to the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic (Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L) at 32 MPG, and the weakest to the 2018 car (Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L) at 28 MPG — a spread of 14%. The narrow spread means any year of the Chevrolet Sonic in this table behaves much like the others, so you can shop on price, condition and mileage rather than chasing a particular model year.
What changed for 2020
Average combined fuel economy for the 2020 Chevrolet Sonic is 29 MPG, against 29.5 MPG for the 2019 car — it fell by 0.5 MPG. Buyers who care most about this figure should look at the earlier model years in the table above before assuming newest is best.
How to read this Chevrolet Sonic data
This page lists every 2015 through 2020 Chevrolet Sonic record we hold for this measurement — 46 rows in total, one per configuration and model year rather than a single headline figure. Figures are published as the source agency records them: we do not round, average or interpolate missing years, and a year that is absent from the table is a year with no published measurement rather than a zero. Where a manufacturer offered several drivetrains or body styles in the same year, each appears on its own row, because those variants rarely share the same numbers.
Configurations behind these Chevrolet Sonic numbers
The 2015 through 2020 Chevrolet Sonic entries here cover the variants Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L and Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L. 2016 is the busiest model year in the record with 12 separate measured configurations, which is why a single quoted combined fuel economy figure for that year is rarely the one that matches the car in front of you. Match the row to the exact drivetrain, body style and engine on the window sticker or VIN before relying on the number, and use the comparison links below to see how those same configurations line up against rival models.
Where these Chevrolet Sonic figures come from
Every value on this page is loaded from federal open data — EPA fuel economy submissions, NHTSA vehicle and crash-test records, and manufacturer specification filings — rather than dealer listings or copied editorial content. The Chevrolet Sonic record refreshes as the agencies publish, which typically means new model-year rows appear in the autumn and crash-test results follow through the model year as vehicles are tested. Because certification data is filed per configuration, treat any single headline number for this vehicle with caution: the figure that applies to a specific car depends on its engine, drivetrain, body style and model year, all of which are listed separately above. If a number here disagrees with a brochure, the brochure is usually quoting the best available configuration rather than the one being sold.
Official Factory Specs vs. AutoSpecData Expert Benchmarks
The EPA highway loop never holds interstate speed. Here is what the same engine does when you sit on the cruise control.
| Cruise speed | EPA highway spec | AutoSpecData adjusted MPG | Fuel you lose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 mph | 38 MPG | 38 MPG | 0% |
| 65 mph | 38 MPG | 35.4 MPG | 7% |
| 70 mph | 38 MPG | 33 MPG | 13% |
| 75 mph | 38 MPG | 30.7 MPG | 19% |
| 80 mph | 38 MPG | 28.6 MPG | 25% |
Our Real-World Speed MPG Adjuster re-scales the Chevrolet Sonic EPA highway result with a quadratic drag term (mpg = hwy ÷ (1 + k·(v² − 60²)/60²), k = 0.55 for trucks, SUVs and vans, 0.42 for cars). Wind, roof racks, and a heavy right foot make it worse, never better.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sonic MPG
What is the MPG of the Chevrolet Sonic?
The Chevrolet Sonic gets up to 32 MPG combined (28 city / 37 highway) in the 2020 model year. Fuel economy varies by engine and trim — see the full table above for details.
Which Chevrolet Sonic trim has the best fuel economy?
The Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L trim offers the best combined fuel economy at 32 MPG. Smaller engines and front-wheel-drive configurations typically achieve the highest MPG.
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All Chevrolet Sonic specifications
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