Chevy Sonic: Finally, a pint-sized winner from GM

As it happened, the day I tested the Sonic I had also been driving the new Hyundai Accent, which is about as direct a competitor as there is.

The Accent is a good car with nothing terribly wrong with it, which brought home to me, all the more, what's right with the Sonic. The Accent's biggest problem, aside from a slightly grating engine sound on the highway, is that it's boring. It's OK to look at and it's fine to drive but it's sorely lacking in sizzle.

The Sonic, on the other hand, has all the good stuff the Accent has -- and it sounds better -- plus it has a dash of personality.

But no matter how good it is, there is one concern people continue to have with any General Motors car. It's that quality thing.

According to the folks that measure this stuff, GM quality has improved enormously over the years but remains somewhat inconsistent. Only time will tell whether the Sonic is one of the good ones that holds up over the miles.

Assuming it is, GM should finally have the small car winner it's been trying to have for so long.And guess what? It's the only sub-compact currently being built in the United States.

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