NAIAS: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic

With gas prices at low levels and the economy improving, sales of sport utilities and crossovers are up. That isn't stopping automakers from releasing a whole group of new compact and subcompact cars though.

The subcompact segment in particular is set to be larger and more populated than ever, with manufacturers looking to position themselves for future gas price increases.

Ford is a big player in the segment with its much-hyped Fiesta. General Motors' entry, the Aveo, has been pretty uncompetitive for most of its life-cycle.

An update in 2007 helped improve thing for the Daewoo-sourced model, but it was clear more was needed. Enter the new Sonic, which is an all-new vehicle.

GM saw fit to change the car's name from Aveo to show how different the new car really is. There certainly won't be any confusion between the two. While the Aveo had bland and nondescript styling, the Sonic stands out.

The look is almost concept-like, with a high belt line and bold cues that lend a substantial presence emphasized through design. The car looks well-planted and Chevrolet said it aimed for a design that pushed the wheels out to the corners.. Chevrolet's global grille and "motorcycle-inspired headlamps" feature in the front end.

Overall the car is designed to look bigger and more expensive than it is, and the effort succeeds. The message is that you don't have to sacrifice design to drive a subcompact. This time the hatchback model doesn't get the short end of the stick too, with design given the same amount of attention inside and out.

A look inside the interior shows that design is truly back at Chevrolet. Bland and generic interior designs are out, and a focus on details is in.

There is a modern center stack, two-tone design and Chevrolet's new steering wheel. The steering wheel makes a big difference in a car's interior and Chevrolet's new one is one of our favorites. It was first shown off in the production Volt.

The coolest element though is the instrument cluster - it has an asymmetrical design, with a round analog tachometer and LCD with a digital speedometer.

Powertrains in the Sonic are shared with the Cruze. Standard is GM’s 1.8-liter ECOTEC, which makes 135 horsepower and 123 foot-pounds of torque. Optional is a 1.4-liter turbocharged ECOTEC from Cruze. It makes just 3 more horsepower than the standard engine, but offers 25 more foot pounds of torque.

One of the most interesting facts about the Sonic is the fact that the suspension was tuned by Corvette engineers. Chevrolet says the Sonic is the only subcompact offered that is built in the United States.

The Sonic manufactured at the company's Orion Assembly Center in Michigan. The plant recently received a $545-million investment in upgrades and retooling for production of the Sonic. The Sonic subcompact is slated to go on sale this year, aimed at the Ford Fiesta and redesigned Hyundai Elantra.