Compare the2019 Chevrolet SonicVS 2019 Toyota Corolla

The Sonic’s blind spot mirrors use wide-angle convex mirrors mounted in the corner of each side view mirror to reveal objects that may be in the driver’s blind spots. The Corolla doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

The Sonic has standard OnStar®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Corolla doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Sonic and the Corolla have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front-wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available collision warning systems, lane departure warning systems and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Sonic is safer than the Toyota Corolla:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Sonic is safer than the Toyota Corolla:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Sonic’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Corolla’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 2 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Toyota dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sonic’s warranty.

The Chevrolet Sonic’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Corolla’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Sonic has a standard 438-amp battery. The Corolla’s 356-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 14 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 6th in reliability, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 8th.

The Sonic’s 1.4 turbo 4 cyl. produces 6 more horsepower (138 vs. 132) and 20 lbs.-ft. more torque (148 vs. 128) than the Corolla’s standard 1.8 DOHC 4 cyl. The Sonic’s 1.4 turbo 4 cyl. produces 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (148 vs. 126) than the Corolla LE Eco’s standard 1.8 DOHC 4 cyl.

As tested in Car and Driver the Chevrolet Sonic is faster than the Toyota Corolla (base engine) (manual transmissions tested):

To help the driver achieve optimum performance and fuel economy, the Sonic has a standard up-shift light to indicate when to shift based on power needs and conditions. The Corolla doesn’t offer an up-shift light.

The Sonic stops much shorter than the Corolla:

The Sonic has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Corolla’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Sonic has vehicle speed-sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Corolla doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better maneuverability, the Sonic LS/LT’s turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the Corolla’s (34.5 feet vs. 35.6 feet).

The Sonic Sedan is 9.2 inches shorter than the Corolla, making the Sonic easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Sonic Sedan has .4 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more rear headroom and 7.7 inches more rear hip room than the Corolla.

The Sonic Sedan has a much larger trunk than the Corolla (14.9 vs. 13 cubic feet).

The Sonic has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the Corolla (19 vs. 13 cubic feet).

The Sonic (except LS/Manual) offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The Corolla doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The power windows standard on both the Sonic and the Corolla have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Sonic is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Corolla prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Sonic LT/Premier’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its front windows also automatically close, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Corolla’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Sonic’s variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Corolla L’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

The Sonic LT/Premier’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Corolla’s power mirror controls are on the dash, hidden behind the steering wheel, where they are awkward to manipulate.

On extremely cold winter days, the Sonic’s optional (except LS/RS) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Corolla doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Insurance will cost less for the Sonic owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Sonic will cost $340 to $1665 less than the Corolla over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Sonic is less expensive to operate than the Corolla because it costs $9 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Sonic than the Corolla, including $98 less for a starter, $202 less for fuel injection, $58 less for a fuel pump, $29 less for front struts and $699 less for a timing belt/chain.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sonic second among small cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Corolla isn’t in the top three in its category.