We know that the 2012 Chevy Sonic will be available in the US in both hatchback and sedan form. And we know that GM is looking to move all of its small cars over to the Gamma II platform. That includes things like this yet-to-be-named small soft-roader currently testing in and around GM's Opel proving grounds in Germany.
The obscured face will likely change for various markets as this front-or-four-wheel drive will be sold under Opel, Daewoo and Chevy brands around the world. Whether or not "around the world" includes the United States is unclear, but consider that Nissan does sell the Juke here and even Mini is playing in the small crossover game with the Countryman.
So...Should they?
greenpony says:
02:12 PM, 02/15/11
Should they even compete?? It's a small SUV/crossover thingie that probably gets respectable fuel economy. 95% of the engineering work is probably already done. With perpetually-increasing CAFE requirements looming, the question is: why *wouldn't* they?
bankerdanny says:
03:37 PM, 02/15/11
Suzuki (and GM) sold a boat load of slow small SUV's in the form of the Suzuki Sidekick/Geo Tracker. Seems like the market for a similar product is ripe again.
albook says:
07:08 PM, 02/15/11
With the Equinox so big, why not? It had better look as good or better than the Kia Sportage if it wants to compete, though.
nicolasbowtiet says:
02:10 AM, 02/16/11
They have to bring it to the US, it could bring a great alternative to the bigger crossover, as long as it's sporty, GMC already has the Granite which seems under it's way. CUVs are great!!
northsparrow says:
06:24 AM, 02/16/11
This thing is testing in Germany but who designed it - people from Opel or folks in Korea who could not pass the Hyundai entrance test and consequently went to work for Daewoo?
It will certainly sell in countries with 2 critical factors: expensive gas and customers who don't do reliability research.
greenpony says:
07:46 AM, 02/16/11
Reliability research on a brand new model?
ed124c says:
09:14 AM, 02/16/11
Can't see enough of it to comment on the styling, but it sure does need a bigger diameter tire/wheel package.
northsparrow says:
10:07 AM, 02/16/11
greenpony,
Reliability research on the brand who actually designed, engineered and built it.
starliner54 says:
03:24 PM, 02/16/11
Both GMC & Buick were reported to be getting small SUV/CUV type models in the near future, so something is on the way. The Sonic will be built in the US, so a derivative would be easy to do here as well. The platform was developed in Korea.
knoxvilledavid says:
09:50 AM, 02/22/11
northsparrow is right, daewoo is a bad source for any vehicle, at least until they prove otherwise. Take it from a Reno owner who failed to research and thought he was getting a Suzuki engineered and manufactured small car. Suzuki quickly shed that albatross and are still recovering from it. Now I've lived with it for five years, and fortunately most of the $4000 in unscheduled maintenance was covered under warranty. Suzuki even gave me one month's payment as 'goodwill ' for my frustration.
noobnox says:
08:18 AM, 02/23/11
Looks similar in size to the original Saturn Vue which used a shorter wheelbase version of the Theta platform of the current Equinox/Terrain/SRX. Should GM bring it to the U.S.? Sure, why not...people here are starting to warm to the smaller SUV/CUV's, and gas prices are headed upwards again.
almprin06 says:
06:22 AM, 04/11/11
Like the Nissan Cube & Kia Soul, America would love this small SUV.
It is definitely a size-class-smaller than Nissan Rogue\Saturn VUE, but still nice-and-tall for easy ingress\egress...
As a more compact choice, it would be a nice fit with ever increasing US gas prices...
Bring it on!
ianzoe1 says:
03:28 PM, 09/ 5/11
Hmmmm.....Looks exactly like my 2008 Saturn Vue. Same mirros and everythign!