2012 Chevrolet Sonic

 The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic is the company's latest effort in the category. As the successor to the egregiously disappointing Aveo, the Sonic needs to prove that GM can do more than unload Korean hatches at the dock. We took to the wheel of a few pre-production models in Indianapolis, Indiana to see how the effort is coming along.

 Much of the compact's personality comes from its angular visage and massive, scowling quad headlamps, which give the impression that the Sonic is either deep in furious thought or on the verge of eating your cat. It's kind of like a less cuddly version of ALF. Those headlights are built with four smaller lenses instead of a single, larger polycarbonate cover. While the design makes for a striking looker in the flesh, we'd hate to have to scrub bug bits from the details.

 The Sonic will arrive with two engine options - a naturally aspirated 1.8-liter four with an estimated 138 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 125 pound-feet of torque at 3,800 rpm and a turbocharged 1.4-liter four with 138 hp at 4,900 rpm and a heady 148 lb-ft of torque at just 1,850 rpm. Those powertrain options should sound plenty familiar, as they're the same beating hearts employed in the larger, heavier Chevrolet Cruze.

 Chevrolet treats the driver to a small steering wheel with simulated perforation and all the appropriate contours. The piece stands ahead of the new compact's motorcycle-inspired gauge cluster. When we first laid eyes on the massive tachometer and blue LCD screen back at the Detroit Auto Show, we weren't entirely taken with the design, but we've grown to appreciate its simplicity. The large tachometer is easy to read and the massive miles-per-hour reading keeps the driver constantly informed of vehicle speed.