2022
Well, it's been a fun 7 years with the Sonic. Today I sold the car. Bought me an Elantra N.October 2021
I found a custom builder that creates parts for the Sonic, and I really like the grill he made. I purchased one from Beastlick Designs, and it arrived in about 3 weeks time. I took it to the body shop I've used previously and they had it installed for me.
I like how it shows the intercooler better.. There was a bit of white showing from the chassis behind the grill (where originally was a black bar across) so I had to do a quick black painting put on the chassis to hide it.
Everything considered, I like how it turned out!
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| Beastlick Design Grill |
September 2020
After installing these parts the performance improved quite a lot, I got a best of 6.77 seconds on my 0-60 and no more misfire cylinders, which could've potentially damage engine parts. Very happy with everything!
July 2020
I bought Performance Tires this time around. Hankook Ventus S1 Noble 2. Quite amazing the difference in grip better tires make when accelerating and cornering.
June 2020
Decided this month to upgrade my front brakes. I've been using the stock brakes since I got the car, and though they still seem pretty good to me, I'm already at 65k! Think it's best to replace them.
February 2020
I decided to do an upgrade to the car's ignition. Since now I'm making more power than stock with a much higher boost, I figured I provide the car with more voltage. I bought the MSD Coil Pack, this coil pack generates 50% higher voltage. I also bought NGK V-Power Spark Plugs, which are one-step colder.
Car does seem to have a much faster startup.
January 2020
Starting off the year with a cool upgrade. Ever since I bought the car in 2015 I wanted to buy the body kit for it, and now I finally got to do it. Back in September I purchased the body kit directly from Air Design USA; and this month I had it painted, I went to GC Auto Body & Paint out here in Orlando. I was able to install the body kit myself along with my father.
I did had to buy a new jack that is low profile and strong enough to lift from the chassis itself, in case I have a flat, since the one it comes with is now useless due to the side skirts.
July 2019
Time for the big upgrade! The ZZP Big Wheel Turbo V2. This is basically the same stock turbo used on the Sonic but with a few modifications made to it. The compressor wheel is 18% larger, the turbine wheel is 12% larger, and the wastegate diaphragm is 2psi higher than stock!
More power means more fuel is needed. To accomodate this I bought Bosch 52# Fuel Injectors. The stock injectors max out at around 170whp, these injectors help sustain power beyond 250whp.
Once I had these installed, I had it tuned by Trifecta.
After a few 0-60 runs, my best time was 7.34s!! That is a gain of 3/4 of a second with this turbo.
May 2019
After 4 years of owning the Sonic I've arrived at 50k miles. Time to celebrate with 3 upgrades. The first being the stainless steel ZZP Racing Downpipe. With running on higher boost, a larger diameter tubing can help on the car's performance due to an increased exhaust gas output demand.
Once installed I got a Catalyst System error, since it is now missing the catalytic converter. All I had to do, was use the Trifecta tune to turn off the check engine warning. I tried a 0-60 run, and though not much of difference was made from 8.12 to 8.09, it will very much no doubt help on my oncoming upgrade next month. Stay tuned!
April 2019
With all the tuning I've been doing to my car, the one essential thing which I have forgotten to do was to fill it up with better fluid. The car's blood. So I chose Amsoil for the motor, transmission, brakes and coolant. By far tested to be the best fluid for a car.
March 2019
This next update came as a simple one. Bought new ZZPerformance lowering springs, and dropped the car 1.25". Had these installed at Walter's and Sons, great PR mechanic. Now I'm contemplating whether I should buy the Z-spec 18" white rims... maybe one day when my tires wear out.
July 2018
This month I bought and installed the new Performance Intake Manifold by RacerX Fabrication. Steel made with O-ring gaskets. It provides an increase in HP and torque throughout the RPM band. My 0-60 timing has improved from 8.5 seconds to 8.12 seconds.
After it was installed I ran into a problem where the hose connected to the PCV was blown away by the high air pressure passing thru. So I replace the cheap clamps with some nice stainless ones, now it is held very tight.
March 2018
I've always liked how some cars have a front emblem on their grille, so I figured why not do it to mine too? I went to the dealership, and bought the same turbo emblem that is already on the trunk, and put it onto the grille. To make sure it won't fall, I super glued the top and bottom edge to bond the emblem and grille.
January 2018
New year, new upgrade for the Sonic.
Introducing the ZZP Intercooler with Aluminum Charge Pipes.
A performance intercooler can go a long way in helping reduce the intake air charge temperature. I'm running a higher psi boost than stock due to a tune, so this helps the turbocharger air to remain cooler as it passes thru the IC, carrying more oxygen towards the engine, allowing to burn more fuel, thus (hopefully) creating more power. Plus is less likely to combust since the temperature is initially lower. Eventually I want to upgrade the turbo to put out more power, so then it will definitely benefit more from having a performance IC.
This intercooler comes with aluminum tubing which is a good reflector of heat. When installed by the mechanic, I ran into 2 issues with pipes which I only noticed later on.
April 2017
It's been quite a while since my last modification but bills always comes first. I still have many other plans for the Sonic in the performance department, but for now just sticking to some visuals.
I checked out Chevymall to see any accessories they may carry for my car, and found two things that I liked so I purchased them.
I purchased a license plate frame, it's made of solid brass material and has the Chevy and Sonic logo across it.
I decided to switch tuner. I've been having issues with the Trifecta due to misfire cylinders, so I decided to try out HP Tuners instead. I had ZZP tune it for me since I have lots of parts from them.
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| HP Tuners |
I also purchased their Mid-Pipe to complete the whole exhaust package as 2.5" diameter tubing.
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| ZZP Mid-pipe |
Check out a video of my 0-60 below.
July 2020
I bought Performance Tires this time around. Hankook Ventus S1 Noble 2. Quite amazing the difference in grip better tires make when accelerating and cornering.
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| Hankook Ventus S1 Noble 2 |
June 2020
Decided this month to upgrade my front brakes. I've been using the stock brakes since I got the car, and though they still seem pretty good to me, I'm already at 65k! Think it's best to replace them.
So I went with some drilled/ slotted rotors and ceramice pads from Power Stop Brakes.
Living in a wet climate area out here in Florida, these drilled/ slotted rotors help braking power in the rain by allowing the water to escape into the drilled/ slotted areas, and the ceramic pads not only are more durable but also eliminates all that iron brake dust that's been staining the white finish on the car.
April 2020
I've been having a bit of a rough startup after installing the injectors, so after some research I came across the solution. In making more power, more fuel is needed, and for this reason I bought a RacerX Fuel Pump Kit with a Walbro fuel pump that provides higher pump flow than stock.
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| Power Stop front brake kit |
April 2020
I've been having a bit of a rough startup after installing the injectors, so after some research I came across the solution. In making more power, more fuel is needed, and for this reason I bought a RacerX Fuel Pump Kit with a Walbro fuel pump that provides higher pump flow than stock.
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| RacerX Fuel Pump Hanger Kit |
I also purchased RacerX Fuel Rail Kit, which provides the injectors with more fuel flow.
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| RacerX Fuel Rail Kit |
UPDATE: It was a bit of a nightmare tuning this fuel pump. Walbro are Gerotor style fuel pumps, which provides a
static fuel flow. You need a Turbine style fuel pump, which is a
variable fuel pump like the one provided stock, but with higher flow. I also had to install a return line due to it being a static flow. I would suggest if upgrading the fuel pump, make sure it is a turbine.
February 2020
I decided to do an upgrade to the car's ignition. Since now I'm making more power than stock with a much higher boost, I figured I provide the car with more voltage. I bought the MSD Coil Pack, this coil pack generates 50% higher voltage. I also bought NGK V-Power Spark Plugs, which are one-step colder.
Car does seem to have a much faster startup.
MSD Coil Pack
January 2020
Starting off the year with a cool upgrade. Ever since I bought the car in 2015 I wanted to buy the body kit for it, and now I finally got to do it. Back in September I purchased the body kit directly from Air Design USA; and this month I had it painted, I went to GC Auto Body & Paint out here in Orlando. I was able to install the body kit myself along with my father.
I did had to buy a new jack that is low profile and strong enough to lift from the chassis itself, in case I have a flat, since the one it comes with is now useless due to the side skirts.
 |
| Air Design USA Body Kit |
July 2019
Time for the big upgrade! The ZZP Big Wheel Turbo V2. This is basically the same stock turbo used on the Sonic but with a few modifications made to it. The compressor wheel is 18% larger, the turbine wheel is 12% larger, and the wastegate diaphragm is 2psi higher than stock!
 |
| ZZP Big Wheel Turbo V2 |
More power means more fuel is needed. To accomodate this I bought Bosch 52# Fuel Injectors. The stock injectors max out at around 170whp, these injectors help sustain power beyond 250whp.
 |
| Bosch 52# Fuel Injectors |
Once I had these installed, I had it tuned by Trifecta.
After a few 0-60 runs, my best time was 7.34s!! That is a gain of 3/4 of a second with this turbo.
After 4 years of owning the Sonic I've arrived at 50k miles. Time to celebrate with 3 upgrades. The first being the stainless steel ZZP Racing Downpipe. With running on higher boost, a larger diameter tubing can help on the car's performance due to an increased exhaust gas output demand.
Once installed I got a Catalyst System error, since it is now missing the catalytic converter. All I had to do, was use the Trifecta tune to turn off the check engine warning. I tried a 0-60 run, and though not much of difference was made from 8.12 to 8.09, it will very much no doubt help on my oncoming upgrade next month. Stay tuned!
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| 50k Miles on Sonic |
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| ZZP Racing Downpipe |
April 2019
With all the tuning I've been doing to my car, the one essential thing which I have forgotten to do was to fill it up with better fluid. The car's blood. So I chose Amsoil for the motor, transmission, brakes and coolant. By far tested to be the best fluid for a car.
 |
| Amsoil Motor, Transmission, Brake and Coolant fluids. |
March 2019
This next update came as a simple one. Bought new ZZPerformance lowering springs, and dropped the car 1.25". Had these installed at Walter's and Sons, great PR mechanic. Now I'm contemplating whether I should buy the Z-spec 18" white rims... maybe one day when my tires wear out.
 |
| ZZPerformance Lowering Springs |
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| Chevy Sonic lowered 1.25" |
July 2018
This month I bought and installed the new Performance Intake Manifold by RacerX Fabrication. Steel made with O-ring gaskets. It provides an increase in HP and torque throughout the RPM band. My 0-60 timing has improved from 8.5 seconds to 8.12 seconds.
After it was installed I ran into a problem where the hose connected to the PCV was blown away by the high air pressure passing thru. So I replace the cheap clamps with some nice stainless ones, now it is held very tight.
 |
| RacerX Performance Intake Manifold |
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| Performance Manifold on Chevy Sonic |
March 2018
I've always liked how some cars have a front emblem on their grille, so I figured why not do it to mine too? I went to the dealership, and bought the same turbo emblem that is already on the trunk, and put it onto the grille. To make sure it won't fall, I super glued the top and bottom edge to bond the emblem and grille.
 |
| Turbo Emblem on Grille |
January 2018
New year, new upgrade for the Sonic.
Introducing the ZZP Intercooler with Aluminum Charge Pipes.
A performance intercooler can go a long way in helping reduce the intake air charge temperature. I'm running a higher psi boost than stock due to a tune, so this helps the turbocharger air to remain cooler as it passes thru the IC, carrying more oxygen towards the engine, allowing to burn more fuel, thus (hopefully) creating more power. Plus is less likely to combust since the temperature is initially lower. Eventually I want to upgrade the turbo to put out more power, so then it will definitely benefit more from having a performance IC.
This intercooler comes with aluminum tubing which is a good reflector of heat. When installed by the mechanic, I ran into 2 issues with pipes which I only noticed later on.
- The oil filter is located under the charge pipe. The stock charge pipe since it is made of rubber it could be easily budged out of the way to remove the filter, however, the ZZP tubing is hard aluminum, which made it impossible to remove the oil filter.
- The tube was touching the car's chassis around the bend, which made a constant vibration noise when driving.
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| ZZP Intercooler with Aluminum Charge Pipes |
April 2017
It's been quite a while since my last modification but bills always comes first. I still have many other plans for the Sonic in the performance department, but for now just sticking to some visuals.
I checked out Chevymall to see any accessories they may carry for my car, and found two things that I liked so I purchased them.
I purchased a license plate frame, it's made of solid brass material and has the Chevy and Sonic logo across it.
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| Chevy Sonic license plate frame |
March 2016
I'm very excited about this new install. I added extra gauges to the dashboard. What I most like about this, is the location they were installed in. The Sonic comes with a useless coin holder (or whatever you put there), mounted in the center dashboard. So I bought a gauge pod from ZZPerformance that installs in that very location. Couldn't ask for a better spot!
I installed two gauges on it, a turbo boost gauge and air/fuel ratio gauge. It's a narrowband AFR, and although a wideband would give me a more accurate reading, the way the car is setup, it won't allow for a wideband unless I change the downpipe, and I'm not ready for that yet. Both gauges are from Autometer, I mainly bought these because they are licensed by Chevy, and it looks really nice with the Chevy bowtie logo on it.
The gauge pod came in black and with a rough texture, so I took it to Service King Collision body shop and had them sand down the texture to smooth it out plus match the interior color of the car. Next, I took it once again to Starling Chevrolet to get them installed. This part didn't go down as smoothly. The boost gauge worked just fine, no problem there. But the AFR a whole other story. I ended up having to take it back 3 times because it wouldn't work properly. First time it would stay on lean, second time it stayed on lean and rich at the same time! But third time was the charm, it worked as it should, bouncing back and forth when cruising, rich when accelerating, and lean when decelerating.
February 2016
This month I installed two new features on my Sonic. On the front and back.
Beautiful Project Halo Headlights by Anzo. They're much nicer
than stock, it seems all the chrome was removed and instead filled with
black nickel. Double halos but not a strong LED light as a BMW, however
it still can be seen very well. And the projector lights brightens up
nicely by evening. I went back to Starling Chevrolet to get them
installed. I wanted to install them myself to save money, however, just
to remove the headlights I would also have to remove the bumper.
Honestly, not something I want to mess with, rather not take the chance
of breaking something. So they installed it and once again did a great
job.
The next addition is for the tail lights. As I mentioned on a previous
post, I very much like the blacked out tail lights of a hatchback, but
since no other kind of tail light was made for the sedan and they're
very normal looking, I wanted to change it up. So I found these glued
on chrome covers for it. I love the look of it, it's different, and
matches the chrome trim found throughout the car.
January 2016
New Year, New Tuning. Bought the Trifecta Powertrain Calibration!
Wow! What a difference it made. They weren't exaggerating with the amount of power gain. I gained 1.5 seconds from 0-60! Considering it used to do 10 seconds flat and now I'm running 8.5 seconds, I say it was worth every cent.
Installation was easy, grabbed a laptop, hooked it to the car (they shipped me a OBD II adapter), downloaded the files from their site, followed video instructions and within 20 minutes or so, it was fully installed.
Of course not everything went as smoothly, but it was to be expected. When driving, the intake seemed to suck a lot of air before switching gears, causing to stall. Within 2 hours an engine code appeared, car was running too lean. Meaning, the engine isn't burning enough gas for the amount of air being drawn in, hence the intake issue I mentioned. A precedent to engine failure if not fixed.
I got back to them, they asked me to datalog the car with their program by driving it, and within 2 days of sending the file output to them, they provided me with another recalibration file. Once installed the car ran smoothly. Greatly satisfied!
Watch the video below of my 0-60 mph run in 8.5 seconds.
October 2015
Exciting day! Was looking for an exhaust and intake for power gain. Though there are lots of manufacturers who do this, Chevy actually makes their own performance parts for the Sonic.
Yes, they are overpriced (what isn't at a dealer) but they do one thing which no other manufacturer can do - guarantee my car warranty won't be affected, considering I'm using GM parts and installed by GM dealer technicians. Another reason to buy from them, getting the car recalibrated is already included in the price.
Intake:
Great sounding intake. Well designed and boxed to prevent the hot air from being sucked in. No doubt it gained a bit of HP.
Exhaust:
Purrs when starting up and roars when accelerating. A low-restriction exhaust with a stainless steel tip, giving a 10HP gain and 15 lb-ft torque.
I got both parts installed at Starling Chevrolet, they gave me a better price than Autonation. They did a great job. I will go back to them for any further car need.
Ran a 0-60 and the car gained a 1/2 second advantage from both parts.
Next I am eyeing some nice projector halo headlights, as well as a powertrain recalibration which states the car will gain a whopping 44whp and 51 lb-ft torque! Stay tuned!
July 2015
Mechanical:
Exterior:
I'm very excited about this new install. I added extra gauges to the dashboard. What I most like about this, is the location they were installed in. The Sonic comes with a useless coin holder (or whatever you put there), mounted in the center dashboard. So I bought a gauge pod from ZZPerformance that installs in that very location. Couldn't ask for a better spot!
 |
| Turbo Boost and AFR gauges |
I installed two gauges on it, a turbo boost gauge and air/fuel ratio gauge. It's a narrowband AFR, and although a wideband would give me a more accurate reading, the way the car is setup, it won't allow for a wideband unless I change the downpipe, and I'm not ready for that yet. Both gauges are from Autometer, I mainly bought these because they are licensed by Chevy, and it looks really nice with the Chevy bowtie logo on it.
The gauge pod came in black and with a rough texture, so I took it to Service King Collision body shop and had them sand down the texture to smooth it out plus match the interior color of the car. Next, I took it once again to Starling Chevrolet to get them installed. This part didn't go down as smoothly. The boost gauge worked just fine, no problem there. But the AFR a whole other story. I ended up having to take it back 3 times because it wouldn't work properly. First time it would stay on lean, second time it stayed on lean and rich at the same time! But third time was the charm, it worked as it should, bouncing back and forth when cruising, rich when accelerating, and lean when decelerating.
February 2016
This month I installed two new features on my Sonic. On the front and back.
 |
| Projector Halo Headlights |
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| Chrome Tail Lights Cover |
January 2016
New Year, New Tuning. Bought the Trifecta Powertrain Calibration!
Wow! What a difference it made. They weren't exaggerating with the amount of power gain. I gained 1.5 seconds from 0-60! Considering it used to do 10 seconds flat and now I'm running 8.5 seconds, I say it was worth every cent.
Installation was easy, grabbed a laptop, hooked it to the car (they shipped me a OBD II adapter), downloaded the files from their site, followed video instructions and within 20 minutes or so, it was fully installed.
Of course not everything went as smoothly, but it was to be expected. When driving, the intake seemed to suck a lot of air before switching gears, causing to stall. Within 2 hours an engine code appeared, car was running too lean. Meaning, the engine isn't burning enough gas for the amount of air being drawn in, hence the intake issue I mentioned. A precedent to engine failure if not fixed.
I got back to them, they asked me to datalog the car with their program by driving it, and within 2 days of sending the file output to them, they provided me with another recalibration file. Once installed the car ran smoothly. Greatly satisfied!
Watch the video below of my 0-60 mph run in 8.5 seconds.
October 2015
Exciting day! Was looking for an exhaust and intake for power gain. Though there are lots of manufacturers who do this, Chevy actually makes their own performance parts for the Sonic.
Yes, they are overpriced (what isn't at a dealer) but they do one thing which no other manufacturer can do - guarantee my car warranty won't be affected, considering I'm using GM parts and installed by GM dealer technicians. Another reason to buy from them, getting the car recalibrated is already included in the price.
 |
| GM Performance Cold Air Intake |
Intake:
Great sounding intake. Well designed and boxed to prevent the hot air from being sucked in. No doubt it gained a bit of HP.
 |
| GM Performance High Flow Exhaust System |
Purrs when starting up and roars when accelerating. A low-restriction exhaust with a stainless steel tip, giving a 10HP gain and 15 lb-ft torque.
I got both parts installed at Starling Chevrolet, they gave me a better price than Autonation. They did a great job. I will go back to them for any further car need.
Ran a 0-60 and the car gained a 1/2 second advantage from both parts.
Next I am eyeing some nice projector halo headlights, as well as a powertrain recalibration which states the car will gain a whopping 44whp and 51 lb-ft torque! Stay tuned!
July 2015
Bought a brand new 0-mile 2015 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ sedan. First car I own :)
Probably should've bought a hatchback (HB) instead, since I have no true
need for a 4-door car.
But the sedan is about a grand cheaper than its counter-version.
My goal is in time to tune the car, as a hobby. An expensive hobby, but it's fun.
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| my 2015 Chevy Sonic LTZ 1.4L Turbo |
Got it at Autonation Chevrolet. Terrible dealership, but I got a
good price on it. They were trying to overcharge me for $600;
half for window tinting, half for a strip line on the vehicle side... I
got cheaper window tinting somewhere else (blacked out tints), and I
don't need any strip line.
Always check what they are charging you for. The saleswoman kept
trying to change the conversation so I wouldn't dig any further as to
what they were charging me for.
Sonic Review
Mechanical:
I enjoy the maneuverability of the car. Mine is automatic with 6-speed. I tend to switch back and forth between Drive and Manual, depending on how traffic is playing out. Very smooth transmission.
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| Turbo - 10psi boost |
The LTZ has a small engine, a 1.4L, but
to make up for its size they included a small turbo to push it at 138HP,
and give it a torque of 148lb-ft.
Exterior:
Love the look of the headlights, but not a fan of its tail lights...
will have to change that. The HB has a more interesting look to it, as
it is blacked out.
I noticed an assembly issue with the Sonic, the doors and hood are not well aligned. I went to the dealership and noticed that all Sonic vehicles are this way... Poor manufacturing attention to small cars I guess.
Other worth mentioning exterior specs: car comes stock with 17" rims, a
spoiler w/brake light, chrome trim around the car, and a blacked out
grill in which the front mount intercooler can be seen through.
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| Jet Black/ Brick interior |
Interior came with great options.
- All automatic (door locks, side mirror, windows).
- Heated seats.
- Leatherette seat trim.
- MP3 player.
- Bluetooth/ USB/ Wi-Fi connection.
- LCD screen.
- Rear-view camera.
- Remote start and entry.
- 10 air bags.
- Traction control.
- 6-speaker audio system.
- Tilt steering wheel.
Gauges: it has a digital gauge speedometer. I always liked the
needle gauge type better tho. It also comes with a RPM gauge which I love the look. I will eventually
get a turbo boost gauge and air/fuel gauge hooked to it.
Right now the car runs at 10.5 seconds 0-60 mph. Eventually I'll start tuning it to make even quicker than a RS.
Keep tuned for updates.
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