Chevrolet tries deluxe version of tiny Sonic car

"Sophistication and refinement" and "small car" don't usually go together, but Chevrolet is out to change that today with the announcement that it's going to produce a luxe edition of its Sonic subcompact.

What's next? The Gucci edition?

Chevrolet is going to unveil the model next week at the SEMA aftermarket products show in Las Vegas.

The new model will be called the Sonic Dusk sedan. Outside, the car will have a body ground effects package, a rear spoiler and large, 18-inch aluminum wheels. The devil is in the details, where Dusk will have touches like door handle inserts and a rear license plate frame in a matte finish.

The interior will feature black leather-trimmed seats with suede accents and tan inserts. Mojave accent stitching and tan-color door panel and instrument panel accents were designed to enhance the cabin's ambience, Chevy says.

It's an interesting gambit. Buyers of small cars like the Sonic usually are trying to spend as little as possible, so they refrain for adding a lot of extras to cars. But Ford, among others, is showing with its Focus that a new buyer is out there that wants small and economical without giving up a lot of the comforts and small luxuries of larger cars.

"Just like we've done with Corvettes and Camaros, we're taking another one of our core products and adapting it to our customers' lifestyles," said Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet marketing, in a statement. "The reaction to the Sonic Dusk concept last year was overwhelmingly positive and proved customers are interested in a more-refined subcompact. We're moving quickly to bring Sonic Dusk to Chevrolet showrooms."

Like other Sonics, the car is eqjuipped with an Ecotec turbocharged 1.4-liter engine rated at 138 horsepower. It comes with either a six-speed automatic or manual transmission.

USA Today