Dimensions of the 2012 Aveo / Sonic - longer, lower, wider

[MetroMPG]

So when the 2012 Aveo design patent images came out a couple of weeks ago I thought: we could use those to figure out the size of the next gen car compared to the current one.



For now these figures below are estimates, and here's how I came up with them...

• If we know the actual dimensions of something in the full size image, we can figure out the ratio of pixels/inch and apply that ratio to measure the rest of the car.[/*:m:1b871t55]
• I used the wheels, and assumed they are 15 inches. 15 inch wheels are actually closer to 16.25 inches at the outside diameter of the lip, so that's the key measurement all the others below are based on.[/*:m:1b871t55]
• I used the full size patent images available from the web for best accuracy[/*:m:1b871t55]

From those calcs, here's an estimate of the 2012 hatchback compared to the current hatchback:

Dimension:  2010 (in / mm) ... 2012 (in / mm) ... difference (in / mm)

Wheelbase:     97.6 / 2479 ...    98.7 / 2507 ... +1.1 / 27.6
Length:       154.3 / 3919 ...   157.7 / 4005 ... +3.4 / 85
Width:         66.1 / 1679 ...    68.2 / 1732 ... +2.1 / 53
Height:        59.3 / 1506 ...    59.2 / 1503 ... -0.1 / 3
Track (front): 57.1 / 1450 ...    59.0 / 1498 ... +1.9 / 48
Track (rear):  55.5 / 1410 ...    57.0 / 1447 ... +1.5 / 37 **

(** I found a possible mistake in the patent image of the rear view of the car. The rear view shows the same track as the front view, which isn't likely in reality. So I measured from a point in the image that I think was likely meant to show the actual rear track.)

So by these calcs, it's a bit bigger. 3 inches longer, a couple wider, but keeping the same height (maybe a tad lower).

UPDATE, Jan 10, 2011:

The official specs of the 2012 Sonic/Aveo were released today, and they're pretty darn close to the estimates above... with the exception of the rear track. GM really did make the rear the same as the front. That's a little unusual - normally the rear track is slightly narrower.

Anyway, here are the actual dimensions:

Dimensions - Exterior

	sedan	five-door
Wheelbase (in / mm):	99.4 / 2525	99.4 / 2525
Overall length (in / mm):	173.1 / 4399	159 / 4039
Overall width (in / mm):	68.3 / 1735	68.3 / 1735
Overall height (in / mm):	59.7 / 1517	59.7 / 1517
Track (in / mm):	front: 59.4 / 1509 rear: 59.4 / 1509	front: 59.4 / 1509 rear: 59.4 / 1509
Curb weight (lb / kg):	TBD	TBD

[Daox]

Woo, nice info put together there Darin!

[thehunterooo]

nice calcs, looks like the bumper sticks more for the added length lol

still small though, wonder what the curb weight will come in at

[MetroMPG]

Thanks.

Me too - I hope GM doesn't pork it up. (I'd like to hope for some weight reduction actually. )

[MetroMPG]

If we had a similar CAD quality image of the existing car, we could overlay them to see where the length was added.

[serega12]

Does this help?

[thehunterooo]

are they proposinate? looks like the 1st gen is smaller?

[MetroMPG]

Oh yeah, those look good! I'll play with them tomorrow.

[serega12]

are they proposinate? looks like the 1st gen is smaller?

Proposinate? You mean proportional? They don't have to be. MetroMPG can play with them and reduce/increase one to match the other. The second gen is the one he's been looking for, but the first one would be good to do too since majority of us here have 1st gen Aveos...

[MetroMPG]

Anyone willing to take a few key measurements of their cars? It'll help verify the accuracy of those pics .

When overlaid the 2012 on the current car, and matched the rim size, it didn't work out. (The 2012 was shorter).

A straight measurement like the bottom edge of the front door would let us check the images against the official measurement stats.