2012 Chevrolet Sonic Hill Hold Assist Lends an Extra Foot

Getting ready to storm US dealerships, the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic begins to flex its muscles in our face, showing us what it is capable of. For example, the latest video released by the American automaker emphasizes on Sonic’s capability of managing hills. That's because the 2012 Sonic comes fitted with standard hill-hold technology on all manual transmission models.

Hill-hold technology makes navigating hilly terrain with a manual as effortless as an automatic, allowing drivers to get started without rolling backward or forward.

In a Sonic equipped with hill-hold, a pitch sensor detects the tilt of the body when the car is stopped on a slope and sends a signal to the stability control system.  This triggers the electronically controlled brake hardware to keep the wheels clamped for up to two seconds after the driver releases the brake pedal.

“It will retain the braking force that the driver applied with the chassis control system and hold the vehicle in place,” said John Buttermore, lead development engineer for the Sonic. “That’s long enough for the driver to safely apply the accelerator and let out the clutch for a smooth start, always heading in the right direction.”

The all-new 2012 Chevrolet Sonic will be available in two body styles - a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback - and two trim levels, and will retail from $14,495 including a $760 destination charge.

We’ll remind you the sub-compact is expected to deliver 40 mpg highway with class-leading acceleration when paired with the 1.4L Turbo and six-speed manual transmission.