Where Are Chevrolet Sonics Made? (Solved & Explained)

The Sonic is a nimble subcompact that’s great for zipping through crowded city streets.

It has 4G connectivity, acceptable interior room, and storage space — features urban drivers want.

In this article, we explore the origin of the Chevrolet Sonic.

Where Are Sonics Being Made?

The Chevrolet Sonic is assembled all over the world at different GM plants. In the USA, Sonic manufacturing occurs at the Orion Assembly Plant in Orion Township, Michigan, USA.

Other production locations include Ramos Arizpe, Mexico; Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, South Korea; and Yantai, Shandong Province, China.

Past production of the Sonic has taken place at the following locations: Rayong, Thailand, and Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia.

Read on about the Chevy Sonic problems here.

Are Sonics for the U.S. Market Produced in the U.S.?

Every Chevrolet Sonic sold in the United States is manufactured at the GM Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan.

Previously, GM manufactured subcompacts for the US market in South Korea or in Mexico due to cheaper labor costs.

GM had also considered importing the Sonic into the US from China. However, it opted to reopen the hitherto idling Orion Assembly in 2011 to build Sonics in the United States.

The Sonic ranks among the most American-made cars, according to the 2020 American-made Index.

The ranking rates cars based on how much of their parts are produced within the US.

Are They Being Assembled in the U.S.?

GM assembles US market Sonics at the Orion Assembly Plant, making the Sonic the only subcompact assembled in the US.

Other manufacturers such as Toyota (Yaris) and Honda (Fit) manufacture their subcompacts abroad to take advantage of lower labor costs.

Please also read our article about driving the Chevrolet Sonic in snow and winter.

How Can You Check Where a Specific Was Produced?

Your car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) identifies its country of origin and assembly location. Here’s a guide on using the VIN to find where your vehicle was made:

1. World Manufacturer Index

The World Manufacturer Index is a letter or number that identifies the country where a vehicle was produced. It is usually the first character in the VIN.

Cars made in North America have a number representing the WMI: for Mexican-made vehicles, it’s ‘2’ while it can be ‘1’, ‘4’, or ‘5’ for US-made vehicles.

Cars made outside North America mostly have letters for the WMI. A good example is vehicles that have ‘K’ as their WMI, indicating they are made in South Korea.

2. Plant Code

The Plant Code is a part of the VIN which shows the factory that assembled the vehicle.

The Plant Code is the 11th digit or letter of the VIN.

An example is cars made at the Orion Assembly that usually have ‘4’ as their plant code.

Make sure to also read our article about how long the Chevrolet Sonic lasts.

Are Japanese or European Built Sonic Better?

GM doesn’t have production facilities for the Sonic in Europe or Japan. Therefore, this question does not apply.

Where Is the Sonic Designed?

The likeliest place where GM designs the Sonic is the General Motors Design Center in Warren, Michigan.

The R&D facility handles design for many GM-owned brands such as Chevrolet and GMC.

Where Are Sonics Made for the Australia Market?

Sonics sold on the Australia market were produced at the GM assembly plant in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, South Korea.

GM’s Australian subsidiary, Holden, then imported them and sold them to buyers as the re-badged Holden Barinas.

This was until 2019 when stocks ran out and sales of the Barina stopped in Australia.

Where Are Sonics Made for the Canada Market?

The Orion Assembly plant in the USA handles the production of Chevrolet Sonics exported to the Canada market.

In the past, Canada Sonics have been assembled in Mexico.

Where Are Sonics Made for the U.K. Market?

In the past, GM used to manufacture the Chevrolet Aveo for the UK market — the Aveo is the same as the Sonic.

However, it seems the company has stopped selling the Aveo in the UK.

Also check our article about where the Chevrolet Corvette is made.

Is Chevrolet Planning to Move Its Production?

GM has announced plans to ax production of the Sonic after the 2020 model year.

This is part of a larger strategy to switch from the production of small cars to larger vehicles such as SUVs and trucks.

In the meantime, Sonic production is still ongoing in Mexico and Korea.

Is Chevrolet Hiring or Firing in the U.S.?

GM has laid off about 680 workers from its US factories in 2020, citing reduced production resulting from a worldwide fall in demand.

It is also a move to cut costs as carmakers struggle to cope with falling sales of vehicles.

We found a few job listings that show vacancies at some GM factories, including in Missouri, Nevada, Michigan, and other cities.

Is Chevrolet an American Company?

Owned by General Motors, Chevrolet is an American automaker founded in the early 1900s.

Chevrolet manufactures a large number of its vehicles in the United States and employs thousands of American automotive workers.

Was this article helpful?