RS is a sporty, comfortable commuter

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As far as the first responsibility is concerned, it is certainly not saddled with an easy task, seeing that the range steps into the ring against real toughies such as VW Polo, Ford Fiesta, Opel Corsa, Hyundai i20, Toyota Yaris, Peugeot 208 and Renault Clio.

Living up to the high expectations set by the RS badge, which dates way back in time, is also no easy task. I recently spent a week in the company of the nippy RS to find how well it stacks up.

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In terms of looks, it tries hard to exude excitement with a bold front end, double matt black grille and big embedded lights, snazzy alloy wheels, roof-mounted spoiler and big-mouthed exhaust. The living quarters are also splashed with sportiness with tight-fitting but comfortable bucket seats with red stitching. A small steering wheel, sporty pedals, RS engraved floor mats and a stubby gear-lever add further pleasant touches. A nice touch that will appeal to the younger set is the new MyLink infotainment system with touchscreen interface.

On the road the RS shows keenness when you feed it heavy doses of juice and although its 1.4 turbo-fed engine kicks out a fairly healthy 103kW and 200Nm, it does need to be pedalled quite hard and kept in the higher rev band to produce maximum performance. Chevrolet claims it will do a 0-100km/h time of 10.35 and run on to a top speed of 197km/h.

Although no slug, the RS certainly is no tar-scorcher, particular if you compare it to more expensive hotties such as the Peugeot 208 GT, Ford Fiesta ST and others. But it weighs up well against level competition such as the Suzuki Swift Sport which is closely matched in terms of price and performance.

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The ride is on the firm side but not uncomfortably so, and little Chev handles the corners well. The ABS brakes, ably assisted with EBD, are more than good enough to cope with any flat-on-the-mat enthusiasm.

As a total package, the RS hoists an attractive flag for the Sonic range, not only with its looks and spirited ride, but also because it really is an attractive, comfortable, and pleasant commuter chariot.

The rest of the Sonic range (three hatches and three sedans) are priced from R196,700 to R219,600.The Sonic RS price of R233,400 includes a three-year/60,000km service plan.