GM Revives Chevy Sonic Nameplate After Five-Year Hiatus

With the official announcement of the upcoming 2027 Chevy Sonic crossover in Brazil, General Motors revives the global Chevy Sonic nameplate five years after discontinuing it.

The automaker has decided to revive the global Chevy Sonic nameplate to market Chevrolet’s next entry-level crossover, developed in Brazil, just five years after the nameplate was discontinued with the end of production of the previous generation in the United States. The Sonic name was launched in December 2010 in North America and will be reborn in early 2026 on a subcompact model with a new body style.

“The Sonic, debuting in 2026, introduces a new car concept and revives a global Chevrolet name, reflecting the brand’s plans to offer models with a consistent identity in different markets,” said GM South America. “Besides, it evokes the idea of youthfulness, lightness and modernity. All this without losing the connection to the legacy of trust and quality that brand has built for 100 years in the region,” the company added.

Notably, the revival of the global Chevy Sonic nameplate follows GM’s strategy of reusing familiar Chevrolet names for new vehicle models, a practice initiated several years ago in international markets. In addition to the 2019 Chevy Captiva relaunch, the most recent example is the all-new Chevy Spark EUV, which revives the name of the brand’s iconic city car for a new all-electric small crossover.

GM states that the Bowtie brand’s plan is to offer models with a consistent identity across different markets, leveraging the established recognition and positioning of global names in each category. While the upcoming Chevy Sonic will be a crossover rather than a hatchback or sedan like before, the name will remain associated with a subcompact vehicle, helping to solidify the model’s positioning within the brand’s portfolio.

The revival of the Chevy Sonic nameplate on Chevrolet’s upcoming entry-level crossover in Brazil will take the brand into the realm of hatchback-based utility vehicles for the first time, a segment that’s gaining ground in many global markets. The new Sonic will debut as a 2027 model-year vehicle in South America – where the name will return after more than 10 years – with the potential to be exported to other regions.