File this one under, "huh?" According to a report out today at GM Inside News, the next-gen Chevrolet Aveo will be renamed "Sonic" when it goes on sale next year. We expect the Cadillac BurgerKing and GMC JackInTheBox to follow in 2012.
OK, so that's a bad joke, but so is the Chevy Sonic name. Smacking of 1950s space-and-aeronautics themes, the name strikes us as an even more unfortunate choice than the nonsensical "Aveo." Distancing the new, much-improved, Spark Concept-based car from the previous Aveo is no doubt a good idea, but we're not sold that this is the way to do it.
The name will also go global, or nearly so, with the Sonic name to be standard across the U.S. and Europe, though Australia's Holden variant may keep its Barina badge.
Fast food or video game characters aside, we're looking forward to the new Sonic/Aveo as a major improvement over the existing car. Perhaps the name will grow on us.
