Subcompacts are about to get the kind of overhaul we usually reserve for a trip to Auto Glass. Following in the recent trend of the major U.S automakers revamping the image of a compact, Chevrolet’s 2012 Sonic sedan has hit the market, brandishing 14.1 inches of additional trunk space over its predecessor the Sonic hatchback. General Motors has now released its third major competitive subcompact, after the Malibu and the Cruze, and can brag that the Sonic is the only subcompact built in the U.S.

Chevrolet, which, after the failure of the Aveo, is returning to its goal of creating a competitive subcompact, has created a car with an original look, the specifications of a Chevy Cruze and the room and features of a luxury vehicle. What makes this car so roomy? It may be that it just feels bigger because the features in it are so typically reserved for big cars—features like 10 standard airbags, rollover sensing software, hill-hold assistance software and a secure interior that is relatively silent in action.

The Chevy Sonic sedan is available in three versions. The Sonic Sedan LS has a well-equipped price tag of $14,495, which gets you 15 inch alloy wheels, traction and stability control, auxiliary stereo, power locks, and the ‘big car’ luxury features listed above. It also comes with six months of OnStar with a tilt/telescoping wheel. The Sonic Sedan LT adds 16 inch aluminum alloy wheels, an MP3-ready CD player, six speakers, SiriusXM satellite radio and premium interior and exterior features such as heated mirrors. Rounding out the triumvirate is the LTZ, which adds perforated leather surfaces and steering wheel, heated front seats, USB and Bluetooth capabilities, cruise control, the ability to start the vehicle remotely, and an additional inch on the wheels.

All three of these models are beasts on the road too, sporting a 1.4 liter turbo-charged engine, 138 horsepower, excellent torque, and either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission which can get you 40 mpg on the highway. This is about the most power you’re going to find in the subcompact class and makes for a vehicle that can perform excellently in herky-jerky city traffic while garnering serene fuel efficient miles in rural settings.

Chevrolet now looks to challenge its competitors, Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai, and prove to the automotive world that General Motors is ready to hit the ground running again in the subcompact market once so dominated by foreign cars.