2018 Chevrolet Sonic: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

24 builds left the factory as a 2018 Sonic, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 16 main configurations sell for $4,200–$16,998 today.

  • 16 main configurations
  • 8,311 vehicles built
  • 102 for sale right now
  • $4,200–$16,998 typical price range

Which Sonic is yours?

Enter a VIN — the 17 characters on the windshield or the title — and we’ll match it to its exact factory configuration, typical price and equipment.

Works with any VIN — a different year or model takes you straight to its own page.

Pick your Sonic

What actually differs

LT · FWD 1G1JD5SH-J LT · FWD 1G1JD6SH-J Premier · FWD LS · FWD
Engine 1.8L 4-cyl 1.8L 4-cyl 1.4L 4-cyl 1.8L 4-cyl
Body Sedan Hatchback Sedan Sedan
Typical price today $8,499 $7,200 $7,990 $6,995
For sale right now 19 17 17 12
Vehicles built 2,721 972 957 940
Same on every 2018 Sonic
  • Drivetrain Front-wheel drive
  • Transmission Automatic
  • Fuel Gasoline
  • Seats 5
  • Doors 4-door

What people actually pay

145 price observations · updated Aug 30, 2026
LT · FWD 1G1JD5SH-J
$8,499
LT · FWD 1G1JD6SH-J
$7,200
Premier · FWD
$7,990
$4,074 $7,433 $10,791 $14,150 $17,508
Price trend

Median up $632 over the last 12 months.

2018 Sonic price history →
Will it hold value?

A Sonic typically keeps about 69% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $5,499 today.

Sonic depreciation by year →
Cost to run

27/35 mpg city/highway. Roughly $1,550/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 2018 Sonic

Safety, in plain English

NHTSA overall crash rating

★★★★★ 5 / 5

1 recall on file for this model year — check any specific VIN before you buy.

What 1G1JB5SH-J means

1G1 JB5SH · J
1G1
the World Manufacturer Identifier Chevrolet registered — assembled in the United States
JB5SH
together encode the Sonic line — Sedan, 1.8L 4cyl, Front-wheel drive — as Chevrolet filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
J
in position 10 — model year 2018
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
Real VINs from this run 1G1JB5SH 6J4105840
8 rare configurations — mostly fleet, export or irregular VIN patterns. Fewer than 20 known vehicles each.

Already looking at a specific Sonic?

Paste its VIN — we’ll open that exact car’s page: its configuration, market position and every listing we’ve tracked.

2018 Chevrolet Sonic prices →