The next Chevrolet Aveo will be new from the ground up, including the name.? North American version of Chevy?s newest small car will take on the fresh name of Sonic starting in 2011, when the 2012 model debuts.

?The Sonic represents a new beginning for Chevrolet in the small car segment and so we felt it was time to give it a new name,? said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet U.S. Marketing. ?The new car is roomy, stylish and fun to drive, and Sonic is a youthful, energetic name that helps convey what this vehicle is about.?

The small car will carry the Sonic name in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Production of the Sonic begins in 2011 at GM?s Orion Assembly Center in Michigan, which received a $545-million investment in upgrades and retooling, and will help restore approximately 1,000 jobs in the metropolitan Detroit area.

The vehicle will continue to be called Aveo in other parts of the world, where it will be sold in more than 50 countries.