Chevrolet has announced that its Aveo subcompact will be renamed as the Sonic, after confusion about how to pronounce the small car's unorthodox name.

Although General Motors refers to the 2012 Sonic as a "new car," there has been no indication that next year's model will get anything more than a minor styling facelift to accompany the new name.

"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 Wall Street Journal reports that the Aveo lagged far behind its subcompact competitors like the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Hyundai Accent in 2009, which all broke 60,000 in total sales for the year. Meanwhile, the Aveo couldn't achieve 40,000. However, statistics from Autodata obtained by USA Today reveal that the Aveo's sales are up 40 percent this year, enough to push it past the Yaris.

Those who don't care what their car is called might be able to find a used Chevrolet Aveo for a discount once the Sonic is introduced.