

Diverse employees at Sonic Automotive have rated Team, Outlook, and Work Culture as the highest categories they have scored
Women at Sonic Automotive have rated Team, Perks And Benefits, and Outlook as the highest categories they have scored
Sonic Automotive employees are 6% more likely to recommend Sonic Automotive as a great place to work
| 46% | Promoters |
|---|---|
| 14% | Passives |
| 40% | Detractors |
Working at Sonic Automotive is rated below average by 122 employees, across various culture dimensions. Sonic Automotive employees rate Office Culture highest among all categories, and think that Professional Development and Leadership have the most room for improvement, putting Sonic Automotive’s culture in the Bottom 35% compared to similar sized companies on Comparably and in the Top 50% compared to other companies in Hickory, NC. See below in detail how working at Sonic Automotive was rated by employees.
Overall Company Culture at Sonic Automotive is rated C-
Last updated 2 months ago
Sonic Automotive ranks in the Bottom 35% of other companies on Comparably with 10,000+ Employees for Overall Company Culture Score
Out of 148 Sonic Automotive employee reviews, 75% were positive. The remaining 25% were constructive reviews with the goal of helping Sonic Automotive improve their work culture.
| Positive Reviews | 75% |
|---|---|
| Constructive Feedback | 25% |
What makes you most happy at work?Being around the cars i love
What is most positive about the culture and environment at your company?My coworkers and friends are great
What are some of the best things about your team?I work with the best guys in the world, i have the best used car manager in all of sonic without a doubt in my mind. My fellow sales guys always help and are always willing to be there when you need them.
What does the leadership team need to get better at?Actually communicating with the team members and especially the leads. And also dont oay your leads the same as everyone else if you want them to do a whole lot
What does the leadership team need to get better at?Being managers and not friends to these teenagers and trying to party with him and doing the job
What needs to change to make the company culture better?Women need to be respected and treated fairly.
Sonic Automotive, as a Fortune 500 company and member of the Russell 2000 Index, is among the largest automotive retailers in the United
We are an industry-leading automotive retailer committed to providing our customers with an outstanding automotive experience that is delivered with professionalism, integrity and enthusiasm.
| Headquarter | 4401 Colwick Road Charlotte, NC United States of America |
|---|---|
| Website | sonicautomotive.com |
| Founding Date | 1997 |
| Tel | 704-566-2400 |
| Company Status | Public |
| Stock | SAH |
Sonic Automotive competitors include CarMax, Capital One, Asbury Automotive Group, and AutoNation. Sonic Automotive ranks 3rd in Overall Culture Score on Comparably vs its competitors. See below how Sonic Automotive compares to its competitors with CEO Rankings, Product & Services, NPS, Pricing, Customer Services, Overall Culture Score, eNPS, Gender and Diversity Scores.

122 employees at Sonic Automotive have reviewed Sonic Automotive across various culture dimensions, providing their opinions on items ranging from executive ratings to the pace at work. The latest review was 2 months ago.
Overall, the 122 Sonic Automotive employees give their leadership a grade of C-, or Bottom 30% of similar size companies on Comparably. This includes specific ratings of their executive team, CEO, and manager.
Employees at Sonic Automotive are not very pleased with their total compensation at Sonic Automotive, which includes a combination of pay, stock and equity, and benefits.
Overall, employees at Sonic Automotive are generally satisfied with their team. 122 Participants grade the quality of their coworkers a C+. The majority believe the meetings at Sonic Automotive are effective, and the majority look forward to interacting with their coworkers.
The majority of employees at Sonic Automotive believe the environment at Sonic Automotive is positive. Most Participants believe the pace of work at Sonic Automotive is comfortably fast. About 45% of the employees at Sonic Automotive work 8 hours or less, while 10% of them have an extremely long day - longer than twelve hours.
Overall, the employees at Sonic Automotive are generally happy, based on their aggregated ratings of future outlook, customer perception, and their excitement going to work.


The prevailing opinion from employees about joining Sonic Automotive is that the company was very prepared on their first day. Sonic Automotive employees concluded that their overall onboarding experience was positive. 67% said their direct manager was helpful with their acclimation during the first 90 days. First impressions are important, and how prepared a company is on your first day leaves a lasting impression.
At Sonic Automotive 50% of employees think their department KPIs and OKRs are clear. Employees’ understanding of Sonic Automotive's KPIs and OKRs is essential for its success. Out of 10 Sonic Automotive employees who’ve answered, “Are your company’s goals clear and are you invested in them?” 5 have said yes.
Bruton’s approval rate is lower compared to CEOs at similar sized companies, putting Bruton in the Bottom 35% of all CEOs of similar-sized companies on Comparably, and in the Top 50% compared to CEOs of all other companies in Hickory, NC. Bruton Smith’s employees rank Sonic Automotive in the Top 20% for Office Culture, in the Top 50% for Team, and in the Bottom 45% for Outlook. Smith is generally unpopular with Sonic Automotive employees, but ranks especially low with employees with 6 to 10 Years experience, and by Asian or Pacific Islander employees and employees with the company for 2 to 5 Years. However, employees with Over 10 Years experience have a slightly more favorable view of the CEO. When compared to Sonic Automotive’s competitors, Bruton Smith ranks below both CarMax CEO William Nash and Capital One CEO Richard Fairbank.
The Sonic Automotive Executive Team is rated a “C-” and led by CEO Bruton Smith, Chief Accounting Officer and Vice President C. G. Saffer, and Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Heath R. Byrd
Bruton Smith CEO / President
Mr. O. Bruton Smith serves as the President of Atlanta Motor Speedway Inc and Marcus David Corporation. Mr. Smith serves... read more
C. G. Saffer Chief Accounting Officer and Vice President
Mr. C. G. Saffer has been the Chief Accounting Officer and Vice President of Sonic Automotive Inc since April 2002.
Heath R. Byrd Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President
Mr. Heath R. Byrd has been the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President at Sonic Automotive Inc. since April... read more
Frank J. Dyke Executive Vice President of Operations
Mr. Frank J. Dyke, also known as Jeff, has been Executive Vice President of Operations at Sonic Automotive Inc., since... read more
Stephen K. Coss Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Mr. Stephen K. Coss has been a Senior Vice President of Sonic Automotive Inc. since April 2004 and serves as General... read more
Rachel Richards Chief Marketing Officer, VIce President Retail Strategy
Rachel Richards serves as the Chief Marketing Officer, VIce President Retail Strategy of Sonic Automotive. Rachel... read more
Toni Ortiz Senior VP, Corporate Controller
Toni Ortiz serves as the Senior VP, Corporate Controller of Sonic Automotive. Toni started at Sonic Automotive in August... read more
David Padgett Vice President of Fixed Operations
David Padgett serves as the Vice President of Fixed Operations of Sonic Automotive. David started at Sonic Automotive in... read more
Geoff Axton VP dealer operations
Geoff Axton serves as the VP dealer operations of Sonic Automotive. Geoff started at Sonic Automotive in September of... read more
How much do people at Sonic Automotive get paid? See the latest salaries by department and job title. The average estimated annual salary, including base and bonus, at Sonic Automotive is $135,638, or $65 per hour, while the estimated median salary is $132,563, or $63 per hour.
At Sonic Automotive, the highest paid job is a Director of Sales at $233,925 annually and the lowest is a CS Rep at $45,843 annually. Average Sonic Automotive salaries by department include: Communications at $234,386, Admin at $61,891, Operations at $129,688, and HR at $126,513. Half of Sonic Automotive salaries are above $132,563.
60 employees at Sonic Automotive rank their Compensation in the Bottom 40% of similar sized companies in the US (based on 187 ratings) while 58 employees at Sonic Automotive rank their Perks And Benefits in the Bottom 40% of similar sized companies in the US (based on 62 ratings).
Salaries contributed from Sonic Automotive employees include job titles like Lead Engineer, Director of Marketing, and Business Analyst. Comparably data has a total of 4 salary records from Sonic Automotive employees.
Last updated months ago.
| Summary | Salary Range | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
1st Percentile $75k | $75k | 1st Percentile |
17th Percentile $102k | $102k | 17th Percentile |
33rd Percentile $132k | $132k | 33rd Percentile |
50th Percentile $181k | $181k | 50th Percentile |
67th Percentile $236k | $236k | 67th Percentile |
83rd Percentile $278k | $278k | 83rd Percentile |
100th Percentile $298k | $298k | 100th Percentile |
* Estimated salaries Estimated salaries are based on data provided anonymously by employees and/or estimated by other statistical methods.
Diverse employees at Sonic Automotive score the company 54/100 across various culture categories, placing Sonic Automotive in the Bottom 15% of companies on Comparably with 10,000+ Employees for Comparably's diversity score. The Diversity score provides insights into how diverse employees feel and rate their work experience at Sonic Automotive across various culture dimensions.
Sonic Automotive's PTO and Vacation policy typically gives 10-15 days off a year with 67% of employees expected to be work free while out of office. Paid Time Off is Sonic Automotive's most important benefit besides Healthcare when ranked by employees, with 34% of employees saying it is the most important benefit. Sonic Automotive's benefits and PTO Package averages to represent a less than $500 cash value per month.

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Candidates By Department
Design | 22% | |
|---|---|---|
Product | 11% | |
Marketing | 11% | |
IT | 11% | |
All Industries | 11% | |
Other | 33% |
Candidates By Location
Charlotte | 44% | |
|---|---|---|
Fort Mill | 11% | |
Mount Holly | 11% | |
Wakefield | 11% | |
New York City | 11% | |
Other | 11% |
What is Sonic Automotive address?
Sonic Automotive location is at 4401 Colwick Road
Who is the CEO of Sonic Automotive?
Sonic Automotive CEO is Bruton Smith, their score by employees is 64
What is Sonic Automotive eNPS?
The eNPS for Sonic Automotive is 6
What is Sonic Automotive revenue?
Sonic Automotive revenue is $10B
What is the salary for Principal Designer in Sonic Automotive?
Principal Designer average salary in the US is 164k