Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail)

v2.4.0.8
Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Sep. 30, 2013
Sep. 30, 2014
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2014
Agreement
Dec. 31, 2013
Jun. 30, 2014
Cash Flow Swap Thirteen
Jun. 30, 2014
Cash Flow Swap Fourteen
Sep. 30, 2014
Assumed Notes [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
7.0% Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2022 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
7.0% Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2022 [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
Subordinated Notes [Member]
Jul. 02, 2012
Subordinated Notes [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
5.0% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2023 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
5.0% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2023 [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
Mortgage Notes [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Member]
Sep. 30, 2013
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Member]
Sep. 30, 2013
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Member]
Other Long-Term Liabilities [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Member]
Other Long-Term Liabilities [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Member]
Other Accrued Liabilities [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Member]
Other Accrued Liabilities [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Member]
Other Assets [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Member]
Other Assets [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
2011 Credit Facility [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
2011 Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
2011 New Vehicle Floor Plan Facility [Member]
2011 Used Vehicle Floor Plan Facility [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
2014 Credit Facility [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
2014 Credit Facility [Member]
Maximum [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
2014 Credit Facility [Member]
Minimum [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
2014 Credit Facility [Member]
Required Ratio [Member]
Maximum [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
2014 Credit Facility [Member]
Required Ratio [Member]
Minimum [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
2014 Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
2014 Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Two Thousand Fourteen New Vehicle Floor Plan Facility
Sep. 30, 2014
2014 Used Vehicle Floor Plan Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                                                            
Maturity date of revolving credit facility and floor plan facility                                                       Aug. 15, 2016     Aug. 15, 2019              
Increased borrowing capacity                                                         $ 175,000,000             $ 225,000,000    
Increased borrowing capacity                                                           605,000,000           275,000,000   800,000,000
Borrowing base                                                                       144,200,000    
Letters of credit outstanding amount                                                                       29,200,000    
Total debt 783,481,000   783,481,000     748,373,000     5,200,000 200,000,000 200,000,000     300,000,000 300,000,000                                         9,800,000    
Borrowing availability amount                                                                       105,200,000    
Increase in credit facility borrowing capacity                                                                         1,000,000,000  
Allocation of credit facility increase, percentage                                                                       20.00%    
Principal amount                   200,000,000       300,000,000                                                
Interest on notes 5.00%   5.00%           5.35% 7.00% 7.00%     5.00% 5.00%                                              
Notes issued at a price of principal amount     100.00%                 99.11%                                                    
Notes issued yield maturity, percentage                         7.125%                                                  
Notes maturity date     May 15, 2023             Jul. 15, 2022                                                        
Interest payable description     semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year             semi-annually in arrears on January 15 and July 15 of each year                                                        
Notes redeemed percentage of aggregate principal amount                   35.00%       35.00%                                                
Notes redemption price percentage of the par value                   107.00%       105.00%                                                
Notes redemption price percentage of the par value due to change of control                   101.00%       101.00%                                                
Debt instrument maximum allowed dividends per share                   $ 0.10       $ 0.10                                                
Restrictive covenants under 2011 credit facilities and 7 % notes with 5% notes                   Specifically, the indenture governing Sonic’s 7.0% Notes limits Sonic’s ability to pay quarterly cash dividends on Sonic’s Class A and B Common Stock in excess of $0.10 per share. Sonic may only pay quarterly cash dividends on Sonic’s Class A and B Common Stock if Sonic complies with the terms of the indenture governing the 7.0%       Specifically, the indenture governing Sonic’s 5.0% Notes limits Sonic’s ability to pay quarterly cash dividends on Sonic’s Class A and B Common Stock in excess of $0.10 per share. Sonic may only pay quarterly cash dividends on Sonic’s Class A and B Common Stock if Sonic complies with the terms of the indenture governing the 5.0%                                                
Outstanding principal amount of the 7.0% notes                   25.00%       25.00%                                                
Indebtedness with outstanding balance                   35,000,000       50,000,000                                                
Premium recorded on notes payable                 7,300,000                                                          
Premium associated with notes                 200,000                                                          
Notes payable due date                 October 2015 and August 2016             between 2015 and 2033                                            
Debt weighted average interest rate on note                               3.76%                                            
Mortgage financing aggregate                               265,400,000                                            
Percentage of dealership properties related to mortgage financing                               30.00%                                            
EBTDAR to rent ratio                                                               3.56 1.00 1.50 1.00      
Fair value of swap positions                                 10,600,000   10,600,000   16,300,000     9,300,000 11,600,000 2,000,000 3,700,000                      
Fair value of swap positions                                           3,300,000 8,400,000                              
Notional Forward         2                                                                  
Description of interest rate cash flow swap agreements     swap agreements become effective in July 2016 and July 2015, respectively, and terminate in July 2017.                                                                      
Interest rate Cash flow swap agreements             25,000,000 100,000,000                                                            
Benefits and charges related to cash flow swaps not designated as hedges                                 200,000 100,000 400,000 700,000                                    
Incremental interest expense 2,400,000 3,000,000 8,300,000 8,800,000                                                                    
Net expense expected to be reclassified $ 5,800,000   $ 5,800,000