Subcompact cars like the Chevrolet Aveo are popular for two reasons, price and fuel economy. Oops, I forgot, there's another reason subcompacts are so popular, parkability.
If you rely on street parking, travel within the city, or visit merchants who don't have a parking lot nearby, the Chevrolet Aveo can easily fit into the smallest parking spaces.
Two versions of the Aveo are currently offered: a five-door hatchback model known as the Aveo5; and an Aveo sedan. The Aveo sedan was redesigned for 2007 and the Aveo5 is scheduled for a revision for 2009.
The 2008 brings about minor additions to the Aveo lineup, but you should know that this small car has evolved nicely since it first debuted for the 2004 model year.
The Chevrolet Aveo, built in South Korea, is the result of GM's acquisition of Daewoo. Be it known, though, the Aveo is put together very nicely, feels solid, and features surprisingly good crash test ratings.
In the past, Chevrolet has struggled to compete in this segment. Remember the Chevette? I do. I remember fixing them - a lot. I also remember the Sprint (1985 - 1988) and the Metro (1998 - 2001).
So, what's so special about the Aveo? It has to be quality. The subcompact Aveo looks and feels much better than any of its predecessors.
I wouldn't use the word elegant when describing my Aveo sedan tester's exterior styling, but the look is more refined than one might expect.
Inside the Aveo sedan, you'll find a roomy interior with seating for five, four comfortably, unless we're talking about folks that are tall (above 6 feet). As a tall person myself, I found plenty of headroom, but as is the case with many new cars that have wide center pods, there was limited space for my right leg.
The seats offer enough comfort for the daily commute and trips from the south suburbs into the city, but I'd need to get out and stretch every couple of hours if I was taking a long road trip.
Theater-style seating gives the back-seat passengers a bit more leg comfort and a commanding view of the road ahead. A fully reclining front passenger seat and a 60/40-split folding rear seat expand Aveo's interior cargo capacity, enabling long items, such as skis, to be carried between the trunk and passenger compartment. The Aveo sedan's trunk, which offers 12.4 cubic-feet of storage space, is roomier than expected.
Aveo sedan's radios are derived from GM's new family of premium radio systems. An auxiliary input jack for iPods, satellite radio accessories and other devices is standard on all radios. The base radio is an AM/FM stereo with four speakers. A CD/MP3-capable radio with six-speaker sound system is available, as are steering wheel audio controls.
All Aveos are powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 103 horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, while a four-speed automatic is available.
Once underway in my Aveo sedan tester, I immediately noticed that the cabin remained fairly quiet. And there's enough power to pull out in traffic, but the engine obviously labors with a full load of passengers and the air conditioning turned on.
I wish GM would squeeze a few more ponies out of this fuel efficient engine. Still, the ride is comfortable and quiet, two things that subcompacts aren't typically known for.
Value-minded buyers should look at the Aveo5, which is available in two trim levels; Special Value Model and LS. The Aveo sedan is featured in two trim levels; LS and LT. Prices start around $10K and go up over $15K for an Aveo sedan in LT trim with add-ons.
2008 Chevrolet Aveo LT 4-door Engine: 1.6-liter (103 hp) I4
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Drive type: FWD
Fuel economy: 24 city/34 highway
Base price: $13,765
As tested: $15,130 (includes $565 for destination)
Web site: www.chevrolet.com