04/09/2007
By Mike Blake
Carlisle Events
Small cars are a big deal again, and proving that General Motors can think small as well as any automaker, the engineers at Chevy have redesigned the Aveo sedan only two-and-a-half years after it was introduced. With an all-new exterior and roomy interior the Aveo looks, acts and feels like a real competitor in the econo-entry-level arena, and it is priced to take on all comers in the “smart-buy” niche.
Produced by GM’s Daewoo arm for Chevrolet and assembled in Korea, the Aveo is characterized as an entry-level car, created with a feeling of youthful refinement. The Aveo was built with an eye toward giving the consumer more, in a compact package, for less.
With a longer, wider body (152.7 inches long and 65.7 inches wide) than the generation-one Aveo, the 2007 version has a curb weight of only 2348 pounds within its height of 58.8 inches and width of a surprisingly roomy 65.7 inches on a 97.6 inch wheelbase.
The low weight allows Aveo to jet around town with its efficient and small 1.6-liter L4 engine that packs only 103hp and 107 lbs.-ft. of torque. But that’s enough to get you from zero to 60mph in about 11 to 12 seconds, and still earn an EPA-rated 26 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. During my seven-day test, I averaged 31mpg and did manage to achieve 60mph from a dead stop in 12–flat and the quarter-mile in 19.2. Those are hardly racetrack or muscle car numbers, but for the entry niche, and for young drivers, this ride is meant for transportation and safety and not for speed.
That the car is a subcompact with a small, fuel-efficient engine, is not the entire story. Arguably the most important part of the tale is that Chevrolet has priced the Aveos with the least frills at under $10,000. My test car had a base price of $13,250, with just a few options added on. A 4-speed automatic transmission added $850; leatherette seats upped the ante by $250; fog lamps were $110 and the destination charge of $565 put the final sticker at $15,025.
Inside, the Aveo is NOT a no-frills ride. While it is NOT a luxury car by any means, the Aveo is not austere either, as the cabin comes with a rear window defogger, tilt steering column, cruise control, power windows and door locks, manual seats and an AM/FM stereo with an auxiliary input jack for an iPod. It can handle a CD/MP3 player, and can be upgraded with a 180-watt premium 6-speaker sound system.
Well-engineered seating allows drivers to sit high in the cabin, providing excellent sightlines and unobstructed views of the road. Standard fare includes air conditioning with cabin filtration, rear-seat air vents and an enhanced acoustical package for noise isolation inside the cabin. Theater-style rear seating provides a commanding view for all passengers.
More standard frills include driver’s seat with fold-down armrest, manual height adjuster and manual lumbar adjuster, 60/40 split-folding rear seats with height-adjustable head restraints for outboard passengers, tilting head restraints, daytime running lamps, sunglasses and ticket holders and driver and front passenger seatback map pockets on all models.
From a performance and handling perspective, the Aveo is a trifle top-heavy and does create some yaw during S-curve navigation and tight turning, but power rack-and-pinion steering, vented front disc and rear drum brakes, stainless steel exhaust, and front MacPherson strut suspension with rear semi-independent with torsion beam suspension, offer a confident ride in all conditions. Improved suspension tuning delivers more responsive ride and handling than in earlier Aveos, and the electronic "hold" feature for second gear, that starts when driving on slippery surfaces, worked well during my winter-condition tests. An engine block heater for easier starting on cold mornings was also a welcomed standard item.
Safety is a Chevrolet hallmark, and Aveo attends to driver and passenger protection with dual-stage frontal driver and passenger air bags and seat-mounted side-impact air bags, standard side airbags, driver and front passenger air bags, four-channel anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution and engine immobilizer theft deterrent system. Also installed are front safety belt pretensioners with front-load limiters, height-adjustable shoulder belt anchors, lower anchors and top tether for children (LATCH), child seat attachment system in the rear seats, rear child safety door locks, emergency hatch release inside the trunk and fuel door lock with remote release feature
Other standard features include intermittent windshield wipers, dual power-adjusting heated outside rearview mirrors, 15-inch aluminum wheels, 15-inch all-season blackwall tires and a sporty rear spoiler.
“Customers will recognize the Aveo sedan as a ‘smart buy’ that delivers on Chevy’s Total Value Promise,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. “With its good looks, enjoyable driving experience and ‘big car’ personality, Aveo plays a big role in Chevy’s passenger car family.”
The redesigned Aveo sedan is one small car that should come up big for Chevrolet.
Visit www.carlisleevents.com for more on the automotive hobby.
MIKE BLAKE, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.
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