Chevrolet Aveo Review

The Chevrolet Aveo is GM's smallest, least expensive car. Aside from its price, what's most attractive about Aveo is its surprisingly handsome interior, at least on the up-level Aveo 2LT. The Chevrolet Aveo comes with an updated 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 108 horsepower, which is adequate for such an affordable car. Transmission choices are either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.

Aveo is available as a four-door sedan or a versatile five-door hatchback called the Aveo5. We prefer the Aveo5 five-door hatchback for its ability to haul stuff.

The Aveo sedan was extensively updated for 2007 and the hatchback received the same treatment for 2009. The changes were made so the Aveo could better compete with a wave of new subcompacts, namely the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, and Hyundai Accent. The Aveo's basic architecture and mechanical underpinnings date to 2004.

Aveo was designed to offer sensible, day-to-day transportation. Its ride is tuned more for comfort than sporty driving, and this is where it differs from the frisky Honda Fit. But many of us spend much of our time commuting through heavy, stop-and-go traffic and don't expect an economy car to deliver nimble handling.

The Aveo features the third generation of GM's 1.6-liter Ecotec engine, which gains two horsepower for a total of 108 hp. With the manual transmission, Aveo is EPA-estimated to deliver 27 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway. That compares well with the Hyundai Accent (26/35 mpg) and Nissan Versa (27/33). The Honda Fit (28/35) and Toyota Yaris (29/36) are more efficient, but the Aveo competes with a lower purchase price.

We found the Aveo an enjoyable car to spend time with, particularly the Aveo 2LT with its nice cloth or leatherette upholstery. The climate and audio controls are easy to use, the driver's seat adjusts for height, and the car drives well. The negatives include a lack of power, somewhat sloppy handling and a sometimes loud interior.

Other minor changes for  include a standard rear spoiler on the Aveo5 2LT and lower numeric fourth and fifth gear ratios for the manual transmission to improve highway fuel economy.