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Chevrolet Aveo pint-size car shapes up as sedan or hatchback
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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SAN ANTONIO, Tex. -- All traffic on the I-10 freeway in San Antonio runs at a quick clip as we hold the pace in a cleverly designed but itsy-bitsy economy car from Chevrolet.
Dubbed the Aveo, this new model fits in the subcompact class as a four-door notchback sedan or five-door hatchback and both versions carry a cabin with room for five and more personal space than that pint-size appearance indicates.
Aveo looks sleek and stylish on the outsize in the manner of cute European city cars.
It also shows spry manners on a curvy road and delivers a smooth and stable ride quality because it stocks responsive mechanical gear.
And it packs a gutsy four-cylinder powertrain that feels downright zippy when running the stoplight derby on suburban streets.
But Aveo makes its best moves on the bottom line in a measure of the manufacturer's price points.
Out of the box and with few frills, either sedan or hatchback Aveo Special Value edition sets the MSRP at only $9,455.
Tack on an inescapable freight fee ($540) and the final figure bumps to $9,995.
Then add air conditioning plus a few more amenities and the price still seems sparse at $11,150 for Aveo in what's labeled as the Base edition.
But even a deluxe model -- Aveo LS -- comes in low at only $12,045.
To pare prices to such a keen point, one might logically assume that a cheap set of wheels like Aveo would be constructed out of flimsy material and behave in a manner that fits the sum of inexpensive parts and a cost-conscious assembly process.
However, Chevrolet doesn't work it that way with Aveo.
The new cars come together in South Korea through GM-Daewoo Automotive and Technology Company (GM-DAT), a Korean manufacturing group forged from key sections of the Daewoo company that General Motors acquired following the demise of Daewoo in 2002.
Foundation is actually an existing Daewoo model called Kalos that's sold around the world.
But to forge the Aveo, GM added unique styling lines on the outside and a revamped cabin with friendly features and feel-good materials.
And bodywork reflects sensuous Italian elegance from styling worked out by Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign studios in Turin.
Aveo presents a bold face with dramatic slope to windshield and prow in a curvy treatment revealing fluid lines but curt overhangs, front and rear.
There are decorative components too, like large horizontal headlamps fixed on front corners and shielded by glimmering clear lenses, amber turn signal lamps as accents on front fenders, and large clusters of taillamps in back that work like so much car jewelry.
Flanks look flat but smooth, interrupted only by round wheel arches defined by blister bulges.
Sedan and hatchback vary at the rear, where the sedan shows an arched roof concluding at a defined but brief trunk ledge while the hatchback has the line of the roof extending to the lip of a back door that slopes sharply down to the body-colored wrap of a smooth bumper.
Both come with the same cabin layout -- two bucket seats up front and a bench for up to three in back -- with a flexible design for the rear cargo area.
The rear seatback splits and folds down separately, or the entire seat flips forward to a vertical position after folding down the seatback sections.
That action in the hatchback creates a flat-floored cargo bay accessible from either the two rear side doors or the tail-side liftgate.
It also expands the cargo capacity to 42 cubic feet.
Aveo in any edition feels solid and carries firm and comfortable seats in the handsome cabin.
Front buckets are bolstered to fit the body and covered in fabric of nubby texture blending several subtle shades.
Between front seats, a floor console holds the transmission's gated shift lever plus a stow box.
Forward of the console in the center of the dashboard is a cluster of controls for audio and climate systems. Dials are large and round and easy to turn.
Gauges in the instrument panel ahead of the driver are also round and large and include a speedometer and tachometer with inset dials for fuel level and water temperature plus an LCD strip for an odometer.
Aveo gets only one engine. It's a 1.4-liter four-cylinder plant built from an iron block with aluminum cylinder heads and twin cams on top. The numbers run to 103 hp at 5800 rpm with 107 lb-ft of torque at 3600 rpm.
Standard is a nice-to-shift five-speed manual transmission but Aveo also offers a four-speed automatic by Aisin as a stand-alone option.
The suspension consists of MacPherson struts up front tied to a stabilizer bar and a torsion beam rear axle.
Rack-and-pinion steering is standard and produces quick responses for turning with good feedback to the driver. And a brief eight-foot wheelbase helps Aveo achieve a turning circle of only 16 feet so the car maneuvers easily in tight spots like a crowded parking lot.
Brakes in dual diagonal circuit bring big ventilated discs in front and self-adjusting rear drums. A four-sensor anti-lock brake system (ABS) is available as coupled to electronic brake force distribution (EBD).
The entry-level Aveo Special Value edition comes with daytime running lamps, tilting steering column, variable intermittent wipers, rear window defogger and the split folding rear seat, plus a stereo audio kit with AM-FM radio, tinted glass and 14-inch steel wheels.
Aveo Base trim gets more gear, such as air conditioning and carpeted floor mats, while Aveo LS has power windows and locks, a remote keyless entry system and a CD deck capable of playing MP3 files.
The appearance package option for LS adds foglamps and alloy wheels plus a rear spoiler for the hatchback.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2004 CHEVROLET AVEO Specs |
| Description: |
Subcompact 4 door sedan, Subcompact 5-door hatchback |
| Model Options: |
Subcompact 4 door sedan, Subcompact 5-door hatchback |
| Wheelbase: |
97.6 inches
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| Overall Length: |
Sedan: 166.7 inches
Hatch: 152.8 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 1.6-L I4
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5
Auto/5 Aisin
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| Drive: |
Front
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| Braking: |
Power disc/drum
opt. ABS/EBD
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| Airbags: |
2 (front)
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| Gas Mileage: |
M/5: 20/29 mpg
A/4: 20/29 mpg
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| Price: |
$ 9,455, Base: $ 11,150, LS: $ 12,045 |
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