2005 Chevrolet Aveo LS 1.6

Summary:

Very impressed with the quality and performance

Faults:

Nothing specifically was or is wrong with the car. We were not happy with the sound system so we swapped it out.

General Comments:

Economical yet fun to drive!

It's small on the outside, surprisingly BIG on the inside.

Very good ergonomics.

This may be the best automotive bang for the buck on the market. We bought the car to use in place of our SUV to keep miles off it and gas out of it (still own and love our Grand Cherokee!). We compared it to virtually every low cost car on the market, and none were in the same ball park. The Aveo is a winner.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 2nd May, 2005

9th Feb 2006, 10:22

Sorry, but the Aveo has great performance for a car its size. I blow away people at stoplights all the time, not because I'm racing them, but just because I use the gas to accelerate. Especially hilarious when I leave those grossly overweight SUVs in the dust.

And I was cruising at 85 mph yesterday with no problems.

The Aveo has a surprisingly torquey engine and I have never redlined it no matter how fast I accelerate.

Yeah, it's not going to outrun Porsches or Civic Si's, but it's a real surprise if you know how to drive it properly.

2005 Chevrolet Aveo SVM (Special Value Model) 1.6 litre

Summary:

Absolute best small car value ever

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

The Aveo is a very deceiving car. It looks tiny (by American standards) on the outside, but then you get in and it feels like an SUV. The "stadium seating" in the back is an added bonus. The quality of materials is extremely high given this is an entry level car.

The feature list is truly incredible. My car had zero options yet came with tilt steering, dual remote mirrors, rear wiper, cargo cover (I have the hatchback), power brakes/steering, five speed, tachometer, am/fm radio, 185 Kumho tires, and much more. These are things that weren't even options on entry level Hondas and Toyotas before.

Driving is another revelation. The car is somewhat bumpy around town. But once you get on the highway it zips like mad and will cruise at 85 mph all day. In fact, last week I was in the left lane doing 80 and ahead of me was another Aveo from the same dealership doing 80!

The suspension and tires are set for "comfort" but I have yet to squeal the tires while going around corners. It is a very mature car compared to entry level cars I have owned before (Festiva, Tercel). And it is utterly predictable, so there are no surprises when I have to make an unexpected avoidance maneuver (usually some idiot SUV crossing four lanes without a signal).

The shifter is probably the biggest letdown, and it makes the car seem slow until you look at your speedometer and realize you are going over the speed limit. I really wish it was as crisp as my old Hondas or even my Festiva.

The best part? Americans hate small cars, so I was able to get my $10K Aveo for $6995! For that price, there is simply nothing that can touch this car, not even the other Korean competition (the Aveo is built in Korea by Daewoo, now owned by Chevy). I tell my friends what I paid and they think that was the down payment, not the full price for a new car. Of course, my car doesn't come with air conditioning, which would have raised the price another $2,000 (you have to get an upgrade model with more features).

That said, the dealer experience was brilliant. I would never buy an American car (made in America/Mexico/Canada) after my friend's horrible Focus experience (20 recalls), but my Chevy dealer treated me as if I was buying a Corvette. Good to see some American dealers are decent even if their cars aren't.

I know most people in my area probably laugh at someone driving an Aveo. That is until I pass them.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd April, 2005

22nd Apr 2005, 14:15

Nice review except for your comments at the end. I agree with you that Ford has historically been, for the most part a disgrace, and applying your opinion to that company is probably justified. To be fair however, Ford does/has had some high quality models too. I regularly ride to the airport in Crown Victoria's and Grand Marquis with 300,000 - 400,000 miles on the original drive-trains (I always ask). I believe most American cars out these days, the new GM's in particular, are very high quality, and can hold their own in that regard against anybody. Obviously, there are exceptions, but just because something is foreign does not automatically make it a good car. There are problem models with any make. I would argue that many of the foreign manufacturers are now in fact getting complacent, and letting their quality slip. Poke around some of the reviews on this site, of some of the new foreign models, and you will see that they are not infallible. It is not impossible to get burned buying one of those, believe me. Also, you might not know this, but the engine in your Aveo, which you are enjoying, was designed by GM. To me, that is an attribute. I do not know too much about the Aveo, but I have a feeling you are going to continue to be pleased with that car. For that matter, I might consider one for myself.

Good Luck.