Posts tagged Chevrolet

In spite of the general trend toward bigger and beefier pickups and SUVs, there’s a segment of the marketplace that’s always going to go for the flyweights.  Proud Ford Festiva and Geo Metro drivers (I’ve met more than a few) haven’t been well served in recent years.  The Honda Insight isn’t very practical, and the Kia Rio, while related to the departed Ford Aspire under the skin, just doesn’t have the “small and proud of it” attitude of a Geo Metro.

Tiny-car fans rejoice!  The 2004 Chevrolet Aveo just might be the answer to your small-displacement, low-cost transportation prayers.   The newest member of the Chevrolet family slots in below the compact Cavalier (and its replacement, the Cobalt), just like the Metro did.  It’s based on Korean mechanicals and a familiar principle: a frugal engine powering a compact body, with plenty of room for full-sized adults inside and a low bottom line.  The Aveo’s more stylish than most entry-level cars have been, and has a few big-car surprises as well.

The design is simple, but more elegant than past entry-level cars, which have tended toward a drawn-by-the-lowest-bidder look.  In spite of its tallish, narrow proportions, the Aveo is very handsome, distinguished even.  A strong character line starts just above the front wheels and gives the Aveo a bit of a shoulder, so it doesn’t look like an anonymous commuter pod.  It’s got a real grille with a big chrome band and a Chevy bowtie, just like the rest of the family does.  The frameless turn signals and rounded body style are available alloy wheels are nice touches.  Two body styles are offered, a four-door sedan and five-door hatchback.  We like the egg-shaped five-door best.  The Aveo’s color palette includes cheerful yellow, metallic blue and green hues that accent the car’s cheeky good looks

Inside, a long dash greets the driver with lots of window space and great visibility.  The cabin is roomy.  You won’t forget that you’re in a very small automobile, but the chair-height seats are far more comfortable than we’ve come to expect in subcompacts.  It looks good, too, with an abundance of plastic that, thankfully, lacks the cheap Fisher-Price toy quality of past entry-level offerings.  The Aveo benefits from decent materials and quirky design–a circle-theme permeates the interior, from door handles to air vents.  Many storage cubbies make this a good commuter.  The center stack-mounted radio and ventilation controls are farther away than we’d like, and short-armed drivers may find themselves reaching.  Back-seat room is good as well; with the front seat pushed back enough to accommodate a six-foot driver, there was still room for an equally tall passenger behind without knee damage.

Few things are more fun than a small car that’s not intimidated by traffic, and the Aveo delivers.  The 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine isn’t large, but 103 horsepower is more than enough to squirt the 2359-lb Aveo away from traffic lights with the bigger cars.  Thanks in part to variable intake runners, the torque rating is a healthy 107 ft-lb.  and we had no complaints about the Aveo’s acceleration.  It’s not a drag racer, of course, but it’s not so slow as to inspire fear of on-ramps.  The powerplant is a bit coarse at high revs, but around town we found it acceptable.  A five-speed manual transmission is standard; the optional four-speed automatic includes a hill-holder feature.

The Aveo feels solid, as well.  It lacks the “old-technology” feeling that competitors like Hyundai’s Accent and the Kia Rio have, and feels like a modern car.  MacPherson struts up front and a torsion-beam rear axle are pretty standard fare for economy cars, and that’s what the Aveo rides on, too.  Around town, the Aveo is nimble thanks mostly to its size.  Anti-lock brakes are optional.  There is no such thing as a hot-rod Aveo, although it might be fun to build one.

Chevrolet sells the Aveo in three trim levels:  Special Value, Base, and LS.  The bare-bones Special Value Aveo starts at $9,995 and is likely to appeal only to the hard-core Luddites who want the most basic of basic transportation.  Our test car was a five-door Base model with a base price of $11,150.  With an MP3-capable CD player, air conditioning and a cute little roof spoiler, the total came to just $13,065, which is competitive with a bare-bones Civic or Corolla.  But for some people, there’s no substitute for having the smallest car on the block.

Specifications:

All specs are for the 2004 Chevrolet Aveo Base five-door, which we tested.
Length:         152.8 in.
Width:            65.8 in.
Height:            58.9 in.
Wheelbase:        97.6 in.
Curb weight:        2359 lb.
Cargo space:        42.0 cu.ft. (seat folded)
Base price:         $11,150
Price as tested:         $13,065
Engine:         1.6 liter DOHC inline four-cylinder
Drivetrain:         four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Horsepower:         103 @ 6000
Torque:         107 @ 3600
Fuel capacity:        11.9 gal.
Est.  mileage:        26/34

12/2009 update:  The Aveo was promising when we first met it, but it was almost immediately outclassed by a slew of competitors, including the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Nissan Versa.  The Aveo’s fall from par was precipitous, and though it’s still decent bargain-basement transportation, it’s unlikely to be mistaken for anything else–not even a fashion statement.