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Chevrolet

Wednesday, 8th of October 2008

The Chevrolet Aveo we had on test was powered by a 1.4-litre engine which had a power output of 100PS. The engine was mated to an automatic four-speed gearbox. The car has a top speed of 106mph and will do the zero to 62mph sprint in 12.3 seconds. Those figures aren’t bad for a city car. The torque level is not the greatest though, at 131 Nm at 4,200rpm, so there is a need to plan your overtaking well in advance. The figures look good for this unit on the combined cycle the Aveo with the Auto ‘box should return 44.1mpg on the combined cycle.

The Chevrolet Aveo is a supermini, which means the car is the perfect companion for getting around the city. Our test route was a mix of motorway, B-roads and town driving, The Aveo excelled at the latter as the car has good all round visibility and is really easy to get parked in congested town centres. The Aveo, when at motorway speed was fine if not overly inspiring to drive – the car gets from A to B - job done. Take it on to B-roads and you’ll notice that the steering is very light - an acceptable trait in town but out of town there is very little feedback for the driver.

Back to black – move to the inside of the car and it is very dark. The car has sturdy but uninspiring plastics and make the cabin quite a dull place to be. There is a little colour with the silver trim that looks like brushed aluminum, the Aveo’s interior could do with a little more oomph. Even though it is a new car, the cabin could do with a little more imagination, the inside looks dated and its rival have moved on. The Aveo needs to catch up. The switches also look dated but feel robust and should stand the test of time. However, all the shut lines look to be well made and fit nicely while there are no panel gaps to worry about either.

The Chevrolet Aveo is packed with a range of safety and security features. To help you stay safe in the event of an accident the Aveo comes with six airbags (including side bags). The passeger airbag can be deactivated to allow for the installation of a rear-facing baby seat. There are also ISOFIX mountings on the car’s two outermost rear seats and for added peace of mind there’s also a top tether facility.

For a supermini the Aveo is quite a practical car. You can seat four adults in comfort while there is still 220-litres of space in the boot with the seats in place. Need more room, you can fold them flat – this will expand the load room to 980-litres, which should cope with the majority of loads. Even though the switches and instruments look a little dated, they are however driver friendly as they are within easy reach and are not over complicated. The driving position is quite good and there is all-round good visibility, which makes it very easy to park in and around town.

The Aveo is a leap forward for Chevrolet but it’s not just enough as its rivals are also moving on and the supermini sector is one of the most competitive on the market. Prices start at £7,695 for the Aveo while the Automatic, which we drove started from £10,645. The eco figures could sway you if you are thinking of the new Aveo as it emits 152g/km of CO2 and it has a combined fuel economy of 44.1mpg.