Chevrolet Aveo – Big Small Sedan
Introduced recently under the banner “Chevrolution”, the Chevrolet Aveo is intended to introduce a new ‘lifestyle’ to its buyers. Indeed it is a car full of surprises, having features that only more expensive and usually larger cars have.
The Aveo is about the same size as the current Proton Saga, and the silhouettes are very similar, so much so that you might mistake one for the other under certain lighting conditions. Look closer, and it reveals some characteristics and features that help to justify the price differential between the two.
Even though we know that the Aveo is really an entry level car, much like what the Saga is here, somehow the Aveo exudes a higher image. Maybe it’s the way the interior plastic panels are rendered in two-tone finish, and textured to take away the harsh and hard plastic look; maybe it is the addition of the wood-grain inserts, or maybe it is the extra care taken to maintain the fit and finish, but the interior looks very nice and presentable.
For a small car, the Aveo does have a lot of space. The high waist line, and a high roof, and more space devoted to the cabin makes the Aveo a big small car. Four people can ride in the Aveo in relative comfort, and if you squeeze a third person into the rear seat, it can hold five. Seats are comfortable, and the test car came fully loaded with beige-coloured leather covers.
A most endearing feature is the electronic boot release button, found on the driver’s door; and replicated by a button on the key remote, which I find very convenient. No longer do you have to reach down and pull the regular lever found in most other cars, usually tucked away and hard to reach. Other ‘big’ car features include electric folding wing mirrors, electronic controls for the air-conditioner, and a sunglass holder. Convenience features such as cup-holders and storage pockets are there too.
The Aveo is equipped with a 4-cylinder, 1.4 litre DOHC engine developing 92 PS of power, and a 4-speed automatic transmission. The power is enough for the average commuter who needs a car to go to and from work, or the housewife who needs to ferry the kids to school. Out on the highways, I would say that it would be sufficient for most people, but when push comes to shove, personally, I think another 200 cc or so of capacity would make this great car even better. Having said that, fuel consumption would be a factor; in its current form, we managed 380 kilometres from a full tank of petrol, with hard driving. More gentle drivers should see something better than this.
On a long drive outstation, we found the Aveo to be on song at around the 130 km/h mark, and with a little bit of pushing, it could hit an indicated 171 km/h a figure confirmed by the tell-tale on the Gopher GPS set that I was testing. Most impressive is the straight-line stability – due to a higher caster angle dialed in by the designers. The Aveo feels extremely secure at high speeds, something that fast drivers will appreciate. Contributing factors are of course the front independent struts, and the torsion bar rear arrangement, propped up by coils all round. The brakes, made up of ventilated discs in the front and drums at the rear, are adequate for the Aveo.
Overall handling is quite good, helped by the high caster angle, and the suspension settings, which are on the stiffer side of firm, making the Aveo feel quite planted; the standard suspension can take on another ten or fifteen horsepower quite easily. Wheels are 15-inch in size, which also contribute to the over all stability.
Overall, the current Aveo is very much improved over the older model brought in by the previous importers. It is definitely more responsive on account of it having a DOHC engine arrangement, and handles a lot better, and all at a price that is much the same. In addition, there are options on specifications of the interior to suit the size of your pocket book.
For the buyer who wants something not so highly priced, and not so common on the roads, the Aveo certainly offers a great value proposition.
