Chevrolet Aveo Road Test
Chevy Replace the Kalos with a new European Supermini
According to Chevrolet this new Aveo is big on value, style and quality. Replacing the Kalos the newcomer certainly has a lot to do to woo the public. Can it get the Chevy badge moving?
Starting at a price of £7,695 it certainly sounds good but how will it perform on the road?
The Chevrolet Aveo on the Road
The Chevrolet Aveo on test, was powered by a 1.4-litre engine, and had a power output of 100PS. This was mated to an automatic four-speed gearbox, which was a breeze to use.
The performance figures were fine for the car in question – a value supermini. Aimed at those who are staring out, or the older generation who want to downsize, the Aveo won’t be setting too many high speed records but it is respectable.
It has a top speed of 106mph, for example, while it will do the zero to 62mph sprint in 12.3 seconds. However care is needed when overtaking – it is wise to plan move’s as the shove of torque isn’t the best at 131 Nm at 4,200rpm.
First and foremost this car is a supermini and will be used in the majority around the city centre and on test it proved to be the perfect companion for getting around town.
The test route was a mix of motorway, B-roads and town driving and the Aveo performed well on all surfaces. It has good all-round visibility and due to its small size the Aveo is really easy to get parked in congested town centres
The Aveo is not a heart-led purchase and it shows when on the drive as this car takes the driver from A to B without any fuss or excitement. When on more rural roads, the steering is noticeably light – this driver would want a little more feedback from a car.
The Aveo’s Interior
Moving on to the inside, the Aveo is quite gloomy. It is very dark, it also got sturdy but uninspiring plastics which add to the drab interior. Chevrolet have tried to lighten the dash with a brushed aluminium effect but the cabin needs more uplifting colours to make it a lighter looking cabin.
Chevy has claimed this to be a new car but the cockpit lacks imagination and looks dated. With competition so tough in the supermini sector the American giant really does need to up its game to European levels. The switch-gear feels 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.
Practicality Is a Real Strength for the Aveo
Practicality is a real strength for the Aveo as you can seat four adults in comfort while there is still 220-litres of space in the boot with the seats in place. This expands to 980-litres when the rear seats are folded flat – this should be more than enough for those who want a supermini for an everyday mode of transport.
Chevrolet Aveo Safety Features
The Chevrolet Aveo is packed with a range of safety features. It has class-leading number of airbags for a supermini as it has a total of six, which should help protect occupants in the event of a crash. While the passenger airbag can be deactivated to allow for the installation of a rear-facing baby seat.
A leap forward for the Chevy Brand with the Aveo
Chevrolet are on the right road with the Aveo, it is much better than the Kalos but the American maker needs to keep on with changing the Chevy brand in Europe. This is a budget car as it starts at £7,695 while the Automatic, which was on test started from £10,645.
That doesn’t mean that the maker can save on a cheap interior – it still must look appealing to the buyer, a little more work and Chevy may have cracked the supermini sector in Europe. For those who want to save the planet then the Aveo is a good solution as it emits 152g/km of CO2 and it has a combined fuel economy of 44.1mpg.
The new Chevrolet Aveo
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