Ten Second Review

The Chevrolet Aveo didn't make a huge dent in the consciousness of supermini buyers first time round but you won't miss this second generation model. With ultra-sharp styling it's one that will turn heads. The petrol engines are unexceptional and the preferable 1.4 doesn't do so well on emissions. It's still a very likeable city scoot though.

Background

I'm sure I'm not doing it a massive disservice by noting that the old Chevrolet Aveo was car that did underwhelming with quite some elan. A rebadged and reheated Daewoo Kalos, a car that never macerated the mustard first time round, the Aveo was a quick fix required to establish Chevrolet's name in the UK. A case of ready, fire, aim then? Well, yes and no. As clinically ignored as it was on these shores, the Aveo actually did very good business for Chevrolet, especially in developing markets such as Eastern Europe and China. Fast forward three years and the Aveo is back. This time it's a good deal sharper looking and I predict that with its aggressive pricing it'll take a few notable scalps.

Driving Experience

The old Aveo was no great shakes in the engine department and Chevrolet seems keen to continue that tradition. The entry-level powerplant is an 86bhp 1.2-litre petrol unit which requires a determined wringing to get going. You'll need to explore the upper reaches of the rev range to make any decent progress at which point anybody with a shred of mechanical sympathy will be wincing. Far preferable is the 100bhp 1.4-litre engine which offers usefully more torque and is also offered with the choice of an automatic transmission. This you also need to avoid. While the six-speed manual gearchange is by no means the last word in slickness, it's a delight in comparison to the dull-witted six-speed automatic. If you've successfully avoided the 1.2-litre engine and the auto box, you're left with a car that's engaging to drive, with competent body control, reassuringly good brakes and a constant accompaniment of road and engine noise. It's not outstanding in any one area but feels about on par for what you're paying. Chevrolet offers a pair of 1.3-litre diesel engines as well, but do check the price premium compared to this 1.4-litre petrol before making any firm commitments in that direction.

Design and Build

The latest Aveo certainly has distinctive and handsome styling going for it which, in the supermini market, counts for a lot. In a morass of lookalike, inoffensive blobs, the Aveo has some attitude, the barrel-like quad headlamps lending it real presence. The deeply sculpted flanks are also a good deal more dynamic than usual supermini fare, while the high roofline and kicked up tail end are both very well executed. The interior continues the bold styling theme with a dashboard that's quite unlike any of its rivals'. The main instrument cluster is inspired by sports motorcycles and features a round main clock housing an analogue rev counter with a rectangular digital display alongside where speed, fuel level, odometer and other data is displayed. After fifteen minutes I still couldn't decide whether it worked from a design standpoint but it's nevertheless good to see somebody trying something a bit different. The dashboard is also laid out rather oddly, with ventilation controls mounted beneath a pair of vertical storage bins that serve very little practical function. Space inside is otherwise reasonably good, with a generous measure of rear legroom. Headroom can be a little pinched at the side, where the roof curves over. The front seats feel unusually substantial and comfortable for a budget supermini, possibly due to Chevrolet wanting to leverage some subliminal connection to the US of A. The steering wheel adjusts for rake and reach, and the boot yields a sizeable 290 litres of space. Drop the 60/40 split rear bench and you have up to 653 litres for the tip run.

Market and Model

With prices starting at around £9,195 the Aveo campaigns on good value. Electronic stability control is fitted as standard to all models, a must-have feature which is still rather shockingly left on the options list of far pricier cars. Choose the higher trim grade and you get an inbuilt stereo system with USB-in so you can just drag and drop tracks from your PC and play them in the car without the hassle of syncing iPods and such like.

Cost of Ownership

The two petrol engines both return creditable economy. Taking the 1.2-litre model first, Chevrolet claims a figure of 55.3mpg but such is its frustrating lack of torque that you frequently find yourself driving it rather crudely, which damages fuel economy. The 1.4-litre car's figure of 48mpg should be easier to approach in day to day use. The one area where the 1.2-litre engine is manifestly superior is emissions. This unit chugs out a competitive 119g/km of carbon dioxide. Go for the 1.4-litre car and if you choose the manual box you'll manage 139g/km and it jumps to a rather shameful 159g/km with the automatic transmission. To put that figure in perspective, it's the same as a 170bhp automatic Mercedes E Class estate. Insurance cover is pricier than the norm too. Whereas most superminis of this ilk run between groups 6 and 10, the Aveo looks set to be pitched between groups 15 and 16. Choose one of the 1.3-litre diesel options for better economy.

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