I used to be convinced that creating a sedan in the B-class was sacrilege, albeit commercially viable. After all, it's obvious that you wouldn't look without pity at such a "hybrid," which with its spacious trunk is aimed at markets of developing countries. But designers are a restless bunch. They keep trying to refine this idea. And, in my opinion, the Chevrolet Aveo has done it quite well.
Honestly, I consider it the most attractive in this class. If we take only sedans into account, of course. And even if it looks a bit like a kid trying to act like an adult, I like it. Inside, the car looks quite neat, unlike its rivals, whose interiors I still recall with horror. So my first acquaintance with Chevrolet's creation is purely positive. Let's see what's next.
Odometer: 626 km.
Average fuel consumption: 10.5 l/100 km.
For seven days now, the Aveo has been faithfully driving us to work, back, and on various errands. I'll note right away: during this time, nothing broke or fell off. Moreover, despite the awful Hankook tires, it steadfastly survived Sunday's "tinman day" and managed not to rear-end anyone.
The first thing worth mentioning is the transmission. Having driven the Aveo with a manual, I think I regretted for the first time that we don't have an automatic. Shifts are difficult with long throws, which annoys the driver considerably. Over time, you get used to the lever and stop noticing. But still, you want more precision.
Fortunately, judging by first impressions, the gearbox is hardly the Aveo's weakest point. Otherwise, the car is still pleasing. For measured city driving, the modest 1.4-liter engine is more than enough. And even going to the dacha is feasible, which I did last weekend. During the trip, it turned out that the trunk easily fits all the belongings for a two-day getaway for a company of seven people, not counting the people themselves—the Aveo has only five seats. On the highway, our sedan holds up well, but after 140 km/h it categorically refuses to accelerate. And on the way back, it suddenly started snowing, and to get home, we had to stay alert. Time to change the tires.
And a special "thank you" goes to those who tuned the pedals. You get used to them instantly. I think on such a car, beginners will find it very easy to learn: to stall when starting, you'd have to try really hard.
Odometer: 992 km.
Average fuel consumption: 10.9 l/100 km.
Honestly, in this note I was going to criticize our Aveo a bit. For lazy steering, for mediocre acceleration. But I changed my mind. Not because it's a cheap car and you shouldn't expect miracles from it. It's just that for the past week, I haven't thought about things like power and handling at all.
Take the sprint to 100 km/h—the Aveo takes 11.1 seconds. But why complain about sluggishness (although for a 1.4 it's normal) when in recent days there's been nowhere to reach that speed? We spend more time in traffic jams than ever. And that changes priorities even for the most reckless driver. Well, maybe except for Vadim Gagarin.
When you're stuck in traffic, you have plenty of time to examine every little detail in the cabin. And it's worth saying, the Aveo is a fairly cozy car, in many ways ahead of its segment. I really like its factory stereo. It's not only nice-looking and can play MP3s, but it also sounds quite decent. And how it's made! At first, I thought it was borrowed from a higher-class model. It turned out that's exactly the case—the Cadillac BLS has the same one, just with different lighting.
I still like the trim and ergonomics—everything is up to par. Attention to detail is noticeable—even the trunk release button is neatly made and fits the overall style. The instruments are a sight to behold, unlike those of classmates. And recently, I stumbled upon a couple of pull-out cup holders in the front panel. It's also pleasing that the seatback recline adjusters aren't on the door side—I can't stand reaching into the gap between the seat and the door. Here, everything is convenient.
But still, this is a budget B-class, and I can't forget that. There are plenty of reasons. The first one awaits me when I get into the car. To lock the doors, you need to press a button on the driver's door; to unlock, you pull it out. There's no other way—there are no separate buttons on the door panel. But there is control for the front windows, but—here's the catch!—even the driver's window lowers without auto mode. Inconvenient. And the sun visors seem made of linoleum. There's no lighting in the mirrors, of course. Although, if you compare with some competitors, whose interiors still sometimes haunt my nightmares, the Aveo looks simply gorgeous.
And sitting in traffic jams in it is a sheer pleasure. I'm lying, of course—standing in a jam isn't pleasant in any car. But even the Aveo with a manual knows how to save your nerves. We've already talked about the pedals—they're "light" and understandable, your legs don't get tired. So for those planning to buy a car and join the ranks of traffic jam sufferers, the Aveo can be recommended. And we don't intend to stand anymore—this weekend we plan to head somewhere far from Moscow.
Odometer: 1609 km.
Average fuel consumption: 10.4 l/100 km.
All Saturday, our Aveo sat idle in the parking lot, so on Sunday I decided to make up for lost time. And I headed out of town in it. I filled the tank to the brim, turned on the GPS, and set off. The editorial sedan hit the Yaroslavl highway and, after a bit of jostling in traffic jams on the way out of Moscow, was left alone with the road.
The fact that the small Chevrolet isn't the best fit for such trips became clear almost immediately. In the near Moscow region, where the left lanes are cut up by ruts, the Aveo gets tossed from side to side, and when braking, it noticeably pulls. Uncertainty is added by the "empty" steering wheel, which doesn't always let you understand what's under the wheels.
The farther from the capital, the fewer ruts, but potholes appear. And here, too, not everything is smooth—on some bumps, the Aveo veers off course, which doesn't add any desire to drive fast. Moreover, side wind is quite dangerous for it.
First, we stopped in Pereslavl-Zalessky—there's an interesting steam locomotive museum "Kukushka" there. And although many exhibits are in rather poor condition, and one locomotive, apparently, was even in an accident, the staff are gradually restoring the collection to its former glory. There's plenty to see there.
Then we decided to make our way to the shore of Lake Pleshcheyevo—where Peter the Great once built his boat. But it turned out that without knowing the area, it's not easy—all the roads that seemed to lead to the water either ended at a fence with barbed wire or went nowhere at all. In the end, cleverly bypassing Pereslavl, we finally found a winding dirt road over the hills that led where we needed.
Looking ahead, I'll say: we weren't destined to reach the lake. But our Chevrolet got plenty of mud time. After we descended the hill and almost reached the finish, the decent dirt road turned into a wet muddy rut. But the Aveo stubbornly clung on with its front wheels until the whole road became a complete mess. Any crossover would have made it there, but figuring we were three or four kilometers from civilization, we decided not to play hero in our front-wheel-drive sedan.
With difficulty turning around, we returned to the foot of the hill. But getting back up only worked with a "running start," and even then, on the third try. Treacherous slippery earth and grass plus clearly non-off-road Hankook tires—and the car helplessly spun its wheels. Only by backing up further (into that same rut) and getting a good run-up did we manage to escape the trap.
That ended my adventures. I wanted to stop by Rostov Veliky, but it was already getting dark. I returned in the evening, tired, having driven about five hundred kilometers and used up the entire tank. So the first long trip ended well, but I won't say the highway is the Aveo's element.
I have no complaints about the engine at all. The car easily reached 120 km/h on the speedometer, and accelerated to 160 quite briskly. Beyond that, of course, the enthusiasm faded, and to reach 180 (a real 170 by GPS), I had to literally coax it. In general, in terms of engine power, I never felt discomfort. But with noise, it's worse. In the city, with music, you don't notice it. But as soon as I hit the highway, the weak sound insulation made itself known and reminded me of itself the whole way. So the Aveo is primarily a city dweller. You can, of course, get to the dacha in it without problems: the suspension and ground clearance allow it to handle broken roads calmly. But for a long journey, it's better not to venture out in it.
Ready for winter (November 9, 2007, Vlad Klepach)
Odometer: 1761 km.
Average fuel consumption: 10.6 l/100 km.
Snow has started falling in the city again, and our editorial Aveo is already fully equipped—the other day we finally switched it to winter tires. If Moscow has a fifth point, it's located right where our tire service is—near the Third Ring Road, on the territory of "Avtokombinat No. 3." Huge queues (peak season), dirt, taxis—in short, the atmosphere is just right.
By the way, while replacing the tires, we discovered how non-trivially the wheel covers are attached on the Aveo. They are fixed with four bolts onto the very bolts that hold the wheel itself. That's how it is! The tire fitters, to be honest, were slightly puzzled by such a design, and we hadn't come across this before either.
When the covers were removed, it turned out that someone had managed to damage the front left wheel disc — there was a small dent on it. It seems that it was because of this that the Chevrolet sometimes pulled to the left. However, after changing the tires, this effect disappeared by itself, although we didn't touch the disc. But on the weekend, we'll still go and check the wheel alignment angles.
The new tires are non-studded Michelin. First impressions are as follows: on asphalt, the braking distance has predictably increased, and during emergency braking, the wheels lock up earlier. But the steering wheel in the zero zone, oddly enough, has become even more informative. The car hasn't become stiffer or louder — so the wheels can safely get a plus. We'll drive for a while longer — we'll tell you in more detail.
Important little things (November 16, 2007, Vlad Klepach)
Mileage — 3630 km.
Average fuel consumption — 8.4 l/100 km.
A couple of days ago, I was driving my new car and almost got into an accident. The road is one-way, two lanes, traffic is calm. I'm driving leisurely in the left lane, and then — a "miracle": a "four" (VAZ-2104) "Zhiguli" driving on the right and slightly ahead suddenly decides to turn left. I press the brake and honk. Fortunately, the "miracle" heard me and stopped. But the left lane was already blocked by the hapless driver, and I couldn't stop in time. However, by swerving slightly to the left, I still managed to dodge this kamikaze.
And then I caught myself thinking: if I had been driving the Aveo, I wouldn't have avoided an accident. By the time I remembered that the horn here is buttons on the steering wheel spokes, the guy would have already crashed into me. Well, you must admit — it's inconvenient when such an elementary thing is done differently from everyone else. You'll say it's a matter of habit? But I drove the Aveo for more than a week and still missed the button. And when I switched to a Golf, I tried a couple of times to honk with the buttons of the on-board computer. No, bring back the normal button!
Long-distance trips, or A dissenting opinion (November 20, 2007, Vitaly Kabyshev)
Mileage — 3720 km.
Average fuel consumption — 8.5 l/100 km.
We got tired of driving the Aveo around Moscow — there are traffic jams everywhere, even on weekends. We decided to get away somewhere far. For example, to St. Petersburg. Especially since I, ashamed to admit, have never been there. So we didn't think long: loaded the Aveo with bags, filled the tank to the brim — and off we go!
A long road — that's where all the ergonomic flaws really come to light. I won't say that the designers messed up badly. But on long highway trips, the Aveo clearly doesn't shine. As a tall driver, I really missed the steering column adjustment for reach. I wanted to pull the steering wheel toward me and stretch my legs. But alas. So I had to spend all 740 kilometers like that.
The road, by the way, took about nine hours. The average consumption was 6.2 liters per hundred, and the average speed was 82.2 km/h.
The northern capital greeted us with frost, wind, but with sunshine. It was a bit strange to see snow falling from a clear sky. Time was short, but my wife and I still managed to wander around the city, take photos, and even go on a couple of excursions. Of course, in a few hours you can't really see much. But it gave us a great desire to come back here again.
Now about our carrier. Someone will say that the shock absorbers are a bit weak, and the suspension travel is a bit short. Maybe so. But, in my opinion, the stiffness of the springs combined with the rebound and compression characteristics is ideally suited for long-distance trips on our roads. The car is not too stiff, but not overly soft either. The suspension elastically and honestly handles bumps without overloading the driver with unnecessary road information. It swallows St. Petersburg tram tracks and unfortunate bridge joints almost without hesitation. True, at the same time, it makes it clear with its voice that much of what it swallowed was on the edge.
The return trip was harder. The short wheelbase and light weight of the Aveo don't imply particular smoothness, perfect directional stability, or exemplary handling. There are no miracles. On broken pavement, the tall little car often deviates from its course and wanders. By the way, this effect intensified after changing from summer tires to winter non-studded Michelin. I'd like more precise steering — then one could forgive the car all its trajectory wobbles. Klepach has already grumbled about this.
The main thing is that we drove more than half the road at night, and that's quite an experience in our conditions. The Aveo's headlights shine normally, but a pothole the size of half a car can lurk anywhere.
Another curious detail: during prolonged braking, the front brake discs warped, and noticeable vibration appeared on the steering wheel. This problem wasn't visible in the city, since in semi-traffic-jam mode the brakes didn't warm up properly. But on the highway, after each intense braking, the discs literally "floated." One thing is reassuring: after the discs cool down, the effect (at least on our example) disappears by itself.
The night trip from St. Petersburg to Moscow took just over ten hours. It's easy to calculate that the average speed was 74 km/h. On the way back, we burned a bit more fuel — about 6.7 liters. The driving style couldn't be called aggressive. Stubborn trucks and occasional black ice rarely allowed us to accelerate above 130 km/h. And, frankly, I didn't want to overstress the not-too-powerful loaded Aveo. So it's better to drive more calmly — you'll get further, and if you want, you can keep the average consumption within five and a half liters per hundred.
However, such consumption will now only be a dream for us. We're back in Moscow, back in traffic jams.
Rubber problems (November 30, 2007, Kirill Ivanov)
Mileage — 3755 km.
Average fuel consumption — 8.6 l/100 km.
Well, is it interesting when a car is completely in good working order, day after day runs without a single complaint, and steadily pleases its owner? Deadly boredom. That's how our Aveo led its measured life for all 3700 kilometers. But something had to happen…
Hurray, it happened! On the way home from work, closer to midnight, the outer side of the Garden Ring made adjustments to the life of our Chevy. In some mystical way, the fresh winter tire couldn't withstand the onslaught of the road surface, and a second after starting from the traffic light, the rear right wheel went to tire heaven. A four-centimeter side cut on the inner side of the tire unambiguously hinted: it's time to get the jack.
Changing a wheel in the middle of nowhere is nothing new to me, so I quickly got out the jack, lug wrench, and the "doughnut" spare. I removed the cover, loosened the bolts, and was about to lift the Aveo on the flimsy jack when suddenly a swarm of tow trucks flew in. Without asking, they hooked the car, lifted it, and… Instead of taking it to the impound lot, the driver of the "car thief" with a satisfied smile said something like: "Forget that jack, it's more convenient this way. Change the wheel, son." For the first time, I felt the benefit of the municipal tow truck service.
We limped home. The only thing left was to find a Michelin Alpin A2 tire in size 185/55 R15. But here's the problem — such tires weren't available in stores, a shortage. The result — a week of searching and the car sitting idle, and then buying the needed wheel at the price of a Pirelli P Zero tire. Stores know how to make money on rarities.
Behind us — 4109 kilometers.
On average, fuel consumption was 8.6 liters per hundred.
For a couple of months, I watched my colleagues driving the Chevrolet Aveo, and finally decided to spend a whole week with this Korean sedan myself. I won't repeat what's already been written, but I'll try to find in it something that can please a driver with an active driving style.
In the Aveo's exterior, there's no hint of sport, and the interior doesn't create a fighting mood either. The seats are completely ordinary, the steering wheel is without leather. The green backlighting of the instrument panel is boring. And the pedals are so soft that you're simply surprised.
However, enough nitpicking. This is a Chevrolet Aveo, not a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. Let's go! Three thousand rpm, release the clutch… And where's the acceleration? The Korean 1.4-liter engine howls strainedly, like my home Samsung vacuum cleaner (compatriots!), which also buzzes discontentedly during cleaning. Only the speedometer needle moves upward slowly, like a grandmother with a cart from the supermarket.
The next surprise is the gearbox. Quick shifting? That's from the realm of fantasy! Plus, the clutch with a long travel is not the best helper for active lever work. Rev-matching makes life a bit easier, but the engine seems to have been seriously offended by the gas pedal at some point and now stubbornly ignores it. The revs build up painfully slowly.
And here's the first turn. God, how the Aveo rolls! The North Loop of the Nürburgring is something this sedan never dreamed of. But despite the huge body rolls, the wheels still hold the road. True, this is thanks to the winter "asphalt" Michelin Alpin A2 tires, which at Moscow temperatures around zero behave significantly better than the standard summer Hankooks — those are only good for donating to karting track barriers.
The weak engine, soft suspension, and uninformative steering wheel completely kill the desire to find out the Aveo's maximum speed. The Moon will sooner crash into the Earth than I'll want to accelerate this sedan to the claimed 176 km/h. Okay, racing is clear. What about city maneuvering?
The mirrors are good, and neighbors in traffic are always in sight. But don't hope to quickly change lanes and "shoot off." The most you'll manage is to stick your rear bumper out in front of an approaching car. And the poor neighbor will have to brake, because he won't see any acceleration from the blue sedan.
Disappointed? Not at all! The next day I got behind the wheel again and drove the way an ordinary owner of such a car would. And here the Aveo magically transforms. Lack of power? It doesn't matter in a dead traffic jam. Gearbox not precise? But the Chevrolet easily pulls away from second gear even on an incline, saving you from unnecessary maneuvers.
In a traffic jam, there are no problems — the Aveo is willingly let in when changing lanes. Maybe because, unlike the trio of "ugly ducklings" (Peugeot 206 Sedan, Renault Symbol, and Logan), the sedan from Chevrolet at least looks like a normal car.
The soft suspension also turns into a plus — no need for nervous slalom between manholes, speed bumps are taken without the usual tension, and your internal organs with your spine get a rest.
And then I even started to like it. Two adults fit comfortably in the back, and everything I planned to load into the trunk fit. Nothing rattles or clunks in the cabin, and you just want to touch the funny "bumpy" front panel. The "knob" on the stereo, which you often have to use to drown out the noisy suspension and tire hum, is also nicely made.
After a week, I didn't want to give the Aveo back. The economical engine easily handles 92-octane gasoline, and overall, the car doesn't wear you out as much as daily trips through the capital's traffic jams in the stiff and nervous Clio Renault Sport. Perhaps I'll even consider buying such a car to calmly crawl in traffic jams. And let the Clio bring joy on weekends. True, the Aveo would be better with an automatic.
Mileage — 4201 km.
Average fuel consumption — 8.5 liters per 100 km.
That's it. The Chevrolet Aveo, which faithfully served us for more than two months, will no longer be parked under the editorial office windows — unless by chance. During this time, we drove over four thousand kilometers on it, spent countless hours in traffic jams, went to St. Petersburg, and did much more.
As expected, nothing in our Aveo broke, got sick, squeaked, or hummed. In general, the car behaved even too decently. The only thing — Kirill Ivanov had to make an unscheduled visit to the tire shop. But the editor's champion in tire punctures is used to it.
What can I say about the car now? Its weak points are not the most confident behavior on the highway, mediocre sound insulation, and minor ergonomic flaws. We've already gotten used to everything else, like the imprecise gearbox. But there are more advantages. Take, for example, the decent looks. Or the solid interior finish. By the way, the Aveo is perhaps the only sedan in its class where even tall passengers can sit in the back.
However, the Aveo's main trump card is comfort. For the city, this car is simply ideal. If even Vadim Gagarin thought about buying such a car (only with an automatic) for everyday use, that says a lot. And the fuel consumption with our driving style is quite modest.
At first, it seemed that 392 thousand rubles for our car was a bit much. But competitors without such an interior cost the same, and cars a class higher in similar trim cost noticeably more.
The Aveo is also great for beginners: you can feel the dimensions well, and the pedals are tuned so that you'd have to try hard to stall or miss the brakes. But if you're getting an Aveo for the city, it's better, of course, to pay an extra 38 thousand rubles for the "automatic." Then the image of this city car will be completely complete.