Chevrolet Aveo. Typical middle-of-the-road car.

Chevrolet Aveo. A Typical Middle-of-the-Roader

When GM rolled out the second generation of the Aveo sedan to the European market last year, selling Korean Daewoos under the Chevrolet brand, the company pulled a trick that misled both the press and buyers.

Right after the Italian presentation, it was promised that the top version with a 1.4-liter engine and full equipment would cost no more than $14,000. But when the sedan reached the press fleet, journalists were only allowed to drive the maximum configuration — with climate control, onboard computer, four airbags, fog lights, power windows, an automatic transmission, and alloy 15-inch wheels, and even Korean assembly.

I also got a chance to ride in such an Aveo. The impressions were pleasant, but the price was confusing. Now the cars are assembled in Kaliningrad, and the real price tag for the top version is $18,200.

Recently, I looked into how the Aveo is doing on our market. I called dealers to find out how in demand this expensive modification at $18,200 is (by the way, for metallic paint they ask $280, and before the New Year — $220). It turned out that demand for it is almost zero. And that's logical: for that kind of money, you can actually get not only a Lacetti with a 1.6-liter engine, but also a bunch of other cars a class higher. The most popular versions are in the range from $12,000 to $14,000.

Another funny trend emerged: the Aveo hatchback is more often bought by women, while the sedan is chosen by men who don't have extra funds. The cheapest version at $11,500 (276,000 rubles) exists only in the price list — it's practically impossible to order it.

For the test, we were advised to take a sedan in mid-level trim with a 1.4-liter engine and automatic transmission. True, with a factory stereo and climate control.

In appearance, the Aveo sedan resembles a pumped-up young bull — big-headed, puffed up, with a cute face. The rear looks "adult," but you get the feeling that a trunk was hastily bolted onto the hatchback. At the same time, it has nothing in common with that "ugly duckling" that was assembled in 2004 in Ukrainian Ilyichevsk with a 1.5-liter engine producing 86 hp. Such cars almost never reached us; they weren't officially sold.

According to the documents, the Aveo sedan is B-class, but due to its length of over 4300 mm, it can safely be placed in a higher class. The car has become not only longer, but also wider and taller, and the 400-liter trunk is an excellent bonus for a city family car. Inside, the sedan is quite attractive: convenient deflectors, three dials (almost like in a Mazda) for ventilation control, and a factory stereo. It, by the way, came here from SAAB — though it doesn't sound as good due to cheaper speakers. The clock in the center at the top of the console doesn't distract. The seating position is high, almost minivan-like. The only thing I didn't like was the automatic transmission lever: it's shifted too far back, and you have to bring your elbow behind your back.

Among the driving drawbacks of the sedan, noticeable body roll in corners at speed can be highlighted. The culprit is the tall body and soft suspension. But it's easy to deal with if you slow down before a turn and don't jerk the steering wheel. At around 140 km/h, the car starts to "float" on the road, and you have to hold the steering wheel tighter. The Aveo is clearly not meant for extreme driving. Although its acceleration is decent: 94 "horses" are enough for the city and for confident acceleration to a hundred in 11.9 seconds. With such an engine, fuel consumption is about 9–10 liters. The fuel level needle barely moved from full tank over 100–120 km. And a full tank of 45 liters lasted me about 600 km.

Sound insulation is typical for this class. At idle, the engine is almost inaudible, but after 3000 rpm an annoying hum appears, and by 5000 rpm you can't make out the music anymore. The wheel arches are poorly protected: small pebbles drum loudly against the body.

The tested car might indeed be worth its money. All the functions it's supposed to have work properly. But in any case, I would choose the purely Korean Hyundai Getz 1.6, paying an extra 30–40 thousand rubles for it.

No more, but no less. The main task of the Aveo sedan is to comfortably transport 4–5 passengers from point A to point B with minimal fuel and maintenance costs.

Compared to the Lanos or Renault Logan, the Aveo loses in price, but if you measure by quality, it only yields to the most budget version of the Ford Focus.

Dmitry Shavyrin

We thank the Avanta dealership and personally Maria Bulycheva for providing the car for the test.

Specifications

Source — AUTOMANIA.RU