Chevrolet Aveo (From York Press)

Chevrolet Aveo

12:27pm Friday 10th February 2012 in Road Test By Steve Nelson

LAST year was in some respects Year Zero in the UK for American auto giant Chevrolet.

A clean sheet soon started filling up with new offerings like the Spark city car and Orlando MPV, and the pace of new products being introduced shows no signs of letting up.

Already this year we now have the new Aveo, with the part-electric Volt on the horizon.

This explosion of new products has brought with it problems of accommodating all the new products on the forecourts of some dealers, with the model range extending to nine by the end of this year. It also demonstrates a new-found confidence and a final end to the sneering about re-badged Daewoo cars.

So let’s take a look at the first of this year’s newcomers, the Aveo, which is very much a car of our time.

It is also essentially an urban car and for that reason it is well-suited to the 1.2-litre petrol engine on offer that is certain to prove most popular.

But don’t rule out the other two engines available – a 1.3- litre diesel that I found to be the best all-round performer and a 1.4-litre petrol unit that will be the choice of those needing a more gutsy companion for longer and more testing journeys.

Unlike the previous Aveo, this is an all-new car with a completely-redesigned exterior and cabin and a newly-developed chassis and body structure, as well as the upgraded engines.

It is the right size for the urban environment, and the five-door body allows it to double up as a compact family holdall.

Distinguishing features include exposed, motorcycleinspired headlamps, devoid of any lens cover and housed in dual tubes, with high-gloss black bezels and chrome rings. As with the Chevrolet Spark, the rear door pull handles sit in the upper section of the door, creating a coupe-like appearance.

By offering a diesel motor, Chevrolet has subtly improved the Aveo’s chances in the eyes of downsizing buyers. The official economy figure is 78.4mpg from the 94bhp unit, while the CO2 emissions figure of 95g/km means you can wave goodbye to the taxman.

Chunky controls and solidlooking plastics dominate the Aveo’s cabin. Up front, the car’s seats are supportive and seem durable, while those in the back are equally attractive.

From behind the wheel, the car feels very modern, with a mix of analogue and digital dials. And don’t bother looking for the speedometer...

there isn’t one. Instead, you get a large digital speed readout bang in front of the driver.

At the rear, there’s a decentsized boot plus the ability to fold the rear seats to improve its carrying capacity, making the Aveo practical as well as economical and nicely styled.

The Aveo is also pretty good fun to drive, although Chevrolet’s “sporty” tag might just be stretching things too far.

Despite the car’s lack of length, the Aveo takes road imperfections in its stride; the ride is never choppy around town and feels stable and refined at motorway speeds.

Even twisty roads don’t upset the compact Chevrolet, with the weighty steering and supple suspension making life easy and rewarding in equal measure.

Now there’s no doubt that for some the diesel option won’t make sense. After all, there’s a premium to pay and the average driver won’t rack up enough miles to make it a sensible purchase.

For those who opt for the petrol alternatives, the 1.2 and 1.4-litre motors produce 86 and 100 horsepower respectively. Unusually, there’s a six-speed auto gearbox option for the 1.4 motor, otherwise it’s a manual five-speed unit all round.

Both petrol engines are refined and will not yelp when pushed hard. In fact, the 1.2- litre unit punches above its weight and could easily cope with a motorway trip. But if you need some extra poke and a more relaxed long journey, the 1.4 unit is the one to go for.

There’s a good level of standard equipment across the range. The base LS model is priced under £10,000 and comes with airconditioning, remote locking, CD-radio, cruise control, and powered mirrors and front windows. The mid-range LT model, which carries a £1,000 premium over the LS, adds 15-inch alloy wheels, adjustable driver’s seat, Bluetooth with music streaming and a comprehensive trip computer.

With the top specification LTZ variant (from £12,195) comes a leather steering wheel, front fog lamps, six speakers, rear parking sensors and automatic headlamps.

The Aveo ticks a lot of boxes and will make a lot of sense to buyers in this segment.

fact file

Chevrolet Aveo

PRICE: from £9,995 (1.2 petrol LS) to £12,795 to £13,615 (1.3 diesel LTZ).

ENGINES: 1.2/1.4 petrol or 1.3-litre diesel unit (74 or 94bhp).

TRANSMISSION: five-speed manual transmission as standard, driving front wheels.

PERFORMANCE: 1.3 diesel: 0- 62mph in 11.7 seconds, top speed 108mph; 1.2 petrol: 0 to 62mph in 13.6 seconds, top speed 107mph; 1.4 petrol: 0 to 62mph in 12.2 seconds, top speed 108mph.

ECONOMY: average – 1.3 diesel: 78.4mpg; 1.2 petrol: 60.9mpg ; 1.4 petrol: 53.3mpg.

CO2 RATING: 1.3 diesel: 95g/km; 1.2 petrol: 111 g/km; 1.4 petrol: 125 g/km.