Chevrolet Aveo

Extreme Makeover Challenge: Subcompact Car Edition

At any given time, on any given day, turning on the television will lead

Aveo's position on the subcompact totem pole could've been better, so they've gone and raised it by giving it a new exterior and interior. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

to a bombardment of reality television shows; from What Not to Wear to Extreme Makeover. Nothing, it seems, is out of bounds for these producers, who view almost everyone to everything in need of some sort of improvement. Hot topics include redesigning people, their wardrobes, and their houses, and believe it or not there are even a few shows on the subject of cars. I can't help but think that Chevrolet has pulled a corporate version of cable television's new darling with their latest car, the new 2007 Aveo Sedan. Think of it as the winning contestant on Extreme Makeover Challenge: Subcompact Economy Car Edition.

The new Aveo isn't cute and cuddly in the same way that the new Yaris or Fit is, and it's not as sleek as the new Accent 3-door hatchback, but it's a charming looking machine, in a chunky, handsome sort of way. The original Aveo was styled by ItalDesign, Giorgetto Giugiaro's design studio. These men and women understand a thing or two about the fashion of compact and subcompact cars; after all, Giugiaro himself was the man behind the Volkswagen Rabbit and the ever-fashionable Fiat Panda. While his signature probably wasn't on the bottom of the original sketches of this latest creation, he's taught his apprentices a thing or two, and they've done well on the Aveo. For instance, it's a fairly tall vehicle, but it doesn't look it. Its sides are hardly what you could call slab, aided by balanced proportions. Subcompact cars generally don't transform very well from hatchback to sedan, but the new Aveo looks more sorted, and its trunk doesn't seem tacked on as an afterthought.

The Aveo hatch always looked good in bright, cheerful metallic

Smatterings of chrome, and jeweled tail lights give the Aveo a decidedly upscale look (and we mean it). (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

shades which hid its slightly more rolly-poly shape, but the new sedan looks a class above the subcompact, and a whole lot less generic. A lot of this has to do with the details, or, since we're on a fashion stream, accessories. There's plenty of chrome on the new, extra chunky grille, and the new single-unit, wide-eyed headlamps replace the smaller, squintier lights. The tail end has also been treated to a re-working, with (an optional) decklid spoiler, new, triangular-shaped clear-lens tail lamps in mirror-finish housings linked together by a strip of chrome, which mimics the more costly Malibu and Impala sedans. These changes really help to wholly integrate the Korean built and designed Aveo into the American lineup. With the exterior updates come new front and rear bumpers, but no wheel arch reduction, which, combined with a sizeable wheel gap, visually transforms even the optional 15-inch wheels into shopping cart castors.

In the process of updating, the Aveo Sedan actually grew in size a

Extension of the rear overhang means trunk can now swallow 350L (12.4 cu-ft). (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

bit. The Sedan is now 76 mm (3.0 in) longer, and 40 mm (1.6 in) wider than the current sedan, though the 2765 mm (97.3-in) wheelbase remains the same. Much of the extra length has been added to the rear overhang which gives the Aveo Sedan a larger trunk. The new 2007 now has 350 L (12.4 cu-ft) over last year's 328 L (11.6 cu-ft) hold, which can be further expanded by folding down the split rear seatbacks. That's just one litre (0.04 cu-ft) off the Accent Sedan trunk, and 15 litres (0.5 cu-ft) off the class-leading Yaris Sedan. The gain in width also permitted an increase in the size of the front and rear tracks; they now measure in at 1,450 mm (57.1 in) up front, and 1,430 mm (56.3 in) in back, both of which are wider than the pre-facelift model's uniform 1,410 mm (55.5-in) tracks. These gains should help improve two areas of criticism on the previous Aveo: stability at higher speeds and roadholding during cornering, especially in the wet.


Why a sedan instead of a hatchback? Though it may be true that

Sold in over 120 different countries, the Aveo Sedan is GMDAT's best selling product. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

the Aveo hatchback out-sells the current Aveo sedan in Canada, and is the only bodystyle that's sold in Europe, a market that Chevrolet is trying to jump-start, the sales figures in these two areas of the world are small in proportion to those of the United States, South America and Asia (in specific, China, Korea and India). These markets much prefer the sedan bodystyle, with a practical trunk, to the smaller, budget-look hatchback, and, granted that the Aveo Sedan is a massive seller in China, it's a case of strength in numbers. In fact, after the introduction of the Aveo's Korean domestic equivalent, the Daewoo Gentra, it was first sold in China as the Chevrolet Lova. And, if you're curious about the other names that the Aveo Sedan is sold under, if you go to Mexico, it's called the Pontiac G3, in Canada, the Pontiac Wave, and in Australia, the Holden Barina TK.

However good the Aveo may look from the outside, styling isn't

Wow! This new interior is really quite impressive. An easy candidate for "most improved". (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

its strongest card; no, it's best inside, where GMDAT most likely spent a good chunk of the development money. I came to the '07 Aveo Sedan out of a Pontiac Wave5, thinking that the two would be similar; contemporary looking and very roomy but built of recycle-bin grade materials with fit and finish to match. In fact, if you open the door with this preconceived expectation, you'd better be prepared to be delighted because it's nothing at all like the current hatchback. Every single major panel has been redesigned, modeled after high-end cars instead of its current crop of competitors. The dashboard slopes towards the driver, instead of dropping off close to the windshield's base, and the centre console is better integrated into the design. The storage trays and controls for things like the instrument panel dimmer and power mirrors have been positioned with logic and intent, rather than the pin the tail on the donkey fashion of its predecessor.

Styling only counts for about a quarter of its attributes, because the really impressive

New dash, vents, HVAC controls and stereo too. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

thing is how it feels. Aside from having an attractive, two-toned dash, the material used has a low sheen, and instead of the typical crinkle grain it features small dimples. Trim choices includes matte chrome, a brushed metal-look surface and woodgrain accents (not real, of course), while the seats are clothed in better quality fabric; plus the option of perforated leatherette which lifts the Aveo's image to levels far above proletariat transportation. The HVAC controls are also less generic; they fit in with the rest of the General Motors line, outlined by slim rings of chrome. Likewise, the stereo unit has the same centre knob (also lined in chrome) as you might find in the Chevrolet Impala, although the system features a completely unique layout. Also new are the round porthole vents, which twist with a dampened friction, plus the door handles, indicator stalks and other buttons don't feel as if they're going to break easily, therefore encouraging use.


After sitting in awe for a couple of minutes, absorbing the

Materials look great, and have a tight fit and finish. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

physical differences, it really had me wondering if this was the same car as the current hatchback. I mean, the part that's visibly carried over is the steering wheel, which now has silver-coloured spars, and on some models, controls for the stereo, making it feel quite expensive. This is by far the best product, as far as perceived quality goes, that GMDAT has produced to date, eclipsing the Optra, and for that matter, while not a GMDAT model, even the Cobalt. The seats are good, high on comfort, with standard driver's height adjustment, lumbar support and armrest. In the states, all Aveos come with seat-mounted side impact airbags, but they're optional here, as are anti-lock brakes with brake force distribution. Slightly less impressive was the fabric chosen for the door panel inserts. It seems GM ran out of cloth or vinyl and had to use leftover wallpaper from the '80s.

Aesthetics aside, the Aveo Sedan and the Aveo5 share the same ups

On the road, it's alright, with smooth ride and plesant steering. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

and downs. Behind the fake nails and eyeliner is pretty much the same car, which means that it's no different to drive than the outgoing model. In the press kit there's mention of minor work in the suspension department with new bushings, retuned spring rates, dampers that damp more and a one-millimeter reduction in size for the anti-roll bar, but you would be very hard pressed to notice this. I couldn't tell the difference after stepping out of an Aveo5, driven on the exact same roads in the exact same manner; granted the cars were driven within the legal limits. It's the kind of car that the automotively disinterested and undemanding will enjoy to no end. The suspension is soft and comfortable, with excellent bump absorption, the steering is power assisted and light. Plus, with a new self-centering design, it even minimizes the effect of crosswinds; which would normally be a problem given the car's tallish side profile and overall light weight.

As with all other engines featured in GMDAT cars, the E-TEC II mill under the hood started life back in an '80s Holden. GMDAT is keen to let people know that these designs have been essentially re-engineered for modern times, and there's good reason to believe them as this motor boasts ULEV-II status. The engine is basically the same inline-four, with four valves per cylinder, dual overhead cams, although no variable valve timing, yet it's been improved upon with the addition of a variable intake manifold. At low engine speeds the intake plenum's length increases in order to boost torque by ten-percent; under heavy loads the length is shortened to improve response. Overall, there is no change in output, which remains at a class-low of 103 horsepower and 107 pound-feet of torque class-high-tie. Other engine-related changes include a new roller-type cam for reduced friction.

Clearly, however, what looks good on paper doesn't always translate as well to

Engine is noisy, but new variable intake manifold gives more low-down pep. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

real-life. On the move, things are slightly quieter inside, the rush of wind noise dulled by the improved drag coefficient rating (0.33, down from 0.35), while the long gearing via the optional but overtly slurry four-speed automatic creates a calming effect when moseying around. Accelerate, though, and the general hush is broken by coarse and generally unwilling sounds, when the 1.6-litre engine is forced into animation above 4,000 rpm. The Aveo's electronic throttle is geared, like most economy cars, to provide instantaneous response, and with the extra low-down grunt it can quickly and almost effortlessly get the Aveo to average traffic speeds.

When it comes to fuel consumption, the Aveo Sedan is a bit of a mixed bag. With the current sedan, the Aveo's thirst for gasoline was hardly impressive, consuming as much as 9.7 L/100 km in the city, where most of us drive, and 6.3 L/100 km on the highway. Things have mostly improved with the new model, which is cited at 8.4 L/100 km for the urban shuffle, but, strangely 6.8 L/100 km on the open road. Still, 6.8 on the highway is better than Honda's new Fit, for instance.


When it comes to features, the Aveo is especially strong in LT trim,

Features like this fold-down arm rest are standard. It's the little things that really count in a base subcompact car. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

the specification of our test subject. This fully loaded model, which starts at an unbelievably reasonable $15,450, features air conditioning, a 6-disc CD/MP3 player with iPod input jack, a power glass sunroof, power windows, keyless entry integrated into the keyfob, power heated side mirrors, and cruise control. Granted, the price can still climb higher with an automatic, ABS brakes, premium sound system that gains a pair of speakers, 15-inch wheels, and rear spoiler, all of which were on our tester. Combined, the upgraded sound system, and appearance bits are available together with an iPod in the RS Special Edition, which adds $1,095 to the asking price.

But, unless it's your prerogative to have the most lavish subcompact currently on sale, the Aveo makes the most sense when you leave the goodies out and buy it stripped to the bare essentials. At $12,950, the Aveo LS is officially the cheapest new car on sale today with four doors and a trunk, undercutting the Kia Rio sedan by $500, the Hyundai Accent Sedan by over $1,000, and the Toyota Yaris sedan by nearly $1,400. In terms of outright cheapness, it's only undercut by the base $11,995 Aveo5. It's no longer the automotive equivalent of wearing a hairshirt either, because it still comes with that great interior, the adjustable seats, split/fold rear seats, and a four-speaker stereo system with a CD player, something it didn't have before.

One thing to consider, mind you, is that this Korean-made subcompact doesn't come with a typical Korean warranty; 5-years, 100,000 km comprehensive, but rather Chevy's 3-year, 60,000 km comprehensive, and 5-year, 100,000 km powertrain warranty. No doubt, with all the money saved you can purchase the extra two years of comprehensive coverage if it really means that much to you.

So far, only the four-door sedan gets the exterior

So Chevrolet... when's that hatchback coming? (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

and interior update. Hopefully, most of these changes will be applied to the five-door hatchback, which should help the Aveo fight back against the likes of the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris. In Europe, as a part of the launch of the Chevrolet brand, an Aveo three-door hatchback was launched, however, it was never made available to the North American market, something that was a tradition with previous small Chevys. Nevertheless, if the new Aveo Sedan is a sign of things to come for GMDAT, this is its brightest star yet; and just like reality TV, a sense of style should be good for ratings.

Specifications (Aveo Sedan LT):

• Base Price Range (Aveo Sedan LT MSRP; est.): $12,950 - $18,545
• Price as Tested (MSRP): $17,240
  
• Body Type: 4-door sedan
• Layout: front engine, FWD
• Engine: 103 hp, 107 lb-ft of torque, 1.6L, 16-valve DOHC I-4
• Transmission: 5-spd manual (opt. 4-spd auto)
• Brakes (front/rear): disc/drum (opt. ABS w/EBD)
• Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 4,310 / 1,710 / 1,505 / 2,480 mm (169.7 / 67.3 / 59.2 / 97.6 in)
• Curb Weight: 1,153 kg (2542 lbs)
• Tires: 185/55R15
• Cargo Volume (seats up): 350 L (12.4 cu-ft)
• Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 8.4 / 6.8 L/100 km
• Observed Fuel Economy: 8.6 L/100 km
  
• Warranty (mo/km): 36/60,000 comprehensive; 60/100,000 powertrain
• Competitors: Hyundai Accent Sedan, Kia Rio Sedan, Toyota Yaris Sedan
• Website: www.gmcanada.com