The little Chevy Aveo is an oddly appealing, small car. Its long hood and short tail make it look bigger than its 13-foot length, and the rack-and-pinion steering and torsion beam rear axle give it a grown-up feel. Its tight turning circle allows it to scoot through a tiny parking spot and is easy to maneuver in downtown traffic. And while it's no sports car, the 103-horsepower four-cylinder engine provides sufficient punch for errand running and commutes, especially when mated to a notchy manual transmission.
A surprisingly spacious interior makes the Aveo more practical than many of its brethren. The rear seat is particularly roomy for a subcompact, and a folding seat in the hatchback adds even more cargo capacity. The frame structure is built with safety in mind, and the cabin is designed to absorb as much crash energy as possible. The Aveo aced the federal frontal-crash test with five stars for both driver and passenger.
Unlike other recent Chevrolets, the Aveo was designed and built in Bupyong, South Korea, which gives it a distinctive, quirky appeal. And though a modest mid-cycle refresh in 2007 includes some styling tweaks, none of them address the Aveo's awkward-puppy proportions or tall-'n-tippy stance. With better buzzboxes priced within a shifter's throw of the Aveo, it seems unlikely this cute-but-dull little hatchback will survive in its current form.
Buyers who need a small, inexpensive, fuel-efficient car should be sure to shop around and check out what used models are available. It could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars and give you a much safer, more capable car.
