Overview & Reviews

The Chevy Aveo was one of the first representatives of a new generation of inexpensive small cars that dawned in the 2000s as car shoppers began changing their buying habits to reflect rising gas prices and tough financial times. Unlike the penalty boxes of old, these small cars would sacrifice little in terms of reliability, features or comfort.

Having said that, the Aveo paled in comparison to later competitors. Built in Korea by GM-owned Daewoo, the Aveo was uninspiring to drive and saddled with subpar interior quality. A penalty box it was not, but it wasn't an object of desire, either. Eventually, Chevrolet discontinued the Aveo and replaced it with the vastly superior Sonic.

Most Recent Chevrolet Aveo
The Chevy Aveo was available as a subcompact sedan or four-door hatchback called the Aveo5. Both debuted in 2004 and, apart from the subsequent minor face-lifts that occurred for the sedan in '07 and the hatchback in '09, didn't significantly change throughout its run.

From 2004-'08, every Aveo was powered by a 1.6-liter inline-4 that made 103 horsepower and 107 pound-feet of torque. For '09, it was bumped up to 107 hp and 106 lb-ft, while for 2010 those figures were revised to 108 hp and 104 lb-ft. Transmission choices were always a standard five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic. Manual transmission gear ratios were altered for 2010 for improved fuel economy.

The Aveo's tall profile wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing when viewed from the outside, but it certainly paid dividends in terms of providing useful amounts of headroom and legroom. The Aveo's interior also provided a commanding view for all passengers, and a fully reclining front passenger seat and a 60/40-split-folding rear seat expanded cargo capacity. The sedan's trunk offered 12.4 cubic feet of storage space. The Aveo5 also had a fold-down rear seat, and it could carry up to 42 cubic feet of cargo.

In Chevrolet Aveo reviews, our editors found it to be the least appealing of contemporary subcompacts, particularly toward the end of its life. But as a used car purchase, the Aveo represents a pretty affordable way to get acceptable transportation. Strengths included a low price, ample headroom and logical control layout. Downsides included mediocre acceleration, an unrefined driving experience, subpar cabin quality and a sloppy gearshifter (this was the rare instance in the subcompact class where we would recommend the automatic). Shoppers will want to consider 2006 and later Aveos, as they have additional features such as side airbags, alloy wheels and cruise control.

User Reviews:

• 

  True Sub-compact - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Sirrep - November 20 - 8:35 pm

  Rover, Chevette, Hornet, Fiat 600, Valnent, Mustang, I have ridden in all of them. This Aveo gives the best, most quiet drive in years. Best bang for the buck, especially if it is on sale at about $9k at the dealer.

• 

  130MPH!! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Undisclosed - November 15 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Aveo on the nite of 7/25 and about 2hrs later I figured I would "see where the fuel cutoff engages", well to mine and my friends suprise, there is no limiter, I stretched 4th gear out to 5500rpm and shifted to 5th, slowly climbing all the way past the 120mph speedometer it hit the odometer peg (124-125?) at 5400rpm in 5th and proceeded to pull upto 5700rpm, I figure we gained another 5-6mph. So, on a more "polliticaly correct" note, the engine in this car is straight from the Daewoo Kalos (along with the rest of the car) and its a proven reliable engine... it was in the Daewoo Lanos and Nubira back in 98- 99 and its been a good reliable motor

• 

  Suspension Problems TSB noted - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By JLW - November 14 - 7:04 pm

  Love the car however, in month 2 or 3 creaking and popping started from suspension, and got worse as the months progressed. Finally took it in a year later and they said the bushings on the stabilizer arms were no good. I thought to myself how could bushings go bad in 2-3 months on a brand new car? Took it in, and they replaced them and it made a noticable difference. However creaking and popping is still there and Im trying to isolate where. I think its now in the back. Not happy at all with the suspension on this brand new car. Its due to the heavy swing of the car, its height and poor/or improperly selected/or placed suspension components. Going back again for the remaining creaks, stay tuned.

• 

  Hot Rod - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Richie - November 9 - 4:28 pm

  This is a great car for the money. I own a Honda CRV which gets about only 25mpg. The Aveo gets 33 mpg consistently and has more pep and is easier to manuever. So far no mechanical problems whatsoever and we are very happy with it. Its great both in stop and go traffic and on the long haul rides. I had the oil changed at 3500 miles by the dealer and nothing else had to be done to it. great car.

• 

  2004 Aveo - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By S. Selvage - November 8 - 2:47 pm

  I bought my little car about 10 months ago. It had 26,000 miles on it. I have 36,000 on it now. My only complaint is the gas mileage. I expected better. It is getting 30 to 33 mpg. It seems sturdy and I enjoy driving it. I have no complaint with the pep. The interior room is excellent and the back seat has more room than my Toyota RAV. There does seem to be a bad blind spot at the front side windshield, and to the rear. I have learned to compensate.

• 

  Excellent car for a firstimer! - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By anthony - November 4 - 12:16 am

  After three months of painstaking dilemma, I finally got this car! My first ever car! Looks are great both in and out. Its easy to maneuver, comfortable, very economical, and lots of space inside! I had test driven almost a dozen of cars, but the Chevy had its advantages. Thats why I chose it!

• 

  Nice - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Todd Loyd - October 30 - 5:53 am

  The car is much nicer than any other compact I have owned. Bought as a second car and a grocery getter. This does more than deliver. It is smooth, quiet, comfortable, and has about as much power as you would expect from a compact.

• 

  Great small GM car - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By nathan - October 28 - 8:23 pm

  This is my first new car, and it is absolutely great! It has excellent handling, is incredibly easy to park, and people are constantly amazed at how much room the interior has. At first the manual transmission was a little rubbery, but after 9000 miles it has broken in nicely and shifts much better. Absolutely no maintenance problems whatsoever. The car actually seems to be holding up well in Michigan on a dirt road (our normal roads are also pretty nasty). Good ride, definitely easy to push through the curves. Too bad GM cant figure out how to make something similar in America, or without stealing from Daewoo, though.

• 

  Nice Car - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Scott - October 18 - 1:27 am

  I love this car. It rides nice, looks great, and you can drive it for a long time before having to fill up.

• 

  Aveo: a real contender, poorly marketed - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Mike - October 6 - 7:46 am

  GM cannot figure out why they cant sell cars. Here is a pleasing, cool, practical contender in the Mini club but whos to know? Great gear box, precise steering feel, amazingly quiet with a compliant, controlled ride. The only weakness I could find: the seat has little support (you sit on it, not in it) and the headrest is somewhat annoying and doesnt support the head comfortably. But, a definite "must drive" when considering Fit, Yaris, etc. A well developed package for all-around use that puts a smile on your face.