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:

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  Awsome for the price - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By MASON - April 26 - 9:18 pm

  Awsome little car, I drive 100 miles a day, 3000 miles on the car so far 35.5 MPG is my best mileage so far. Its the perfect little car for someone that doesnt want to pay a fortune, but wants good mileage. No it doesnt perform like a Vette, because its not one. Its just what I paid for a small, cute, affordable, economic, basic little car. Not to mention that it fits in almost any parking space, and can do a U-Turn anywhere. I would recommend this car to anyone looking for the same.

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  Awesome for the price - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By M Henry - April 26 - 11:29 am

  I like this little car. Ive got rabbits, and if I go on trips with them the carriers fit well in the back seat without giving up too much front legroom. My wife is a bit heavy, and I can feel the handling difference when shes in the car, but its not bad at all. Me and a buddy of mine run time trials through a little curvy section of road and it feels pretty tight at 45 and you never feel like youre going to roll. I could complain about the mileage, but I figure its less to fill up than my co-workers that drive big trucks everyday so its not bad. I drive a little rough on it but still get a decent 27-28 mpg.

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  Cheap, Comfortable, and Nice choices - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Xtatic - April 24 - 4:37 pm

  First, its an economy car so most people try to compare it to a sports car. Dont, because its the best car for its type. That is, for under 8,000 you get a car thats roomy and more comfortable than most compacts. The warrenty is great and so is the cost. Insurance is also cheap. I am quite tall and I find it very easy to get in and out of. The seats are next to perfect and fit awesome. Sure its only 103 horsepower, but with the stick its quite zippy. The hatch idea is terrific because I can fit anything in this lil puppy. I drive it everyplace and enjoy the fact the gas gauge hardly moves! Im more an automatic guy but for basic transportation for this price you cant beat it. Excellent!

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  Maintenance Nightmare - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Cindy - April 22 - 11:09 am

  We bought this car new and it has been in the shop 6 times in under a year from issues with the clock, parking brake not holding car on hills even in park, Blower motor issues, suspension crunch problems in the front end, brake problems , do yourself a favor and stay away from this little time bomb, we traded it in last week with 10,000 mi on her and bought a new Cobalt LS Sedan, this car is so much nicer inside and it gets better mileage than the Aveo did, It has more power and a way better ride and the price was about the same as the Aveo

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  Little Orange Slice - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Greg - April 18 - 11:48 pm

  I purchased my Aveo as a second car to commute to work in. I really like it the gas milage is pretty good. The little car rides great and is very comfortable. I have a PT Crusier and the Aveo is very similer in the sitting position. I love the bright spicy orange color, it stands out.

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  Great Economy Car - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Michael Mayle - April 18 - 10:22 pm

  I drive 50 miles round trip to work and bought this car for its economy. I like it so much,that I have parked my pick up and drive it all of the time. I find it exceptionally roomy and easy to manuver in the city. A real gas money saver

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  Best $7,000 I ever bought - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By whf147 - April 18 - 5:29 pm

  As a previous Chevy Sprint owner I would say this is the car of the century. I paid $1,000 more for this vehicle than the 1986 Chevy Sprint I bought. I got 180,000 miles out of that vehicle. I bought this Aveo in Oct of 2004 and I have 46,000 trouble free miles on it.

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  Aveo - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By cc7879 - April 18 - 3:36 am

  I have only had the car for one and a half years and have had to have it in the shop twice. Luckily I bought the extended warranty because the timing belt broke a couple of days ago and now I need a new moter.

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  Excellent Reasonably Priced Car! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By flashback4 - April 16 - 10:00 am

  Great little car, I needed a new commuter car that got good gas milage and at under $10,000 I couldnt find a better car. The overall fit and finish is exceptionally good, especially for a cheaply priced car. I drive 60 miles round trip a day and have been averaging 34 to 35 miles to the gallon. Considering the price of some of the new hybrids, it would take years to make up the difference in gas savings. I think Chevy did a great job in designing and building the Aveo, I would recommend it to anyone looking for good car, reasonably priced, that gets decent gas mileage.

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  Excellent small car. - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By HL Mencken - April 14 - 6:59 pm

  Very reliable in the almost 8 months I have owned this car. The interior is far more roomy than one would expect. Not much pickup, but you cant expect that much from a small engine. My gas mileage in the city has been a little disappointing at about 25 or 26, and I drive very conservatively.