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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  Great little car! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By redwitch - February 11 - 10:00 am

  This is the best car I have ever owned! It is roomie inside, handles wtih ease, it can do 70 without skipping a beat. It has an awesome sound system with mp3 player, power everything. I would highly recommend this car to anyone who likes small cars.

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  excellent value - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Jeff and Alicia - February 7 - 10:00 am

  excellent economy car. More power than we initially thought. It goes up the mountain roads quite easily. Lots of room for large drivers. Fun to drive and great on gas.

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  nice car - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By pumba - December 25 - 10:00 am

  seems like a very nice car at the price,nice ride,and seem bigger than it appears.

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  owner/driver - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By mawkeex6 - November 13 - 10:00 am

  It has so many little added features that I really like the car. I have only had it a little over a week but I love driving it and it will get up and go. Fun to drive too.

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  Aveo - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Juel - November 13 - 10:00 am

  Fun car to drive and gets good fuel economy

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  Great Gas Mileage - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Hollswirth - October 5 - 11:20 am

  I love this car, it has get up and go,its roomy, the car looks very small on the outside, but on the inside its bigger. Its fun to drive, and I get great gas mileage with this car.

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  First new car... - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By jerzeezfinest - October 1 - 10:00 am

  I am SO excited about this car... I was driving a 91 jetta that I put $4,000 into in under 18 months-- I was NOT going to deal with anyh more used car problems... The aveo was the cheapest new car i could possibly by, I went to 12 dealerships and was in LOVE with this car. It is an AWESOME value and I dont think I could have possibly done any better for what I had to go on. Im 18, with a cosigner and a little help for the down payment, Im paying $175 a month... totally do-able.

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  not bad for money - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By abou_omar - September 8 - 10:46 am

  I bought only for my self to go to work 15 miles away, I love its design interior & exterior, nice head space, very comfortable. But it got slow acceleration and noisy in the begining but you can go 70 mph on the highway. I got it on smart buy program with low monthly pymnt

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  it is affordable for a single person and - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By corudy - August 19 - 10:00 am

  nice driving, small, comfortable, good on gas

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  Great car for the price - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By jmj38 - July 18 - 2:00 am

  The Aveo Special Value Edition is an excellent vehicle for the price. With current rebates and incentives you can own this vehicle for less than $8000. Its quick and is fun to drive. MPG is around 32 MPG combined so far. Handling is good at city speeds, but gets a little "loose" on the expressway.....probably due to the smaller tires and light body weight.