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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  Faulty timing belt and shifter. Lemon! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By AshleyFeucht - July 12 - 6:55 pm

  Timing belt broke at 47K miles (well before the recommended 60K replacement). As a result, I had to spend $2,170 to replace the belt and cylinder head. Also, shifter sticks when pulling out of park. These are two VERY common problems. GM refuses to compensate me and I plan to organize a class action lawsuit and/or take GM to small claims court. The only reason this car is still on the market is because not enough consumers are complaining. If you have the same problems, please speak up!

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  Expected better gas mileage - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By D - July 12 - 5:54 pm

  Reviews on this vehicle seem very inconsistent. Based on my research, people seem to be experiencing problems with transmission fluid turning brown very early on (as mine has), but I havent come across a lot of actual transmission failures. My biggest problem has been fuel economy. For such a tiny car, I expected better than the 25ish total and much less for city driving. Since there arent any other real advantages over a slightly larger car (besides cost), I have been disappointed by that. For a car of its size, the trunk is great and there is reasonable room in the front seats. The back is tight but that is to be expected. The egg-shape continues to look dated to me.

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  Shift lock problems - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By dj morse - July 11 - 5:03 pm

  Problems after 1 month with shift lock on automatic gear handle. Cannot get car out of park.

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  Good little Car - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Julie - July 2 - 11:51 am

  I bought this car in April used from my sister. It has 71,000 miles on it and have had no problems at all. I also drove this car from Chicago Illinois out to Seattle Washington and it did great! It is a small car but actually very roomy in the interior, I have had multiple people say that. My boyfriend who is 61 and 240 pounds said he was comfortable. I take very good care of my cars and am always up to date on car fluids, check ups, etc. Not caring properly for the car may be the reason why people have problems with it. Always check to make sure the car was well maintained when buying used.

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  Not bad for the price - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Al in Texas - July 1 - 6:16 pm

  Purchased a 2007 Aveo as a year-end clearout. After rebates (factory and GM Card), I drove out of the dealership with a new car for around $7000. Not bad! Problems: Engine light came on three times before dealer was able to fix a coolant leak. All work under warranty. Otherwise, car has been reliable transportation. Average 33 mpg with mostly freeway driving.

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  Nice at first - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By fast driver - July 1 - 5:43 pm

  Bought the car brand new in 2008, drove great up until now. Check engine light wont go off, it jerks for no reason, cd player stopped working yesterday. It is very light so if its windy you wont be going over 60 while listening to whistling on the highway. It makes a popping sound when warming up and the trade in value is horrible. If youre looking for something thats NOT your only means of transportation then this is it. When i start to get the letters in I will be trading mine.

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  It is what it is - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By That guy - July 1 - 9:23 am

  I have a 90 mile a day round trip commute and bought this when gas was over$4 a gal. This is an economy car. They only thing I like about it is that I am 62" 300 lbs and I fit into it fine. Otherwise this is a cheap car with cheap features. The factory alarm get buggy and goes off for no reason at times. Ive had no major problems but the tires are so small that there can be big problems when potholes are everywhere.

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  Wallet Saver - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By G8rB8t - June 22 - 7:30 am

  Great little car. I drive 116 miles a day and given that this car has nothing, and I mean nothing to it, it does the job well. I can live without the AC and the AM/FM radio is par but works and helps me survive the commute. The sole purpose of this car was as a commuter for work and nothing more and it does just that. Currently have filled the tank 20 times and am averaging 35.7 MPG. I am a spirited driver so I am sure others could do much better if they dont average 10 mph over the limit like I do.

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  Great Car for the Money! - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By louise - June 20 - 1:09 pm

  Okay so there are not many vehicles out there that you can buy new for the price that you pay for the Aveo.If you want a nicer vehicle for the same price tag then you better look in the pre-owned section and chance purchasing a car that someone else might of dogged.The Aveos interior was a surprise to me, it was way more comfortable than I thought it would be. yes I purchased a 2LT so obviously trim level will have some type of factor but I test drove an LS and the interior wasnt bad either.My boyfriend weighs about 270LBs and is tall and he stated himself that he sits in comfort.The Aveo I purchased did come with armrests without extra cost to me, and lastly I feel secure when driving it.

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  Aveo 08 - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By smallcarlover - June 17 - 6:24 pm

  I love my 08 Aveo LT. Ive never gotten less than 32 MPG, and on road trips its 35 MPG. Its never failed me but I am careful to have all of the recommended services completed on time. It has a lot of pep for a 4 cyl car, and it is very comfortable. In 2.6 years I have put two sets of tires on it and the odo reads 67,800. I plan to keep it.