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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  In the Shop - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By stbone - September 8 - 11:10 am

  6,500 miles - in for repair 4 times. 1 - bad light relay 2 - would not accelerate, bad throttle body 3 - overheating and no air conditioner, told it was low on anti-freeze. 4 - engine is bad. Knocked loudly from cam shaft. We are still waiting for a short block and head. This averages out to less than 2,000 miles per repair. The dealer has been Nice and Chevy is paying for a rental, but what a pain for a new car. And we bought a new so we wouldnt have to deal with this sort of thing. We are highly disappointed.

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  "Miserable" little car is a accurate - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Ctb - August 28 - 2:15 pm

  The Aveos ride is punishing on large potholes. Body rolls is extreme in all corners and handling is imprecise. The clutch is too light and the gearbox is rudimentary. Smooth shifts are extremely difficult. Acceleration is adequate on flat hills, but low torque make uphill acceleration a chore. Reliability is a problem. My vehicle hd a warped throttle body. The thermostat housing is made of plastic - a ridiculous design flaw - and ruptured (replacements are metal). Rubber bushing up front have compressed and made the car wallow even more than normal. Tire wear on the stock tires is poor. Mine reached 19,000 miles. Joyless, unreliable, and pointless, this is a terrible car with no purpose.

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  Read reviews before purchase! - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Watch out!!! - August 27 - 10:22 am

  This vehicle is cheap, but that says a lot for the quality of the vehicle. At 3000 miles, the windshield cracked....manufacturer defect. At 13000 miles, lost all my oil, which the oil light never came on...currently in the shop having the seals and gaskets in the engine replaced...might as well replace the whole engine. I bought this car for the gas mileage. Averaging about 28 miles per gallon on highway, and about 25 with the air conditioner on. Not good! The car shakes like it needs to be aligned, which I did and also had new, high quality tires put on and it still shakes terribly. I am truly scared to drive this car in high wind and rain. Hydroplanes bad!

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  Dissapointed Chevy Fan - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Chris - June 25 - 8:06 pm

  Fuel Economy significantly lower than advertised. Air conditioning performance declines every season, dealer has noted noise but did not fix. Wore out tires prematurely. Has suspension clunks in front and rear which dealer has noted but never fixed.Now it has a grinding in the front which comes and goes but "could not be reproduced by dealer.Our new car is now more disappointing to drive than the 96 we sold when we bought the Aveo. I have always been a supporter and fan of Chevy. The Aveo and Doug Chevy have changed that. I will never buy a new Chevy again.

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  Thow away car - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By notforchevy - January 27 - 12:25 pm

  Purchased brand new, never drove it hard. Took it on trips, always maintained the vehicle. 70k hits and the crank shaft position sensor goes out and the car wont start. 73k hits, the timing belt broke and now I have to pay $2000 for a new engine. Right when I got it back the transmission went out. Out of control

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  Leaves you stranded! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Notworthit - December 12 - 1:23 pm

  Bought this car new off the lot for my son. If you want it to last more than 70k, then dont get it. Has left him stranded from work, school, and home 5 times. Crank Shaft sensor at 60k, Radiator problems at 65k, engine blew at 70k, and transmission shifting problems at 71k. Not worth the headache for an "American car" that has parts from Korea. Should have purchased a honda/toyota but unfortunately they didnt offer smaller cars back in 04. Never will I buy an American car again, completely unreliable and of course it all happens after the warrenty runs out. Bought new for $14,200 and have put in $3000 in repairs in the last 3 years! Thats not normal!

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  Anemic - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Mark - October 3 - 2:28 pm

  Since my purchase of a 2005 Aveo, I have been greatly disappointed. I had a Geo Metro Hatchback (3 Cyl) that had more get up and go than this car with 15mpg more than what I am now receiving. The tires wore out in 25000 miles of highway driving. The A/C is marginal, and the auto- transmission is absolutely the worst. I also have a Plymouth Voyager, it gets almost the same gas mileage as the 1000lb smaller car with 2 more cyclinders to feed gas. Im lucky to get 25 mpg in city, a corvette will get the same driven moderately. This is one of the poorest cars GM has put their badge on, period. For the same amount of money, go buy a Honda Accord or Civic.

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  Do not buy this car! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Andreana - April 24 - 10:21 am

  This car is not built for our environment. Sure its good on gas but its not reliable. I bought my car new, and its been in the shop 13 times in 2 1/2 years. They have gone into my engine twice to fixe problems, and had to rebuild it. Ive had 4 different oil leaks my a/c has been fixed 3 times, my brakes were coming loose and the list goes on. So please if you are reading this do not buy this car! Its a cute car but its not worth the trouble.

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  Do not buy - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By gtown317 - September 2 - 3:51 pm

  I have only been happy with the mechanical performance of this vehicle. I think It is one of the worst cars to drive on the road today. It is all over the place and It does not get great gas mileage for its size. It is an ugly car also. There is a lot of room in the back seat.

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  Not Quite Sure - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By agrzeskowiak - July 11 - 9:17 am

  I fell in love with this car before I bought it. Was told it was 1 of a few that were painted key lime green from the factory. After driving it for about a month maybe 2 it seems to feel like something is bent somewhere. Car seems to have vibrations and interior door handles are loose. As also the black appliques on the rear doors is buckling. I have gone back to the dealership in May of 06 to get these fixed they are still ordering parts and have not heard from them.