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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  06 Aveo bought new in 06, current owner review - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Ben R - October 14 - 6:20 pm

  I bought my aveo with 12 miles in 2006. I opted for the hatchback special value manual. No power locks, or windows, came with an amfm radio, only option I got was A/C. Today (oct. 2015) I have 180,000. Figured Id go over EVERY repair Ive had in the last 10 years. Ive had the following repairs done (non scheduled maintenance): spark plug wires/plugs with valve cover gasket (225$ @ 80k). Wires opened up causing arching at high rpms which resulted in a flashing check engine light. Also had oil on the plugs due to the valve cover gasket being bad. Both common aveo problems, upgrade the wires/gasket. Have never had the issue repeat. Upper radiator hose leak/vacuum hose repair (80$ @ 100k). Standard collant leak. Vacuum hose leak caused a rough idle and reving idle from 1500rpm to 2500rpm. Never had this issue repeat. Splice pack repair (135$ @ 120k miles). Common issue in the fuse box. Causes only half of your lights to work. Never had this issue repeat. Removal of the day light running module (45$ 130k miles). Was a recall, opted to remove the module, could short out and cause a fire. Headlight electrical harness (60$, 160k miles). Plastic connector failed, causing a short and no right headlight. Back hatch replacement (120$ 160k). Rear hatch wouldnt open. Air intake hose replacement (210$ @ 160k). Intake hose decomposed opening up causing a check engine light and poor MPG and acceleration. Wiper arm springs failed (120$ @ 170k). Wipers no longer laid flat against the windshield. My Aveo has NEVER left me stranded or resulted in a repair over 500$. No engine or transmission failures. Word of advice. Keep up on the general maintenance. Timing belts/water pump/thermostat/serp belt should be replaced every 50k miles. Timing belt failures in Aveos are common at around 60k and destroys your engine if it fails. Use synthetic oil. Helps on the valve tick noise, and get it changed every 5k. Replace the air filter every 45k and flush all fluids (coolant/transmission) every 75k. Brakes (front) disc factories are horrible. Upgrade to ceramic pads and a quality rotor. Rear drums Im still on the factory drums. No issues. Tires/wheels. Upgrade your wheel and tire package. I went with a wider tire and 15 inch wheel. Same overall height as factory. This makes freeway driving safer, and winter driving (with snow tires) extremely safe. Factory tires are banana peels. Upgrade to a common tire. My tires cost 62$ each. Shocks/struts/springs: Im still on my original suspension. No failed parts or issues. Was advised at my last maintenance that the struts will need replaced at the next appt. My aveo has been a great car, especially for 10,400$ brand new (in 2006). Small minor issues are common. If you want your aveo to last drive it easy. I never accelerate past 4000 rpms, and never drive faster than 70mph. Also take turns easy and dont bury the gas when letting go of the clutch. Its not a sports car. Im still on my original clutch at 180k miles. If you follow the maintenance, fix the minor issues, the car should last well past 200,000 miles. If you dont take care of it, expect your timing belt to snap and your engine to blow up. Maintence is key on Aveo ownership. Cant stress that enough. I average 325 to 350 per 10.4 gals of gas. This has been consistent for the ownership of the car. I drive a combination of 75% freeway, 25% city. At 180k Ive had zero gasket issues. No leaking oil or other fluids or overheating issues. Hope this review was helpful.

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  Moms little trustie! - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By tauscuppy - May 14 - 1:49 pm

  I love this car! we always have new trucks, or vans. when gas prices got so high, I went out and bought one of these (after muchresearch on other compacts) Now, this is the family car, its taken us everywhere, not a single worry, I drive on the feeway ALL the time, and cant believe how smooth it is, I have to chech the sppedometer all the time, cuz I am always speeding, but, it never feels like it. this car was 8 years old when I bought it, has just over 100.000 on it now. I will own this car for a long time <3

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  Great Car - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By ecotec16 - September 23 - 9:21 am

  I cannot be happier with this car! I have the 1LT with Black Metallic paint, XM Radio, rear spoiler, driver convenience package, driver information center, anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, and automatic transmission. The car is extremely quiet both inside and out. All the doors shut with a luxury sound (unlike the tin can sound on other economy cars). Fuel mileage is great - - I average 36-40 MPG @ 68 MPH on the highway depending on wind direction/terrain. In the city the average is more like 29 MPG. Visability out of all windows is great. For me their is no blind spots. With OnStar and a supurb warranty (100K powertrain) you cannot go wrong!

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  3rd Aveo and loving it! - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By bbben - August 7 - 4:32 pm

  I am not sure if some people get lemons, but we are on our 3rd Aveo and have never had a significant problem. I have had both LS and LT models. I now have an automatic LT sedan and average 30 mpgs combined city/highway on a regular basis. I drive normally most of the time but I suspect some people who complain about MPGs just really drive their cars way too hard. I get excellent deals from my dealer and commute 60 miles a day making this car a real money saver. Due to the lower cost of the car I spend much less overall on this car than my friends who but imports in the same class.

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  Very dependable and great on gas! - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By amack1 - July 8 - 2:43 pm

  I love my little Aveo, I bought it brand new in April of 2007 and the only things Ive had to do where get the valve cover replaced (under warranty), change a relay switch which cost me less than $20, wheel bearings at 60k and regular maintenance. Ive used mobil 1 in my car since the day I brought it home, literally and Ive had no problems! It is fun to drive, the easiest 5 speed I swear, I just changed the brakes for the 1st time at 90k miles. (you dont use much with a stick). It has been very reliable and great on gas, i usually get 35-37 mpg, never under 32mpg. If you treat it right, it will return the favor!

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  What a deal! - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By SoCalMarine - November 25 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in Los Angeles for $8795 brand new. $9600 out the door. You just cant beat the value. As for the gas mileage, I drove round trip from San Diego to Lake Tahoe and got a consistent 34-35 mpg. I have noticed a sharp decline when city driving more like 25-29. People need to rate this car by its VALUE. If you are paying $10k for a new car you cant expect it to look or preform like a $30k. But for the price this car has far exceeded my expectations. Perfect eco car or commuter.

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  I like it! - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By happy camper - November 2 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned the car exactly 4 years and like it. Aveo LT was sold out, so I had after-factory door locks, car alarm, & windows put onto car. The car runs great, is fairly low maintenance. Ive not had my key stick, or any of the other issues that I see written about. I know when things go wrong, we tend to be more vocal about it, but I wanted you to know that others DO mostly like their Aveos.

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  These are great cars - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By jason - October 29 - 2:00 am

  I have a long commute to work and the aveo goes everyday 120 miles round trip. It has turned out the be the main car with gas so high. We have taken it on several long trips and get great gas mileage its an automatic and have gotten as high as 39 mpg with it several times but usually get about 35 most of the time with or with out a/c on. The aveo has never been back to the shop for repairs nothing has gone wrong with it. Just normal maintenance. Change timing belt at 60,000 miles.

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  43 MPG @ 55 MPH - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Tiny Car/Burly Dude - October 12 - 2:00 am

  I needed a car right now and Rio was not an option. The rebate was huge on the Aveo compared to Rio. Chevrolet dealers are everywhere, Kia dealers are not. My last car was an 06 Rio and it was a lemon from day one. The Aveo gets fantastic gas mileage if you drive like I do. Im in no hurry. It holds the road good in high wind. It has the On-Star feature which can run diagnostics while you drive and give you traffic alerts with the push of a button. The hands free cell phone service of 300 minutes for a year cost 9 bucks. Car handles good, stops good, looks great, controls are easy to operate/find. Plenty of head and leg room up front. Great audio features for external gear.

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  A bit too pricey - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Elwapo72 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Chevy Aveo for about 1 year now. I havent had any major problems. The very first problem I had was that the Onstar wasnt working. Second problem I am still having is that at times it will not start. I usually have to wait about a minute or two then try again and it usually starts. The other thing is how hard it is to find oil filters for it. Sometimes the filters are a little pricey.