WomenWithWheels.com

2004 Chevrolet Aveo LS 5-Door
Move Over Little Guys, You’ve Got Some Competition

Susan Frissell

It would appear that Chevrolet has a winner in its all-new entry-level car segment. The Aveo is a fun car to drive, easy to handle and maneuver and delivers about as much oomph as one would expect when in a 4-cylinder subcompact. We really enjoyed driving the Aveo, finding very few complaints. Which is not to say there wasn’t anything that needed tweaking.

We found the 5-speed manual gearbox to be temperamental and at times, difficult to engage in reverse. Once you got past backing up, shifting into first, second and third gears seemed fairly effortless. We cruised around town in third or fourth most of the time, which surprised us.

Interior volume in our 5-door Aveo test vehicle is 107.4 cubic feet (sedan is 102.7 cu. ft.), giving it a feel of roominess with adequate head and legroom. The seats were comfortable and supportive making this test car the choice for the week among others in the stable.

The Aveo model lineup includes a four-door sedan and five-door model, and is available in three versions: Special Value, Base and LS, Aveo is a smart choice for new car buyers and commuters alike. It’s the perfect car for around-town driving and parking, and on the highway performs very capably and quietly. We felt at ease merging in traffic, entering the highway and keeping up with vehicles traveling at a respectable speed.

Aveo is a joint venture between GM and Daewoo Automotive and is based on the GMDAT Kalos platform that has been available in the Korean and European markets. GM rolled out Aveo regionally in December of 2003 (including California) to test the market place. It became available nationwide in January of 2004. With a starting price of $9,995 (Special Value version), Aveo offers value without sacrificing some of the goodies we’ve all become accustomed to.

Part of Chevrolet’s plan to deliver 3 million vehicles a year, Aveo is one of several new vehicles in the fleet aimed at positioning Chevy as "America’s favorite brand," says Chevrolet General Manager Brent Dewar. Also introduced in 2004 was the Malibu Maxx, Malibu sedan, Colorado midsize pickup and 2005 Equinox compact SUV.

Aveo’s main competitors will be Toyota Scion xA, Toyota Echo, Kia Rio and Hyundai Accent. Also new to the market, Scion xA is marketed toward the young, active, first-time car buyer. This entry-level segment is especially important to Chevrolet and Aveo’s launch played a key role in giving them a presence in this, the second largest passenger car segment. Competing in this segment (28 percent) is a daunting task, but Chevrolet believes they have a natural niche here.

Part of their plan is also to "create Chevy customers for life" by providing them with a desirable entry-level car to consider and hopefully choose. Chevy expects 70-75 percent of Aveo customers to be first-time new-car buyers; 60 percent will be female under the age of 35 with an average household income of $35,000-$50,000. Thirty-five percent will be college graduates and another 35 percent some college.

Aveo’s styling comes out of Turin, Italy, created by Giorgetto Guigiaro Italdesign studios. Although not especially distinctive, Aveo is a nice looking vehicle. We prefer the 5-door style over the sedan. It evokes an "Awwwwwwwww" response. Designed with "uplevel touches," Aveo has standard aerodynamic halogen headlamps with turn indicators underneath, amber signal lamps and jewel-like taillamps. Lest you be confused about who Aveo belongs to, you can’t miss the famous bow-tie insignia smack in the middle of the grille.

Among other amenities, the Aveo sedan has a 60/40split rear seat, a seat-back pocket for maps and such, and trunk pass-through. The rear seat in the 5-door version is an industry first and only that folds flat and flips forward, providing 42 cubic feet of cargo space. The designers have added an accessory hook over the backside of the seat, large storage pocket in the driver door and a slot in the driver-side of the instrument panel. In theory it’s a good idea but we found when reaching up to the space, we would hit the gearshift on the way.

Gauges are easy to read in the IP which includes speedo, tach, odometer and trip odometer, fuel and coolant temperature gauges. There is also a storage tray, lighter and extra 12-volt outlet located in the IP. Some of the standard equipment on the Aveo includes AM/FM stereo, tinted glass, intermittent wipers, rear window defogger, floor mats, fuel-filler door and trunk releases, day/night rearview mirror, dual vanity mirrors, dual front cup holders and luggage floor mat, dual airbags and daytime running lamps.

Our test 5-door Aveo came equipped with optional anti-lock brakes ($400) allowing for more confident braking. Also optional was a rear spoiler ($225) giving the Aveo a sportier look.

The base Aveo comes equipped with air conditioning, carpeted floor mats, and available automatic transmission and CD player with MP3. If you opt for the LS, add CD player and MP3, power door locks, windows, remote keyless entry, body-colored dual folding outside heated rearview mirrors (power on passenger side), and uplevel seat fabric. Alloy wheels are available as an option on both the Base and LS.

The Special Value Model comes with standard five-speed manual transmission, single-stage air bags, tinted glass, body-colored folding outside mirrors and door handles, AM/FM stereo, two-speed variable intermittent wipers, rear window defogger, tailgate wiper on the 5-door, dual front cupholders, floor console with storage, extra 12-volt power outlet, dual visor vanity mirrors, tilt steering, 60/40 split rear seat and day-time running lights.

Chevy has since added additional options for 2004 including a sliding power sun roof, six-speaker premium sound system and engine immobilizer.