This was the first time I had been out and about in a European, friendly-sized Chevrolet, and this user-friendly, five-seat, five-door saloon provides the majority of family motorists with a complete package. So complete, that with Cruise Control set, continental trips can be absolutely what the doctor ordered.
The Aveo has comfortable, grippy seats and a fair amount of roll when cornering hard
This reasonably priced Chevvy came with all the required appendages, including a neat box for glasses or sunglasses – where the driver would normally find a space or the high-mounted ‘grab handle’.
The driver’s seat was pumped up to give fantastic, forward vision; the steering wheel was lowered and the perfect driving position was most easily found.
The 1.4-litre engine revved freely, accelerated the car briskly and with decently progressive brakes brought the Aveo to a stop from 80kph, hands off the wheel in a totally straight line.
I enjoy driving small automatics more and more, especially when stuck in our regular mess of slow-moving motorists, all clogged behind the first in line, a man or woman with no concept that we all have a right to drive within the local speed parameters without let or hindrance – without annoying anyone who wishes or needs to drive at more than 50kph.
This little automatic has two drive functions: one is the normal drive and the other can be gear-changed by pushing a rather small and inconvenient button on the side of the gearshift.
I enjoyed this function, as I wanted a gear change to suit me rather than the engine, especially as a lot of urban motoring was the order of the day. And with six speeds to choose from, the car was never at a loss.
Rear seats down, a truly impressive amount of shopping can be carried most easily. The Aveo has comfortable, grippy seats, a fair amount of roll when cornering hard, but the grip levels are remarkably high and very decent average speeds can be maintained on the less popular roads.
Rear seat passengers have a proper amount of legroom and a truly impressive stretch before encountering the roof lining. Up front, normal Europeans will enjoy the ergonomics and space available without denying the rear occupants their fair share of the passenger compartment.
It was most pleasant to have a ‘proper’ handbrake and the super digital speed read-out will most certainly save keen types the annoyance of not quite realising that they have approached a speed camera at a somewhat overoptimistic speed.
Safety, quite rightly, is ever uppermost in the minds of many, especially the not-so-keen drivers, those of you who don’t enjoy being behind the wheel, consequently never drive with anything but cautious pessimism and, frankly, never even begin to realise that safe, competent driving is something of an art form and not a punishment.
Aveo drivers will be well-guarded. The steering is light but somewhat shy of ‘feeling’, the brakes, sensitive to the touch. The occupants sit in a steel safety cage; the seat belts, when properly worn, should ensure that even in a hard smack, occupants would be held as the six airbags explode into their safety roll.
Like all contemporary cars, anti-lock brakes are fitted to stop a skid as the brakes are applied hard. There is also an Electronic Stability Control (ESC), which includes a hill start assist, which should not be necessary with automatic transmission. There is also Traction Control with its own On/Off button so that enthusiastic drivers can play with the car in its unaided and, possibly more exciting, depending on the driver’s perception of such things, roll.
This thoroughly contemporary and very good-looking car is a pleasure to drive with a good selection of standard features, including air-conditioning, front and rear fog lamps, rear parking sensors, leather steering wheel, tinted glass, engine immobiliser, a roof spoiler, split rear seats, 16” alloys, metallic colour, steering radio controls, cruise control, coloured bumpers, legally tinted glass, electric mirrors, coloured handles, headlamp sensor, radio CD with My Link system, Bluetooth, six speakers, and central locking.
I am looking at the spec sheet, which also gives the price of the car tested as €15,000 including VAT.
This makes me wonder why people would possibly consider a second-hand import of unknown, or even disputed provenance which can often prove to be more trouble than its worth, when for a reasonable sum a new car can be purchased with the local agent’s reputation at stake and, in the case of the Aveo, a three-year warranty on mechanical parts and six-year warranty on rust.
Verdict
Comfort
A four-star rating, as there is plenty of room for four adults and a child or smaller version adult, centre rear.
Performance
Well up to continental standards, decent handling, acceleration and brakes.
Cool
This is a good family saloon, providing safe comfortable motoring in a non-flashy manner.
Quality
A nicely finished car, both inside and the exterior panel fit and design.
At a glance
Top speed
109 miles per hour
0-100km
13.1 seconds
Economy
41.5mpg.
C02
159gms/km. Class Euro 5
Engine
Four-cylinders, double overhead cam unit with 16 valves, displacing 1,398cc. Six-speed automatic gear change with manual override function.
Power
100bhp at 6,000rpm
Maximum torque
130Nm at 4,000rpm.
Dimensions
L: 4,039mm; W: 1,735mm; H: 1,517mm.
Price
€15,000 including VAT.
General
Hydraulic power steering, front wheel drive. Ventilated front disc brakes, drums at the rear. McPherson strut front suspension, torsion beams at the rear.