2012 Chevrolet Aveo review
New Chevrolet Aveo
By Bob Hume, 19th February 2012
Long journeys have a knack of highlighting a car‘s strengths and weaknesses and it was an expedition to the Excel centre in London that provided the opportunity for me to put the Chevrolet Aveo 1.3 diesel five-door hatchback through its paces.
2012 Chevrolet Aveo interior
Foolishly I had relied on some internet directions, which I later realised took me the long way round, making me late for a meeting. The route took me through such glamorous locations as Wandsworth, Clapham and Kennington, which all suffered from ludicrously long tailbacks, resulting in the Aveo‘s engine stop/start reliably cutting in virtually every time the traffic halted.
The diesel engine can be a little vocal on occasions, especially when starting but the five-speed 'box is a joy to use, changing smoothly through the gears.
My return route took me through the Dartford Tunnel and the Aveo coped well, particularly with the higher speeds of the homeward journey. The steering mounted cruise control proved very useful, especially for keeping within speed limits. Some road noise could be heard within the cabin but this was no worse than in any of its competition.
New Chevrolet Aveo
In many respects the little Aveo feels like a larger vehicle and while it is clearly not a sports car it is responsive and nippy and really good fun to drive when pushing it hard and cornering enthusiastically.
Luxuries include air conditioning and electric front windows and a digital speedometer. The only criticism I have with the controls is that the handbrake is too close to the driver for comfort, in a similar way to some Protons.
Quality of the fabrics and overall comfort is good and I like the modern look of the curved dash. There‘s a reasonable driving position and a massive amount of headroom.
2012 Chevrolet Aveo
Designers have made this five-door look like a three by concealing the rear door handles. I also particularly like the striking lights at the front, which help it a purposeful look.
Parkers, the car experts, say: “It drives well and is refined for a car of its size. Despite being a small car it feels comfortable on the motorway and soaks up the bumps without issue. Inside, features have been carried over from other models in the range such as the Cruze and Orlando. It feels well built with plenty of neat touches and there‘s lots of room, even for taller drivers.”
The Aveo is an accomplished little vehicle.
New Chevrolet Aveo
At a glance:
Model tested: Chevrolet Aveo 1.3 (95bhp) LTZ 5d
Economy: 68mpg
0-60mph: 12.2secs
Top speed: 108mph
Power: 93bhp
New price range: £9,995 - £13,615
