2009 Chevy Aveo5: Cheap as they come

Fuel-sipping Chevy Aveo5 does what it's supposed to do, but not much more

Dec 13, 2008

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Special to the Star

Being of a certain age (and that's all I'll say), I recall when many people drove small cars not by choice, but because it was all they could afford.

Perhaps it's that attitude that has left two-thirds of the Detroit Three MIA in the subcompact market. Ford's Fiesta is still a model year away, while Dodge's promised Hornet never left the hive.

Only GM's there, offering the twin siblings of Chevrolet Aveo and Pontiac G3 Wave. The model is also sold as the Suzuki Swift+.

GM Canada says there have been double-digit increases in Aveo/Wave sales this year over last, which is notable because the CAW lays much of the blame for our auto woes on Korea sending more cars than it buys from us. The Aveo triplets are built in that country by GM's subsidiary Daewoo.

Aveo starts at a base MSRP of $13,770, which undercuts most of its competition – although some of the rivals offer more features. But show up with cash and GM will throw in discounts that bring it down to $9,995.

Pricing is the same for the sedan and for my hatchback Aveo5 tester. Both use a 1.6 L four-cylinder engine with a five-speed manual transmission or, in my car, a $1,050 four-speed automatic. The base LS model is very plain, with 14-inch wheels and manual remote mirrors, but with floor mats, manual driver's height adjuster and CD/MP3 stereo with auxiliary jack.

My car was equipped with a package of anti-lock brakes and side airbags for $960, air conditioning for $1,150, satellite radio for $260, and OnStar with a year of its Safe & Sound plan at a hefty $395.

The brakes-n-bags and satellite are also extra-charge on the upper-line LT, which starts at $16,270, but a/c and OnStar are included in the price, along with keyless entry, heated mirrors, cruise control and power windows, which can't be added to the base model. Curtain airbags are not available on anything.

I didn't mind the wind-up windows, but I quickly realized how spoiled I've become by power locks. It's easy to reach across to lift up one of the lock buttons, but I missed the remote when my hands were full and I had to use the key to unlock the liftgate.

Overall, Aveo does what it's supposed to do. For 2009, the engine receives variable valve timing, which helps with fuel economy. Its 106 horsepower is sufficient in most daily driving, but it gets wheezy on uphill climbs. The engine's growly, but not objectionably loud.

Steering is responsive, and the ride is calm considering the short wheelbase; you feel bumps, but the suspension doesn't crash over them. There's a lot of body lean in turns, but then, this isn't meant to be a sportscar. A tight turning radius, plus its size, makes it simple to park.

As expected, the interior is all hard plastic, but it fits together quite well. Controls are simple and easy to use, but Aveo's engineers are utterly incapable of designing a cupholder. On the previous model, the drink completely blocked the heater dials. The holders now pull out directly ahead of the shifter, where they obstruct a storage cubby and stow only a small cup at best.

The seats are economy-car firm, but livable. With the front seats moved halfway on their tracks, two adults in the rear seats had enough legroom. The 60/40 split-folding seat opens the 60-cm-long cargo space to a length of 115 cm, but your gear won't lie flat, as the folded seat creates a 19-cm-high riser.

Outfitted with a/c, ABS and extra airbags on the $13,770 MSRP, Aveo costs $15,880. That just adds seat side airbags, though; most competitors include curtain airbags also, for a total of six.

Equipping a Toyota Yaris with those extras brings it to $16,720, but the package also adds power windows, cruise control and keyless entry.

Kia Rio requires that you go to the Sport model, at $18,295, but it's also got all the power accessories.

The Hyundai Accent hatchback only comes with two doors; on the Accent sedan, the extras are part of the top-line, automatic-only GLS trim, for $18,645.

But the base Honda Fit, with 117-horsepower engine and the best handling of the segment, comes standard with ABS and six airbags, as well as power mirrors and windows; with optional a/c, it's $16,280 – only $400 more than the Aveo.

And for my money, the Nissan Versa hatchback takes it: 122-horsepower engine and six standard airbags. When optioned with ABS and a/c, it also includes keyless entry, power windows, heated mirrors and ultra-comfy seats, for $15,698 – $182 less, and its base stick-shift is a six-speed to the Aveo's five-gear.

The engine refinement has done wonders for Aveo's fuel economy, which was a dismal 9.0 L/100 km in the city and 6.2 on the highway for 2008. For 2009, it's improved to 8.2 and 5.8, respectively, for the automatic. That's better than Versa's 8.5/6.2, but slightly thirstier than Rio, Yaris and Fit.

If you've got the cash, and you just want a five-door box on wheels that starts, stops and heats, it's hard to beat the Aveo at its discounted price.

But if you're looking for more than that, put it under consideration and look hard at what everyone else has to offer.

Toronto Star