2007 Chevrolet Aveo5 Review
The Chevrolet Aveo5 is the hatchback version of Chevrolet's fairly young Aveo line of subcompact sedans. Introduced for the 2004 model year, the Aveo is a rebranded Daewoo Kalos, produced by General Motors' Korean subsidiary. It is currently Chevrolet's most economical model, competing with the Toyota Yaris and the Honda Fit. The LT trim, which comes standard with most of the LS' optional features, is not available for the 2007 Aveo5 hatchback, although it is still offered for the sedan.
The BuyingAdvice Team Says:
The Chevy Aveo5 is one of the cheapest new cars on the market and ultimately that is the only area in which it distinguishes itself. There is growing competition in the subcompact market and you can find better performance, standard features and reliability elsewhere. If you're on a really tight budget, the Aveo5 just might be your best choice, but we suggest by paying a little more you can buy a much better car.
What's New For 2007:
$10,235
no
5
24/34
1.6L I4
103@5800RPM
107@3400RPM
5 Speed Manual
FR/FWD
11
gasoline
36/36000
60/100000
72/100000
What is the Predicted Reliability:
Overall, the Aveo gets three out of five stars for overall quality from J.D. Power and Associates. An early problem that plagued the 2004 Aveo was suspension issues, resulting in vehicle noise. However, the problem has since been rectified by General Motors. The 2005 Aveo has a reported starting issue and it apparently was very easy to flood the engine, which happens when the engine receives an air-fuel mixture that is too rich for it to handle, causing the car to not start or stall.
A related issue with all prior versions of the Aveo is inaccurate fuel gauges that report fuel in the tank when there is none, causing the car to stall or not start. Some owners reported not receiving the promised fuel efficiency, which may be caused either by a faulty chip or by the poorly geared manual transmission. Overall, expect the Aveo5 to have an average to below average reliability. Fortunately, the Aveo5 comes with General Motors' new warranty, which covers the powertrain for five years or 100,000 miles, and also includes roadside assistance and courtesy transportation for that period. However, the basic bumper to bumper coverage only lasts for three years or 36,000 miles.
Analysis Of Safety Ratings And Features:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the Aveo5 five out of five stars for driver safety in a frontal crash, and four stars out of five for the front passenger front crash tests. It garnered four stars for those in both the front and rear seat in side impact crash tests. The Aveo5 also received four stars in rollover tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does not have any safety information available for the Aveo5. In terms of safety features, the Aveo5 offers few options. Side air bags, daytime running lights, and three point seat belts for all passengers come standard in all trims. Antilock brakes are available as an option in the LS trim. Traction and stability control are not available. There has already been a recall issued for the 2007 Aveo5, due to fuel leaks that can result from a severe crash.
Pros and Cons:
Pros
+ Inexpensive base model
+ Excellent warranty
+ Good range of options
Cons
- Few standard features
- Spotty reliability
- Fuel economy could be improved
Head-To-Head Competition:
The most obvious competitor to the Aveo5 is the Toyota Yaris. Coming in at about $800 less than the Aveo5, the Yaris also offers much better city gas mileage (34 vs. 27 mpg) and three more miles to the gallon on the highway, meanwhile offering the same horsepower as the Aveo5. The next challenger is the Honda Fit, which is very similar to the Aveo5 in just about every respect, except it is $3,300 more expensive than the Aveo5; it also includes more standard features for the extra money, including cruise control, standard remote door locks, front and rear head air bags, MP3 capable CD player, alarm system, and anti-lock brakes. Perhaps the closest competitor to the Aveo5 is the Kia Rio, which gets about five more miles to the gallon in the city than the Aveo5 and comes with a better warranty, which covers the entire vehicle for five years or 60,000 miles, and the powertrain for ten years or 100,000 miles. The Kia Rio also costs about $2,000 more. The Aveo5 faces fierce competition, but its warranty, price, and available options give it a sturdy foothold in the market.
What Others Are Saying:
"Though it's been in Chevy's lineup less than three years, the Aveo has been redesigned for '07. Built in Korea by Daewoo, the Aveo is basic transportation, and its attractive pricing includes lots of standard features. Performance, however, is not on par with the subcompact leaders." - Car and Driver
"That jingling you hear isn't sleigh bells - it's actually the change left in your pocket after filling the 2007 Chevrolet Aveo's 11.9-gallon fuel tank. This is but one of the joys of driving Chevy's small-but-tall people hauler. The fact that it is (actually) not bad to drive is another." - TheCarConnection.com
"I was totally drawn in by the cute and appealing exterior of the Aveo. My problem comes when I start thinking about all the stuff beyond the superficial. I'm still waiting for an American manufacturer to come up with something that makes as much sense as a Honda Fit or a Nissan Versa." - Anita Lienert, The Detroit News
Read more about the 2007 Chevrolet Aveo5 at the Chevrolet manufacturer web site.
Published on Friday, December 15, 2006 - Email to a friend
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