Chevrolet Aveo (2011 – 2015) Review
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Chevrolet Aveo (2011 – 2015) At A Glance
Nice looking hatchback. Good value for money. Decent handling. Good legroom in the back. Reasonable bootspace. Diesel has stop/start.
Petrol engines not particularly efficient. Automatic gearbox saps power. Interior plastics could be better in places.
It's taken a few years but Chevrolet is finally escaping the ghost of Daewoo which has haunted the brand since 2002 when it picked up the pieces of the now defunct Korean manufacturer. It's progress has been steady rather than spectacular in the intervening years with the Captiva its most recognisable model in the UK. What's surprising is that it hasn't had a decent small hatchback in its line-up.
There was the Aveo from 2008 but this was basically a revamped Kalos and a hangover from the Daewoo days. It was a model that felt dated and low rent even when it was launched. Thankfully the new Aveo has a lot more gusto about it. It seems Chevrolet is now serious about taking on a market which is dominated by the Ford Fiesta.
For starters, this Aveo is new from the ground up with a new interior and fresh engines too. To say it's a huge improvement on the previous Aveo is an understatement. It's a far more complete car. The quality of the interior is good and it feels well built too, although there are some hard plastics inside which aren't particularly pleasant to touch. Overall though, it's a comfortable and spacious interior.
On the road the Aveo handles neatly and is easy to drive. It doesn't set the world alight but it does little wrong. The steering is quite light and has precious little in the way of feel, but it's composed in corners with good body control. There's a decent choice of engines too including an entry-level 1.2-litre petrol and an eco-friendly 1.3-litre diesel with stop/start technology to keep emissions down.
With prices starting at a low £9995 and a generous level of standard equipment throughout the range, it represents good value for money. It also comes with a five-year/100,000 mile warranty, although this isn't as good as Hyundai's five-year/unlimited mileage equivalent.
Reviews for Chevrolet Aveo (2011 – 2015)'s top 3 rivals
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Chevrolet Aveo (2011 – 2015) handling and engines
- Engines range from 1.2 to 1.4
- Readers report Real MPG to be between 29–69 mpg
The Aveo is one of those cars that may not excel in any area but performs more than adequately in most. It's reasonably refined and rides very well for a small car, which helps with comfort levels, although taller drivers will find that the driver's seat is set a little too high. But all round visibility is good which makes it an easy car to drive in town or manouvre into tight parking spots.
Of course it's town and city driving which these sorts of cars are really designed for and the Aveo is happy nipping in and out traffic thanks to its light steering and responsive throttle. The gearchange on the manual cars isn't the best - it's positive enough but feels a little sticky at times but it's a far better option than the automatic.
This is a new six-speed auto called 'Hydra-Matic' which has been designed with efficiency in mind. It's fine as long as you don't rush it, but more often than not it's a frustrating gearbox to use as it saps power from the engine while asking for all-out performance results in high revs and lots of noise. Not pleasant. It does come with a button on the side allowing you to shift gears manually, but this makes little difference to how it performs.
The entry-level engine is a 1.2-litre petrol with 86bhp and 115Nm of torque. Those figures look respectable on paper, but the four-cylinder is a lacklustre engine that lacks character. There's not much in the way of 'get up and go' about it and even with your foot to the floor, it fails to deliver even respectable performance. At least economy is respectable - the claimed figures say it will do 60.9mpg with CO2 emissions of 111g/km.
The 1.4-litre petrol is a better bet if you're doing any distance driving. It produces 100bhp and more torque, which helps it feel slightly more sprightly, if not exactly sparkling in terms of performance. It's certainly not as noisy at high revs as the 1.2-litre and unlike the smaller engine, is available with the automatic gearbox. Emissions are a 125g/km in the manual while opting for the auto sees this rise to 147g/km - a figure that is really too high for a car this size.
There is also a new 1.3-litre diesel offered with two outputs - a standard five-speed with 75bhp along with a special eco version that has 95bhp, a six-speed manual gearbox and an engine stop/start system. Both emit below 100g/km of CO2, making them free to tax and exempt from the London congestion charge.
On the motorway the Aveo is fairly quiet, although with any car this size there will always be a fair amount of road and engine noise. It's decent in corners too and there's not too much body roll. However, ultimately the Aveo is competent but nothing more. That's not a criticism, after all, the best cars at this level - like the Ford Fiesta - are considerably more expensive and not as well equipped for the money. But as the Suzuki Swift proves, you can have a value for money car that's still fun to drive, good quality and refined.
| Engine | MPG | 0-62 | CO2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | 48–60 mpg | 13.1–13.6 s | 111–138 g/km |
| 1.3 VCDi 75 | 74 mpg | 13.7–14.2 s | 99 g/km |
| 1.3 VCDi 95 | 69 mpg | 12.1–12.6 s | 95–108 g/km |
| 1.3 VCDi 95 Ecodiesel | 78–79 mpg | 11.2–11.7 s | 95–108 g/km |
| 1.4 | 48–53 mpg | 11.7–12.2 s | 125–139 g/km |
| 1.4 Automatic | 42–46 mpg | 12.6–13.1 s | 145–159 g/km |
Real MPG average for the Chevrolet Aveo (2011 – 2015)
Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Average performance
75%
Real MPG
29–69 mpg
MPGs submitted
37
Chevrolet Aveo (2011 – 2015) interior
- Boot space is 290–653 litres
- Euro NCAP rating of five stars
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4039 mm |
| Width | 1771–2004 mm |
| Height | 1517 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2525 mm |
Chevrolet has tried hard to make the Aveo stand out and this continues inside with neatly designed, albeit not especially distinctive interior. The main focus is the the instrument cluster above the steering wheel. Similar to the one found in the Chevrolet Spark, it is inspired by a motorbike speedo and combines a traditional analogue rev counter with a neat digitial display for the speedo, fuel gauge and trip computer.
The display is backlit blue (something which used to be a Volkswagen trademark) as are the buttons and dials on the centre dash - all designed to give the Aveo a more upmarket and stylish appearance. The three-spoke steering wheel looks nice as do the circular air vents on either side. We also like the easy to use stereo (not the one on entry LT models though, which looks a bit cheap) but we're at a loss as to why there are two strange thin storage areas either side. They're not particularly useful and seem like an afterthought, especially when the ventilation controls are placed so low down.
On the plus side, for a small hatchback the interior of the Aveo is pretty spacious. Two adults can happily travel in the front without bashing elbows every time the driver goes to change gear while there's good storage too. There's a double level glovebox (although the top one isn't particularly generous) along with large door pockets, two cupholders in the central console and a pull-out drawer under the front passenger seat.
For passengers in the back there's a surprising amount of legroom, helped by the Aveo's squared off rear design. The seats are comfortable, although you will struggle to get three across and the roof slopes down at the sides, which means taller people can hit their head when getting out. The boot is a good size at 290 litres and features a hidden storage area below the boot floor.
The Aveo is well equipped as standard, and there are three trim levels - LS, LT and LTZ. All models get cruise control, air conditioning and a USB port as standard.
LS spec models come with air conditioning, cruise control with speed limiter, CD player, electric front windows, electric mirrors and rear spoiler.
LT spec adds 15-inch alloy wheels, steering wheel mounted audio controls, four-way adjustment for the drivers seat, Bluetooth with music streaming, chrome gear knob detail, sunglasses holder and a driver information centre.
LTZ spec adds leather steering wheel, front fog lights, six speaker audio, rear parking sensors and automatic headlights on top of LT equipment.
Chevrolet Aveo (2011 – 2015) models and specs
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4039 mm |
| Width | 1771–2004 mm |
| Height | 1517 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2525 mm |
| Miscellaneous | |
|---|---|
| Kerb Weight | 1064–1185 kg |
| Boot Space | 290–653 L |
| Warranty | 3 years / 60000 miles |
| Servicing | 10000 miles |
| Costs | |
|---|---|
| List Price | £10,745–£14,115 |
| Insurance Groups | 5–10 |
| Road Tax Bands | A–G |
| Official MPG | 41.5–78.5 mpg |
| Euro NCAP Safety Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Adult | - |
| Child | - |
| Pedestrian | - |
| Overall | 5 |
On sale until June 2017
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.2 86ps LS 5dr | £10,745 | 47.9 mpg | 13.1 s |
| 1.2 86ps LT 5dr | £11,745 | 47.9 mpg | 13.1 s |
| 1.3 VCDi 75ps LT 5dr | £12,795 | 74.3 mpg | 13.7 s |
| 1.3 VCDi 95ps LT Eco 5dr | £13,245 | 78.4 mpg | 11.2 s |
| 1.3 VCDi 95ps LTZ 5dr | £14,095 | 68.9 mpg | 12.1 s |
| 1.4 100ps LT Auto 5dr | £13,040 | 41.5 mpg | 12.6 s |
| 1.4 100ps LTZ 5dr | £12,995 | 47.9 mpg | 11.7 s |
| 1.4 100ps LTZ Auto 5dr | £13,900 | 41.5 mpg | 12.6 s |
On sale until October 2015
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.2 LS 86 5dr | £10,765 | 60.1 mpg | 13.6 s |
| 1.2 LT 86 5dr | £11,765 | 60.1 mpg | 13.6 s |
| 1.3 LT VCDi 75 5dr | £12,815 | 74.3 mpg | 14.2 s |
| 1.3 LT VCDi 95 Ecodiesel 5dr | £13,265 | 78.5 mpg | 11.7 s |
| 1.3 LTZ 95 VCDi 5dr | £14,115 | 68.9 mpg | 12.6 s |
| 1.4 LT 100 Auto 5dr | £13,060 | 45.5 mpg | 13.1 s |
| 1.4 LTZ 100 5dr | £13,015 | 53.3 mpg | 12.2 s |
| 1.4 LTZ 100 Auto 5dr | £13,920 | 45.5 mpg | 13.1 s |
Model History
January 2010
World debut of Aveo RS show car at the 2010 North American Auto Show. Longer, wider and more spacious than the current production Aveo, the 5-door Aveo RS showcases the car's upscale-looking design cues both inside and out, and presents the many personalisation options potentially available on the next-generation car. The Aveo RS show car is powered by a highly efficient 138-horsepower (103 kW) 1.4L Ecotec turbocharged engine. M32 six-speed manual transmission.
Length: 4.039mm, Width: 1,735mm, Height: 1,517mm, Wheelbase: 2,525mm
September 2010
New Chevrolet Aveo 5-door to be launched at Paris Motor Show. The Aveo RS show car was displayed at the Detroit and Geneva motor shows earlier in 2010, and with the final production-ready model, Chevrolet has a car that looks every bit as good as the earlier concept.
Design elements of the new Chevrolet Aveo include the aggressive looking front with its exposed twin-headlamps and dual port grille, compact taut body panels with a rising shoulder line and short rear overhangs, the 'hidden' rear door handles which now feature in the c-pillar and a 'body in, wheels out' profile which is now very much part of the new Chevrolet design language.
Reminiscent of the recently introduced Spark, the new Aveo has a sporty hot-hatch look. With is practicality and good interior space Chevrolet also expects the new Aveo to appeal to families.
The new Chevrolet Aveo has benefited from an extensive development programme, resulting in a small car that will meet European drivers’ tastes both in terms of design and dynamics. Final specifications of the new Aveo will be carefully tailored to each European market.
The new Aveo is longer and wider than the current model, giving it a spacious interior and cargo volume that is among best in its class. The interior design perhaps holds even more surprises than the outside, in particular the motorcycle-inspired instrument cluster which features an analogue tachometer combined with a digital speedo and warning lights.
Upmarket blue backlighting features on the centre console while the whole of the front cabin is enveloped in a wrap-round fascia. This can be colour-coded and flows from the dash into both the driver's and front passenger’s doors. Aveo customers will appreciate the quality materials used in the interior as well as multiple storage spaces in the center stack and the modern audio system with USB, aux-in and Bluetooth functionality.
Reflecting the little Chevrolet’s sporty personality, Aveo has been engineered to provide involving handling, a characteristic which stems partly from its tight body frame integral (BFI) structure where high torsional rigidity has been achieved - among the stiffest in the small car segment.
The new Aveo's chassis has been fine tuned to satisfy European tastes with a ride and handling ratio that combines comfort with responsiveness. Electronic stability control (ESC) and ABS brakes will be standard.
A comprehensive range of four cylinder petrol and diesel engines will be available in the new Chevrolet Aveo, incorporating the latest technologies such as variable valve timing, double continuous variable cam phasing and common rail fuel injection for the diesels.
The petrol engine range includes a 1,229cc chain cam version (at 86 hp) and a 1.4 litre unit (100 hp). For the first time, Aveo will be offered with two versions of a 1.3 litre diesel engine (at 75 hp and at 95 hp) featuring Start/Stop technology.
Chevrolet's first 6-speed automatic transmission on a small car features on the Aveo 1.4 as an option in most markets; manual transmissions are of 5 or 6 speed depending on engine choice.
