We say
A massive improvement on its predecessor - the new Aveo offers value for money and good levels of practicality. Automatic options should be ignored.
Performance
There are two petrol engines available with the Aveo comprised of a 1.2-litre 86bhp unit and a 99bhp 1.4-litre petrol unit. The larger engine hits 60mph in 12.2 seconds with a top speed of 109mph. The smaller unit is less powerful again needs to be worked hard to reap any kind of reward. The fastest engine in the range is the 1.3-litre VCDi diesel Eco model. It clears 62mph in 11.7 seconds.
Emissions
The Eco diesel engine is the most efficient in the Aveo engine line-up and it returns an official 78.4mpg and emits 95g/km in CO2 emissions. The petrol engines are much less impressive and fall way short of figures set by some of its competitors. The smallest petrol powertrain returns an official 60mpg and emits 111g/km while the 1.4-litre returns 53.3mpg on a combined cycle and 125g/km in CO2 emissions.
Driving
The Aveo is a good car to drive but it falls a little way short being exciting. It handles well thanks to its stiff chassis set up and the diesel engines are perky. Around corners there’s a bit of bodyroll but not too much and with the manual transmission gearing is smooth and straightforward.
Feel
The Aveo can get a bit raucous, particularly when you’re revving the diesel engines hard. It also has a firm ride and whilst that helps it around corners it can make the ride a little uncomfortable and jittery.
Space
The Aveo is a surprisingly spacious supermini, especially given its sporty design and coupe-like profile. There is plenty of room for four inside but a fifth would be pushing it. At the rear there’s a decent 290-litre boot that increases to 653-litres when the 60/40 split/fold rear seats are laid flat.
Equipment
Like all Chevrolets, the Aveo comes with a comprehensive equipment list that expands as you move up the trim levels. As standard there’s a USB connection, remote central locking and power steering on all models as well as cruise control. High-end LTZ models gain trip computers, alloy wheels and fog lights.
Price
The Aveo is competitively priced with basic models kicking off at £9,995. The most expensive it gets is £13,615 for the LTZ models with the 1.3-litre VCDi 95PS diesel.
Quality
The interior of the Aveo is well laid out and practical but more surprising is the quality of material throughout. Chevrolet had a reputation for fairly cheap feeling cabins however the most recent generation comes with much better materials which feel more robust despite still being dominated by plastic. There’s also a cool layout to the interior with a quirky motorcycle inspired instrument cluster with analogue LED displays.
Safety
The Aveo comes with a five-star safety award from Euro NCAP which is the best it could achieve. It was able to claim the sought-after rating thanks to a wide range of safety technology including ABS, electronic stability control (ESC) and six airbags.
Pros
The Aveo is a stylish supermini that sticks out from the more common superminis on the market. It’s a tough little car with plenty of robust features and a spacious, practical interior. It’s also cheap to buy and frugal with the Eco diesel engine.
Cons
The Aveo does not handle as well as its competitors and its engines offer less too.
Alternatives
Ford Fiesta, Honda Jazz