Chevy Revises Aveo Sedan with Premium-Inspired Exterior and Interior

After two and a half successful years of providing over 140 different countries with the efficient subcompact Aveo, General Motors,
The new Aveo Sedan should ensure that Toyota and other car makers don't walk away with the subcompact segment. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)
in collaboration with its Korean GMDAT arm, have unveiled a facelifted version for the new year. The spiritual successor to the Suzuki-designed Metro, Sprint, Firefly and Swift, was shown in a new, vastly improved form at this year's Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, giving the world a high-value car in the face of steadily increasing oil prices and high operating expenses.

Originally designed by ItalDesign, the Aveo's first update comes from Chevrolet's in-house stylists, who've freshened the subcompact to better suit Chevrolet's brand image. The new car features a refined look that sports a bigger, chunkier chrome-plated grille with the prominent golden bow-tie logo front and centre. The new car also sports a new V-shaped hood, with wider, brighter clear-lensed headlamps, new bumpers with available foglamps. 

"Customers will recognize the Aveo sedan as a 'smart buy' that delivers on Chevy's Total Value Promise," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "With its good looks, enjoyable driving experience and 'big car' personality, it is a great addition to Chevy's new lineup of small vehicles."

Sophisticated. Classy. Stylish. These are words normally not associated with the old Aveo's exterior. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)
The visual update to Chevrolet's tall-bodied city car also includes a new character line that stretches from the nose to tail along its sides, as well as more pronounced fender flares. At back, the tail features new triangular-shaped lamps with clear-lenses. Impressively, these changes give the Aveo Sedan a distinctively European look, which may appeal to those who find the Yaris and other Asian subcompacts too organic looking. Despite its more complex and ritzy looking exterior, extensive wind tunnel testing has dropped the car's coefficient of drag from 0.35 to 0.33 cd.


Wow! The new Aveo is sure to surprise with is completely re-worked, upscale-looking interior. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)
The new Aveo also has a completely redesigned interior. It's impressive how Chevrolet was able to turn the cabin around from being cheap, and poorly built to one that's visibly appealing. The new dashboard features round air vents, a dash-top clock, rubberized plastics, and a new centre console with revised HVAC controls and a flush head unit for the stereo system. Depending on trim level, buyers can brighten the Aveo's interior with faux aluminum, wood, or carbon fiber accents.

At the same time, Chevrolet is trying to push the Aveo upscale from a position likened to being at the bottom of the food chain, by plumping up its equipment list. Available in base LS and upscale LT trims, Chevrolet's smallest car can be optioned out with big-car features like leatherette seating surfaces, a six-disc CD stereo system with MP3 jack, power glass sunroof, remote keyless entry, and a multi-function steering wheel with cruise control. This is in addition to the basics, like power windows, six-way adjustable seats, power mirrors and keyless entry.

"Customers will also be pleased with unexpected features, such as a standard radio input jack for iPods and an array of options, ranging from a power sunroof and six-CD changer sound system, to steering-wheel mounted audio and cruise controls," added Peper.

The new, optional 6-disc CD player also offers a plug-in jack for iPods and other MP3 players. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)
The Aveo's safety equipment list is also quite long. Dual two-stage front airbags are standard, and like the Hyundai Accent side airbags are also included in base fare. The Chevy also joins the Accent in offering four-channel ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution as an option, although the Accent offers optional rear discs. The Aveo list goes on to include LATCH child-seat attachment, front seatbelt pretensioners and a five-star NHTSA safety rating - something that you won't find on very many spec lists.


The popular five-door hatchback will follow after the four-door sedan. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)
Minor updates to the Aveo's mechanical components keep should help keep it running strong in 2007. The 1.6-litre inline-four with variable intake manifold continues to make 103-horsepower and 107 lb-ft of torque, and can be mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic with Hold Control mode for reduced wheelspin during slippery startups. Meanwhile, the power steering system has been revised to include a centering motion to minimize the effect of crosswinds, while tweaks to the suspension and anti-roll bars are said to give the Aveo a smoother ride.

The Aveo is an important part of Chevrolet's small car lineup, which now includes the Cobalt and the Cobalt-based HHR compact crossover; it comes not a moment too soon, given the release of the 2006 Accent, Rio and Yaris, not to mention upcoming 2007 Honda Fit and Nissan Versa B-segment models, both introduced earlier this week in Detroit, plus the yet-to-be revealed Mitsubishi (a version of the award-winning Colt maybe?), and possibly a future Mazda subcompact, all targeting a more eco-friendly North American buyer.

But, of course, as mentioned at the beginning of this preview, the Aveo isn't
The new Aveo sedan is said to be designed to the highest safety standards. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)
only targeting North American small car customers, but rather will continue to be sold in more than 140 countries worldwide. And compared to the dour news GM is experiencing almost daily, its global business is booming. At the forefront of these sales is the Aveo, the top-selling car produced by GM's GMDAT subsidiary.

To be clear, from January through October 2005, Chevrolet experienced a global sales increase of 189,030 vehicles, for a total of 3,644,947 units. This equals a growth of 5.5 percent! During the same period, the bowtie brand's global market share increased as well, from 6.6 to 6.74 percent, bolstering its third-place global standing.


Throughout Europe, where Aveo is the best-selling Chevrolet model, the brand's sales have jumped a stunning 18.4 percent
The 2007 Aveo sedan, being scrutinized here at the L.A. auto show, should continue its sales leadership within theChevrolet lineup, and overall, do its part in the nameplate's continuedsuccess around the world. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)
through October 2005. While in Asia-Pacific, a market that has been growing quickly for the American-based nameplate, Chevrolet sales have shot upward at the rate of a staggering 134 percent, while year-over-year sales in the Latin America, Africa and the Middle Eastern regions increased by 17.8 percent.

These numbers show a 5.5 percent increase when compared to 2004, while the brand's global market share also improved, from 6.6 percent to 7.4 percent, firming up its hold onto third-best global brand sales.

The 2007 Aveo sedan should continue its sales leadership within the Chevrolet lineup, and overall, do its part in the nameplate's continued success around the world.

The new Aveo was first shown as a four-door notchback sedan, and therefore the popular five-door hatchback should be introduced later this year. Sales of the 2007 Aveo will commence during the summer of 2006.

Specifications:
  • Price Range (estimated MSRP): $11,800 - $16,000
  • Body Type: 4-door subcompact sedan
  • Layout: front engine, FWD
  • Engine: 103 hp, 107 lb-ft of torque, 1.6L, 16-valve, DOHC I-4
  • Transmission: 5-speed manual (optional 4-spd automatic)
  • Brakes (front/rear): disc/drum
  • Curb Weight (estimated): 1,070 kg (2,360 lbs)
  • Seating Capacity: 5
  • Cargo Volume (estimated): 200 L (7.1 cu ft)
  • Fuel Economy (estimated city/hwy): 9.0 / 6.4 L/100 km
  • Warranty (mo/km): 36 / 60,000 comprehensive - 60/100,000 powertrain
  • Competitors: Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Nissan Versa, Toyota Echo
  • Web site: www.gmcanada.com