What does it cost?
Chevrolet Aveo Hatchback full 9 point review
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Performance
The 1.2- and 1.4-litre petrol engines are short of pull at low revs, so they need to be worked hard for best effect. The 1.2 feels slow even in town, so the 1.4 is better for everyday use. There are two 1.3 diesels with 74 or 94bhp, and there isn’t a noticeable difference in power between the two, although both could do with more flexibility.
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Ride & Handling
The ride feels jittery over broken surfaces, but the suspension does a reasonable job of isolating you from potholes. The Aveo’s modest dimensions help its manoeuvrability, but the steering, particularly in the petrol versions, is heavy at low speeds. The steering’s artificial feel doesn’t help when the road opens out, either, and neither does the pronounced body lean.
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Refinement
Because all the engines are short of low-down pull, they need to be worked hard, and this hurts refinement. The petrols drone on the motorway, too, but the diesel settles reasonably well. The car keeps out wind- and road noise reasonably effectively, though.
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Buying & Owning
The Aveo is very aggressively priced compared to other superminis, and all the engines give decent economy. The 1.2 averages more than 55mpg and the 1.4 almost 48mpg, while the diesels reach almost 80mpg. The combination of low emissions and low prices mean low tax bills for company car drivers, but private buyers probably won’t get much of their outlay back at sell-on time.
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Quality & Reliability
The Aveo doesn’t feel as classy as some superminis inside, because some of the materials look and feel a little cheap. The interior is smart, though, and the cabin feels sturdily constructed; it should stand up well to the trials of family life. There’s no reason to expect any mechanical issues, and owners are protected by a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty.
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Safety & Security
The Aveo may be a cheap option, but there’s no skimping on the standard safety equipment. Stability control, six airbags and ABS are standard on every model, as are three-point seatbelts on every seat and Isofix mountings on the outer rear seats.
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Behind The Wheel
With reach- and rake adjustment for the steering wheel, as well as height adjustment on the driver’s seat of some models, it’s easy enough to find a comfortable driving position. The big windows mean that all-round visibility is pretty good, too. The dash has a reasonably simple layout, but motorcycle-inspired design of the instrument cluster means it could be easier to read.
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Space & Practicality
The rear seat has room for two adults, although it would be tight for three; headroom is good, and only if the front-seat passengers have their seats pushed right back will anyone in the back complain about limited legroom. The boot is a decent size and shape, too, but you have to muscle items over a huge load lip, and 60/40 split rear seats don’t lie flat when you drop them.
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Equipment
The range starts off with LS trim, which has electric front windows, air-con and remote central locking. However, we reckon it’s worth spending the extra to get mid-range LT, which adds Bluetooth, steering wheel-mounted controls for the stereo and phone, alloy wheels and an Aux-in socket for the stereo. At the top of the range is LTZ, but although it comes with a better stereo, parking sensors, automatic lights, smarter interior and rear electric windows, we don’t think it’s worth the extra.
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Our pick of the range
Chevrolet Aveo Hatchback 1.2 LT 5dr
This is the best Aveo, but that's not saying a great deal. Make sure you try some of its rivals before you buy.
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