2007 Chevrolet Aveo Review

Chevrolet Aveo – Review: Ponder the past 30-plus years of automobiles, and it’s clear how much has changed. There’s technology that adds levels of safety and entertainment never imagined in the ‘70s, complete vehicle types which had yet to be dreamt of, and a focus on efficiency and environmental impact that was in its infancy. But through it all, one fact has remained constant – Chevrolet has yet to prove that it can build the best subcompact car. The Korean-sourced 2007 Aveo is a fine sedan, admittedly bettering its predecessor with dressed up style and improved driving dynamics, yet it still lags behind rivals such as the Honda Fit and Nissan Versa, suggesting that as much as some things change, others shall remain forever constant.

What We Drove

For this evaluation, the powers that be at General Motors loaned us a bright blue 2007 Chevrolet Aveo LT sedan with an as-tested price of $16,650. Sounds like a pretty penny for the brand’s cheapest ride, but what was delivered to our lot was the primo, totally tricked out Aveo. OK, not quite, but it did have $2,635 in options. Among them were a four-speed automatic transmission ($850), a power sunroof ($725), antilock brakes ($400), leatherette upholstery ($250), a rear spoiler ($225), fog lights ($110), and steering wheel-mounted audio controls ($75). Add all that and a $565 destination charge to our tester’s $13,450 base price, and viola, you’ve got an economy car ready to break the $17,000 barrier.

Performance

One can only ask so much of a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, especially one saddled with a four-speed automatic transmission. However, the Aveo did its best to satisfy by expeditiously getting up to cruising speed, providing just enough power for occasionally overtaking slower cars on the highway, and doing so with a level of refinement that was on par with others in the class. Sure, more power is almost always welcome, but the Aveo is an economy car built for those on a budget with efficiency on the mind. In that light, it underperformed; we achieved only 23.8 mpg in mixed driving.

Handling

We’re not sure how engineers do it, but the Aveo, like other cars we’ve tested, succeeds in blending a somewhat firm straight line ride with noticeable body roll in the corners. No, that’s not a good thing. When trudging through traffic or cruising down the highway, the ride feels stiff, as bumps and expansion joints are roughly translated into the interior, but then turn on to an off-ramp and the suspension and 185/55R15 Kumho tires give way too easily. Since Aveo buyers aren’t looking for sports-car handling (and if they are, they’re misguided), the body roll is acceptable, but a softer ride in routine driving is in order.

Visibility

With millions of large, heavy SUVs and trucks on the road, small cars need to be big on visibility. Sure, the bright blue paint of our tester helped us to be seen, but more importantly, the generous side mirrors and extensive side glass helped us see people and vehicles outside. Visibility also benefits from retractable rear headrests and relatively narrow B- and C-pillars. The A-pillars are a little too wide.

Fun to Drive

With the exception of the Honda Fit and arguably one or two others, the economy car segment is light in the fun-to-drive area, and the 2007 Chevrolet Aveo in no way changes that. There’s enough power to handle the daily commute, a front seat area good enough to keep a driver comfortable, and a price that puts this sedan in just about every car buyer’s budget. However, none of those attributes contribute one iota to the fun factor, of which the Aveo, not surprisingly, is short on supply.

Front Comfort

With the emergence of numerous new models, the point has been proven that small cars are not necessarily uncomfortable cars. Add the 2007 Chevrolet Aveo to that list. Though our tallest editor found the front seat bottoms to be too short, other more vertically-challenged drivers described the front buckets as spacious. The seat back has a gentle, comfortable curve, and the side bolsters, while hardly aggressive, are sufficient for this daily commuter. A tilt steering wheel and folding, padded driver’s armrest help to ensure the driver will find a suitable position. There’s also a height-adjustable driver’s seat, but since it utilizes a dial instead of a lever, can be hard to operate, especially with the weight of the driver on top.

Rear Comfort

Except for a lack of knee room, and head room that’s on the low side, the rear seat area of the 2007 Chevrolet Aveo is a fine place to travel. The seatback is permanently set at a comfortable recline angle, the seat bottom is flat but soft, and outboard headrests are padded and adjustable. There’s gobs of foot room, and the front seatbacks are soft, so even those with long legs won’t have hard plastic rubbing against their knees. But a little more room would be a welcome addition, as would some padding on the doors, a second cupholder, and maybe a fold-down armrest (we don’t think that’s too much to ask for in an economy car running almost $17,000).

Interior Noise

Southern California is plagued by grooved, concrete highways that could make complainers out of the deaf – they really are that bad. So when we drove the Aveo on said highways, we weren’t entirely shocked to discover good doses of road and tire noise. When we drove Chevy’s least expensive car on smooth paved roads, the tire and road noise lessened dramatically, though not to the point of disappearing. Furthermore, by cutting out much of the road and tire noise, our ears were better able to notice the wind noise. Whatever the road surface, the high-strung four-cylinder engine’s song is always readily heard, yet its refinement is no better or worse than most others in the segment.

Loading Cargo

With the split rear seat folded down, the Aveo sedan will accommodate longer cargo, though the painted steel on the rear seatbacks are sure to get scratched after a little use, and the folded seats don’t create a flat load area. Front seats must be pushed forward to allow the rear seatbacks to fold. The trunk opening is large, but the liftover height is a bit tall, and the old-school hinges fold down and can damage cargo. On the plus side, the trunk is lined, including the lid, and should swallow all a couple of adventurers need for a weekend away.

Build Quality

It may have a relatively low starting price, but the 2007 Chevrolet Aveo is put together rather well. Outside, we noticed a slight variation in the gaps around the hood, and the rear doors sat just a hair shy of flush against the rear quarter panels, but that was basically all we could find fault with. Inside, we didn’t find any obviously loose panels, and the usual suspects (A-pillar covers, center console) were intent on maintaining their grip. The main culprit, unfortunately, was visible to most everyone riding in the Aveo – multiple matte black pieces formed the area around the radio, all of which were a little off-kilter.