Chevrolet’s Aveo has tough competition to take on. But this good-looking, luxurious entry sedan has a lot going for it.

‘it’s no larger than its rivals but it has that crucial big car look about it.’

As cars become technically more adept and as fuel economy, comfort and performance of competing cars get closer, design and styling becomes the vital differentiator. No longer just another feature of the car to be appreciated, the way a car looks today plays a huge role in making it desirable.
The Aveo sedan certainly scores in this respect as styling is courtesy the best in the business. When plans for the sedan version of the Chevrolet Aveo (or the Daewoo Kalos) were drawn up, the design brief from General Motors was influenced by none other than the legendary Bob Lutz, a manager renowned for his feel for ‘just right’ designs. GM China contributed with inputs. The brief then was passed on to, Giorgietto Giugiaro, a man who is practically responsible for every third exceptionally designed car in the world. The big, deep-set Chevy grille, the heavy chrome garnishes and gaping front chin are Chevrolet requirements, executed to offset the mildly cab-forward stance of the car. Executed with characteristic class and finesse, the strong nose of the car is integrated well with the ‘V’ of the bonnet and the overall design language of the car. And yes, the bowtie on the nose large enough to be spotted from half a kilometre away! The sporty stance of the car is further enhanced by the flared wheel arches, the curved roofline and triangular tail lights. Flashes of chrome adorn the rear as well. While the smaller 1.4 litre version lacks the spoiler and alloys found on the 1.6, it nevertheless looks just as fetching in the flesh.
Four shades, all carefully chosen and blended, lend the interiors the plush look found in more expensive cars. The seats are tan coloured, there are strips of plasto-wood on the fascia and doors, faux brushed aluminum and chrome adorn the interiors, while the top of the dash is a rubberized black, good to the touch.
Sitting in the car is an airy experience, with seats that are more comfortable than competitors like the Ford Fiesta. Wide and well bolstered, it easy to find a comfortable driving position even for tall drivers. Shorter drivers however, are likely to find the gear lever placed too far back, while the other small fault is that there aren’t enough cubbyholes and stowage areas on the central console. The rear seats, like the ones in front are very comfortable, with their high-mounted cushions and good bolstering. You get the feeling that they are reclined a bit too far back, possibly done to compensate for the sporty, backward slant of the roof.
At this point, we must mention the top-notch fit and finish of the interiors, especially with regard to the climatiser’s controls knobs, the steering wheel and the MP3-compatible system. Yes, as you can guess, this car comes pretty much fully loaded! However, the Aveo somehow lacks the overall build strength and that ‘build to last’ feel that European cars like the Ford Fiesta or the Fiat Petra possess.
The top-of-the-line 1.6 LT (Rs 7.19 lakh, ex-Mumbai) variant offers you the world… and some more — an MP3 player, alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, keyless entry with the remote on the key fob itself and electrically adjustable rear view mirrors. Twin airbags, four-channel anti lock brakes, a leather wrapped steering wheel and gear knob are also available as optional extras. And with all of these bunged in, the 1.6 LT will set you back a further Rs 53,000 — fantastic value indeed for this whole clutch of extras. The 1.4 LS version (at 6.64 lakhs) isn’t too badly off either. It gets the same music system, fog lamps and power-everything as well, while the base 1.4 L version (at 6.11 lakh), gets power steering, locks and windows and the MP3 player.

Cranking up the engine immediately settles into a soft, pitter-patter idle, but rev the engine even mildly and it is audible and loses some of the smoothness it displayed earlier. The 1.6 is the same DOHC 16 Valve E-Tech motor found under the hood of the Optra, but despite the hydraulic mountings, it feels less refined here, probably due to the fact that the Aveo has less mass with which to absorb the residual vibrations. Throttle response is not great below 2000rpm either.
Understandably, GM India has tuned this motor for fuel efficiency, squeezing out 10 to 15 per cent more tarmac to the litre, but this has blunted driveability and engine responsiveness a bit. The motor is best in its midrange — 2500rpm onwards, when there is sufficient fuel flow to make the variable geometry air inlet system to do its bit. Smooth and punchy in its working, it suddenly makes the Aveo an effortless performer. Let us mention that There is more than enough power on tap for everyday driving and compared to the Honda City 1.5 and the Fiesta 1.6, the Aveo 1.6 feels peppier in the mid range.
The Aveo doesn’t enjoy being driven hard, however. The gearbox, which is notchy and barely tolerable at low speeds, absolutely refuses to be hurried and the motor labours at the top of the power band and sounds strained. Actual performance is not great either. The 1.6 puts out a claimed 102 bhp, but the car feels nowhere as quick as it should be. The brief 0-100kph acceleration tests we conducted showed 12.4 seconds to reach triple digit speeds, quicker than the City 1.5 but slower than the Fiesta 1.6 and even the 1.5 Baleno. The 1.4 with 94bhp, is understandably slower, but not by much — it managed the 0-100 in 13.2 seconds. An interesting point is that in urban traffic, there is actually very little difference between the two cars — the 1.4 exhibits similar pulling power in the lower gears.
We found that the high ground clearance of 181mm handicaps it with considerable body roll, while the steering wheel has little or no feel. The rear of the car also tends to get a little skittish through tighter corners. Ride quality over patches of broken roads, however, is quite impressive. Its long-travel suspension absorbs sharp bumps well, you are not tossed around like in some of the competition and there is little risk of bottoming the car through poorer tarmac — we have plenty of this in India! There is however a bit of stiffness in the springs and the suspension is quite audible over larger bumps. If you are the kind of person who will drive the Aveo quickly, but with some measure of reserve, this car will offer you sterling performance.
With its handsome looks, high levels of comfort and a brimming specification sheet, the Aveo is the kind of entry level sedan that the Indian customer is looking for. Priced in the vicinity of the slightly cheaper Fiesta, the Aveo looks like it will be able to carve up a fair pie of buyers for itself. Of course, it doesn’t come in a diesel variant and it is not as accomplished as we’d expected. So how does it compare to the Fiesta, then? Hang on till we put the two to the test — don’t miss our May issue!

FACTFILE

Price Rs 6.64, 7.19 lakh (est)
Power 94bhp, 102bhp
Torque 12.95kgm, 14.99kgm

Length 4310mm
Width 1710mm
Height 1505mm
W’base 2480mm
Weight 1095kg
Fuel tank 45 litres

Engine 4 cyls in-line, 1399cc, 1598cc
Installation Front, transverse, FWD
Compression ratio 9.5:1
Specific output 67.19, 63.82bhp/litre
Bore/stroke 77.9/73.4mm, 79/81.5mm
Gearbox type 5-speed manual