Albuquerque Journal, N.M., Ken Walston column: Chevy taps Daewoo for small-car entry

Sat. July 18, 2009; Posted: 11:26 AM

Jul 18, 2009 (Albuquerque Journal - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- XMSR | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- When Chevrolet needed a pintsized car to fill a big gap in its lineup, it turned to GM Daewoo, a South Korean manufacturer owned primarily by General Motors. Since last year's oil frenzy --and concurrent gas price explosion -- Chevy has moved quite a few Aveos, thanks mostly to the low, low price and the easy-on-thewallet fuel economy. But the Aveo is at best a stopgap car and going up against some pretty rugged micro-car competition, such as Honda's lively, edgy Fit and, early next year, Ford's much-praised Fiesta. With some styling enhancements and a recent interior redesign, the Aveo, especially in top-line 2LT trim, looks pretty snappy. With its signature Chevy split-grill front end, it's obviously a member of the bowtie clan. And at first glance, the interior looks downright luxurious, with an interesting mix of textures, tones and some spears of light woodgrain brightening the atmosphere. Sit down in the front buckets and reality sets in. The bottom seat cushions are quite short, the padding thin. The "leather" seats are really "leatherette," although the steering wheel and shift knob are real hide. Dash and door panels are constructed of hard plastics, although assembled with care. The gauges are attractive and easy to read, and the switchgear feels relatively substantial and is simple to decipher. Our tester came with a healthy list of equipment, including air conditioning; power windows/mirrors/ door locks; and a decent AM/ FM stereo with MP3 playback and auxiliary input jack and three-month XM satellite radio trial. The 1.6-liter twin-cam fourcylinder works its little heart out, but it's ultimately let down by a power-robbing, slushy-shifting four-speed automatic. Go with the five-speed manual or suffer the indignities of being outgunned by Toyota Yarises, which we were on two separate occasions. Handling is fairly sprightly but the suspension passes along road noise and irregularities into the cabin. Brakes -- disc front, drums rear -- are adequate. In fact, adequate may be the best overall description of the Aveo. Let's face it, it's inexpensive transportation that's perfectly adequate for everyday commuting. Drive to Seattle? I'd rather not. Drive to Santa Fe? With 34 mpg on the highway, you bet.

2009 Chevrolet Aveo5 2LT hatchback

VEHICLE TYPE: Four-door, fivepassenger subcompact hatchback BASE PRICE: $15,365 PRICE AS TESTED: $18,115 (incl. delivery fees) POWERTRAIN: 1.8-liter, DOHC, four-cylinder; 106 horsepower; 105 lb.-ft. torque, four-speed automatic transmission; front-wheel drive WHEELBASE/LENGTH: 97.6"/155.0" CURB WEIGHT: 2,557 pounds EPA FUEL RATING: 25 mpg city/34 highway

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