From behind the wheel the sedan seems to feel bigger than it is, or maybe it's actually bigger than it seems it should be. Whatever the reason, it's a good thing for a subcompact to feel bigger. The rack-and-pinion steering is sharp, and the torsion beam rear axle gives the car a grown-up feel, but with the turning circle a ridiculously small 16 feet, the car feels like a toy at the right time. However if you try to get too sporty in the curves, the narrow 14-inch tires will bring you back to reality.
Out on a Texas Interstate we ran with the 80-mph flow of traffic, mostly big ol' pickups, and it was pleasantly, surprisingly quiet inside the Aveo cabin, with nary a buzz from under the hood. The engine noise is low thanks to construction of the block itself, along with a large intake resonator and dual muffler exhaust system.
We're happy to report that when you lock the brakes, you will at least come to a screeching halt without veering. We found out by surprise that our LS did have the optional anti-lock brakes with brake force distribution. The front ventilated discs are large for the size of the car, and the rear drums have wide linings.
Our test route took us through a choppy construction zone and over some twisty back roads. There were a number of spots where the ride might have felt harsh if it were going to, and it didn't. We were driving a number of new GM cars over the same route, including everything from the Chevrolet SSR to Cadillac SRX, and it was interesting to compare them to each other in one particular dip, where the Aveo stayed right with the high-priced cars in the way it handled the dip. Next Page