The Chevrolet Aveo body was created, believe it or not, in Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign studio in Turin, Italy. And the Italian influence shows, especially in the smooth sedan, which is better looking than the Hyundai Accent or Kia Rio. The sedan and five-door hatchback ride on the same relatively generous 97.6-inch wheelbase, but the sedan stretches 14 inches longer overall, and Giugiaro used that extra length to make the sedan look more like a real car, and not so much like a toy.The nose is nice: simple and clean with tidy shapes. The headlights are horizontal and nicely rounded at the corners, underlined in amber by long, thin turn signals. The grille smiles at you with its bright crossbar and Chevy bowtie set against inconspicuous black mesh. Both front and rear bumpers are body colored and integrate well with the shape of the car.
As sleek little hatchbacks go, the Aveo five-door isn't quite as good looking as Toyota's Scion xA, but it holds its own. The taillights, chunky and efficient, have a nice physical edge to them. The roofline is rounded, sloping back to meet the optional spoiler over the liftgate. There are character lines running back from the front wheelwell to the rear, which may or may not add character. The fit of the body panels is visibly tight, something not usually seen in such a low-priced, entry-level car.