The Chevy Aveo is classified as a subcompact. Yet, despite its small wheelbase, its tall cabin height, good fuel economy and competitive base price make this a lot of car for the dollar.
The Aveo is available as a sedan and a hatchback. The hatchback that we tested is badged the Aveo5 and has been redesigned for 2009, featuring most notably a new, larger grille and more aggressive headlights.
Both versions of the Chevy Aveo are powered by 1.6-liter inline-4 cylinder engine. It generates 106 horsepower and 105 pound feet of torque sent to the front wheels through either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.
Fuel economy for the '09 Aveo ranges from 25 miles per gallon city, up to 34 miles per gallon highway.
The Aveo is available in Base LS, 1LT, and 2LT trims. We drove the 1LT Aveo5 hatchback. It featured 180-watt 6-speaker stereo system with AM/FM/CD player, sound auxiliary jack, 60/40 split fold rear seats, and tilt steering column as standard equipment.
The selected Power and Convenience Package added remote keyless entry, power doors and windows, and theft-deterrent system.
Standard safety features include driver and front passenger front and side impact air bags, daytime running lamps and tire pressure monitoring system.
Base MSRP for the 2009 Chevrolet Aveo is $11,460 for both the sedan and hatchback. Fully loaded, the price can climb to over $18,000. The Aveo is backed by GM's generous 5-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
The updated exterior of the hatchback, nice list of available features and the great fuel economy numbers make the '09 Aveo and Aveo5 strong contenders in the competitive bang-for-your-buck subcompact economy car segment.