2004 Chevrolet Aveo

If the name Daewoo doesn’t mean much to you, you’re not alone. The long struggling Korean car company tried to sell cars here with limited success, and in the end wound up being bought by General Motors. But with GM comes huge dealer networks hungry for affordable cars, a Daewoo specialty. That’s where this new Chevrolet Aveo comes in. It’s Chevy’s new import entry into the crowded subcompact class. So, can this freshman Daewoo really compete in the toughest car segment on the planet? Let’s find out.

As the first of a new generation of cars for a domestic GM brand from Daewoo, the 2004 Aveo is a perky and affordable import addition to Chevrolet’s lineup. Available as a 4-door sedan or our 5-door hatchback, the Aveo comes in three trim levels: Special Value, Base, and LS, and it really is a bit of an international wonder.

The Aveo is Built in South Korea where it is sold as the Kalos. But, it was designed in Europe by Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Italdesign. So, it’s no mystery then where the Aveo’s clean lines, short overhangs and soft European looks originated. No wonder it also sells well in Europe where small cars are a passion.

In addition to its steep, smiling grille, the Aveo features expensive touches like halogen headlamps with faceted lens, and of course wears the signature gold Chevy bow tie dead center. The high roof sweeps backward into our car’s hatched-back and leads down to wide-angled, jewel-like tail lamps. Its compact 97.6-inch wheelbase rides on standard 14-inch steel wheels or our upgraded aluminum alloys.

The 5-passenger interior is straightforward, uncluttered, and offers lots of head room. Like the exterior, fit and finish is very good. The efficient dash includes an easy to read analog gauge pod. Drivers can find comfort in cloth bucket seats with manual fore/aft, recline and height adjust and a standard tilt steering wheel. And though the feel of most controls is not as refined as the best from Japan, our only real complaint was some squeaky plastics in our early prototype.

While the Base trim level is nicely equipped for daily transportation Ð it includes air conditioning Ð the LS is almost luxurious with CD/MP3-Stereo, power windows and locks, and remote keyless entry, and more.

In back, rear seats are flat and leg room is fairly tight, but still on par with class competitors. A 60/40 split flip-fold rear bench expands cargo room from a tiny 7.1 cubic feet to a huge 42 cubic feet under a lightweight rear hatch. And that’s on par with a Volkswagen Golf.

Aveo power comes from a 1.6-liter dual-overhead-cam inline-4. It cranks out an honest 105 horsepower, and 107 pound-feet of torque. And with our Aveo’s 4-speed automatic transmission Ð a 5-speed is standard Ð it hit 60 in a steady 10.4 seconds. The quarter mile was met in 17.9 seconds at 76 miles-per-hour.

Braking produced longish stops from 60 of 135 feet. Without ABS, the vague pedal makes the front disc and rear drum brakes easy to lock up. So, to us, ABS is a must.

In corners, the front-drive Aveo turns in quickly with minor understeer. However, in a repetitive slalom exercise, that understeer transitions to light, controllable oversteer. But, a mushy soft suspension and lots of body roll keeps the Aveo from being much fun to drive. Hardware is struts up front and a twist beam axle in the rear. The rack-and-pinion steering is light but vague. But on the road the Aveo handles well for its class. The soft springs provide better than expected ride quality, and it’s relatively quiet.

Fuel economy has EPA estimates rolling in at 26 city and 34 highway for our automatic. Our test loop gave up 30 mpg in mixed driving. And if that’s not enough said, a true testament to the Aveo’s comfortably cute, affordable style was our staff’s eager race for the keys overnight. Now when is the last time we said that about a small car?

So, are you ready to hop in your own Aveo? Ok. Here’s what to expect. Both the hatchback and sedan start at $9,995 for the Special Value model. The Base models begin at $11,690, and the very well equipped LS models at $12,585.

So, for teen drivers and thrift-seekers alike, the reliance and appeal of the 2004 Chevrolet Aveo and this new alliance by GM and Daewoo could be considered, if nothing else, a great first effort. Overall the Aveo is a fine alternative to rivals Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, and Toyota Echo. And it gives Chevrolet a real competitive answer to the import subcompact market, and a pleasant little car that we could definitely live with at the end of the day.