2005 Chevrolet Aveo

Almost five months ago, I was ready to replace my 1995 Saturn SL. Since purchasing that Saturn brand-new, I had traveled 205,000 miles through an incredible variety of driving conditions. My car was at a point where the Saturn's original engine required a major rebuild or replacement was necessary - I had tried all of the "self-help" engine treatment products. My Saturn was burning a quart of oil every 200 miles. My Saturn's original MacPherson struts needed replacement....and my car needed its second clutch replacement. The original Saturn driver's side bucket seat was totally shot from wear.

Given how my simple, basic, low-tech Saturn had been faithful for such a long time, it wasn't surprising that it needed some repair. If I were a do-it-yourself backyard mechanic, my Saturn SL would have been a very worthwhile restoration project. Alas, as a condominium dweller lacking a personal garage space and a white-collar worker deficient in auto-repair skills, self-repairing my aging Saturn wasn't a sensible option. The idea of realistically spending $4000 or more on professional replacement of the engine/clutch/struts was questionable..... and to be honest, the local Saturn retailers weren't quite as friendly to me (as a long-term original owner) as they had been when my car was younger. They weren't exactly eager to offer me a "repeat customer discount" to alleviate the cost of a professional restoration of my aging SL.....

MY OBJECTIVES: A NEW CAR WITH NO CAR PAYMENTS
As a freelance independent practitioner in my line of work, I really did not want monthly car payments. I had saved up money specifically to buy a replacement car, and was looking for a vehicle to purchase for under $13,000 including tax & license. My preference was to have a new car, where I would know the entire maintenance and driving history of the vehicle. I knew enough about the rental-car and used-car business to understand that "used cars", "pre-owned cars", and "rental fleet cars" are less expensive than brand-new cars FOR A REASON. The way a vehicle is driven and treated throughout its lifespan, particularly during the "break-in period", has a huge impact on the vehicle's overall reliability and longevity

Still, I did explore some used vehicles and probably would have bought one, except for discovering this gem of a car from Chevrolet.....

ENTER: AVEO - A QUALITY NEW CAR AT A USED-CAR PRICE

Upon first noticing the very cute Aveo 4-door sedan (and its even cuter 5-door wagon variant), with its Italian styling themes, I was rather puzzled why the car was so inexpensive. There had to be a catch!

It turns out the Aveo is built in the Republic of Korea by Daewoo Motors, which was acquired by GM three years ago. I had been familiar with the Daewoo products sold in the U.S. in the late 1990s and favorably impressed with them. Daewoo vehicles have been widely used in Europe and Asia, but fell short in gaining market share in North America. After GM acquired Daewoo Motors in 2002, Daewoo's international product line was revamped, restyled, and increasing emphasis placed on first-rate assembly quality, workmanship and reliability. The vehicle sold here as the Aveo is also sold in the U.S. by Suzuki as the Aerio, and in sold in other markets badged as the "Daewoo Kalos" or "Chevrolet Kalos".

The specs for the Aveo looked impressive as well, particularly given its status as an inexpensive car: a twin-cam 16-valve 1.6 litre four-cylinder engine.

Anyway, upon going out on the first of FOUR test drives, here are things which stood out in my mind:

a. The interior seating was significantly more comfortable, and seemed more durable, than what I'd noticed in many other small and mid-size sedans. Darned, this is NICE!!!

b. Interior headroom, legroom, and exterior visibility were superior than most competitors. Not skimpy like a lot of other cars I'd looked at, and MUCH better than my 95 Saturn SL.

c. Ingress/egress through the front doors was superior to most competitors. My elderly parents even remarked it was superior to a Ford Taurus for entry/exit.

d. Interior noise levels while driving were much quieter than other cars. My girlfriend and I were really amazed how much quieter this car was than many mid-size cars we had driven - and needless to say, dramatically quiteer than my 95 Saturn SL. Not only was the engine's idle smooth, its acceleration was fairly quiet and the overall cabin noise levels restrained.

e. Aveo's 5-speed manual transmission shift pattern and clutch action were distinctly different than those on competing Toyotas, Hondas, and Mazdas - it was a bit unfamiliar and vague on the first driving test, and it seemed awkward.

f. The Aveo sedan's trunk was astonishingly roomy and deep. Bulky food purchases from a Costco warehouse would fit nicely in the trunk, including a wide-enough entry!

After my first test drive, I told the salesperson that I loved the car but could not get used to the manual gearbox (and I definitely preferred a manual transmission for my next car). However, a few days later after testing and researching other cars, I couldn't resist going to another Chevy dealer and testing it out again. Once I knew what to expect in terms of gear ratios and shift positions, I realized the Aveo's gearbox was quite simple to drive.

THE PURCHASING EXPERIENCE FOR MY AVEO
The final points leading to my my decision to buy an Aveo on the final day of April were: getting cost estimates on repairing my Saturn's struts, engine, and clutch - which all still were acceptable to drive in the short term but which definitely would require attention in the near future.....and seeing an "Ad Car" promotional price Aveo at Huling Brothers, a Seattle Chevrolet dealership. Although the "Ad Car" price referenced some discounts which were irrelevant (such as the "Military Discount", "Oldsmobile Loyalty Discount", et al.), I could buy a Special Value Model Aveo for $8,220 - PLUS, a $1000 GM! This seemed like a really sweet alternative to spending an indeterminate amount restoring my well-worn Saturn.

When I brought in the newspaper ad and indicated my serious interest in actually buying a car and trading in my Saturn, the initial response of "the ad car is sold" quickly changed to "we'll see what we can find". After some pleasant discussion, the dealership was able to fulfill the "Ad Car" promotional price on a white 4-door sedan, and the transaction was completed in a short time. IMHO, the Huling Brothers personnel I dealt with were unfailingly courteous and helpful - I actually had a better overall purchasing experience here than I did buying my Saturn brand-new at a Saturn retailer 10 years earlier.

DAY TO DAY DRIVING WITH THE AVEO
The EPA fuel economy rating is 26 mpg city, 35 mpg highway. In tracking my own consumption, I handily meet or exceed the EPA ratings. Overall, I get about 33 mpg driving this car, often in heavy traffic around the Seattle area. YMMV.

The Special Value Model is very basic. Air conditioning is not available as an option. In Seattle, the summer weather is relatively mild but I still wish A/C were an option on this car - but given that the purchase price of this car with rebate was UNDER $8,000, and I have NO CAR PAYMENTS, I'm not complaining.

My Aveo's dashboard is a model of practical simplicity. The speedometer's U.S. and metric speed markings are simple to read, the tachometer and temperature gauages are straightforward. Knobs and levers controlling ventilation and heating, and turn signals, are simple and easy to use.

Aveo's seating position offers a commanding view of the road and good forward, side and rear visibility. The left-and-right rear blind spots are somewhat annoying. Short drivers may dislike the position of the rear-seat head restraints, which are so high that they may impair rear visibility. The rear head restraints can be safely removed when not in use.

The front seat belts are comfortable for an average to large-sized body. The two main rear seat belts are three-point designs, and reasonably comfortable. Front seat contouring is fairly good, although on a long trip of over three hours one might want slightly more lower-back support. Compared with the quality of seats in most competing economy cars, the Aveo seats seem durable and likely to hold up fairly well over time.

Interior ventilation, window defogging, defrosting, and heating are well designed and efficient in the Aveo. Aveo has daytime running lights which are "on" whenever the ignition is turned on.

Aveo's steering is light and fairly precise although the power assist may be a bit excessive. At low to moderate speeds, the steering is fairly clean - but at higher speeds, there isn't much feedback through the steering and it feels somewhat numb and vague. There is some moderate body lean in turns. My old Saturn definitely had a sportier feel of the road, and is a reminder that all cars involve design tradeoffs between handling and ride quality.

Aveo's ride quality is distinctly better than that of competing cars like the Scion Xa, Echo, Accent and Focus. There is a composure and smoothness which is quite alluring.

The Aveo remains surprisingly quiet even navigating through heavy congested traffic on the interstate. The twin-cam engine is covered by a sound-insulation shield which reduces engine-generated noise, and it appears other aspects of the body assembly have sharply reduced the noise, vibration and harshness which can mar the enjoyment of so many sedans.

Aveo's braking is very competent in routine driving, and the stock Hankook tires are generally competent in daily use.

Aveo's trunk size and versatility continue to be a source of delight.

What really stands out, day in and day out, is the overall fit and finish of the Aveo. The doors, panels, and body pieces fit properly. While some of the interior materials have an inexpensive feel to them, the assembly quality and overall driving performance doesn't scream "cheapskate" at the motorist.

I LIKE MY AVEO!