Spy Shots: Return of the Chevy Aveo5?
For whatever reason, the Chevy Aveo5 didn't get a freshening when the Aveo sedan was updated, but help for the lone domestic-branded subcompact is on the way. An alert photographer snapped some shots of the Aveo hatch while at an amusement park in South Korea, and it looks like several changes are on their way over to our shores. First off, the front end styling of the sedan makes its way over to the five-door, and the tail lights will get a makeover, too. The awful interior of the first-gen Aveo5 is being replaced with the surprisingly good-looking cabin of the updated sedan, which should help the General bring more small-car buyers into Chevrolet dealerships.
We thought the updated Aveo sedan was OK as a low-priced, fuel-efficient subcompact when we had it in the Autoblog garage, and the new updates to the hatchback will be a welcome addition. Click on "Read" below to view all three pics from The Car Blogger.
[Source: TheCarBlogger]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
bmoredlj 9:28AM (7/18/2007)
I think it's commendable that a car whose sole purpose is to be a new car for those who can barely afford one also manages to be an "okay" car. That wasn't always the case with Chevy's captive imports. More often then not, you could file them under "awful."
But I've always liked the Aveo (nee Metro), and I'm glad the 5-door is getting revamped along with the sedan. (Although frankly, I don't see what's taking them so long.) The Aveo5 sure is no Fit, but it does undercut it in price, and that may help it steal sales from the subcompact benchmark, as well as the Versa, Yaris, and its closest competitors, the Accent and Rio.
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BLS 9:49AM (7/18/2007)
I hope the cargo area is bigger than the briefcase slot from the outgoing model.
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Derek 10:31PM (7/18/2007)
The cargo area is short so the car stays short. If you want to bring home something big, fold the seats down. I mean, who goes and brings home a TV with a carfull of people?
musanti 10:07AM (7/18/2007)
are those port holes?...
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Doug 10:30AM (7/18/2007)
Here's an idea. Make it look like the Groove or even the Beat concept from the Detroit show and people might actually have a desire to buy it.
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psarhjinian 10:41AM (7/18/2007)
The Aveo5 got a lot better after GM re-did the suspension, steering and shifter for 2005. The facelift that the sedan got helped, too, but the major mechanicals were fixed then.
In terms of packaging, it's a much better car than the Cobalt is. Unlike the Cobalt (and, perversely, the Impala), it has a rear seat that's actually comfortable.
It's a good car--not as good as the Fit--but about on par with the Yaris (the Yaris has a better powertrain; the Aveo doesn't have screw-the-customer options packages; the Yaris a better interior, the Aveo better packaging).
If Chevy could do something about the meagre fuel economy (it's about the lowest in it's class), it would become a lot more appealing. Maybe one of the Opel sub-2.0L gas engines would work. The Daewoo 1.6L is not a winner.
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S1500 10:59AM (7/18/2007)
I do commend GM for bringing a subcompact back to their market. I just wish the car looked better. Mind you, they are competing against pros in the subcompact market(Honda, etc), and as it stands, I'd rather get a Fit. It's sexy.
While the Geo Metro might be laughable in the automotive machismo image in America, weren't owners laughing their way from the gas pump with insanely high MPG?
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Mattias 11:40AM (7/18/2007)
There is a 5 door version of the Aveo, the Kalos with a slightly different front:
http://www.chevrolet.de/kalos/kalos-kalos-modellvarianten.html
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alex 12:27PM (7/18/2007)
Mattias, that looks like the exact same as the current aveo sold in the US. the spy shots are of the next gen
Calebe 3:01PM (7/18/2007)
We have seen spy shots of this already, Still nothing new really. Same doors. Just a sedan front clip and some different tail lights. Where the Aveo needs real help is under the hood. It should be getting say 32 in town and 42 on the highway. Even a 1.8 Corolla gets better mpg on the highway. GM has engines it could use. I don't know why they keep these old engines.
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Greg 4:23AM (7/19/2007)
It's still a damn Daewoo!! Make a Chevy!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Dave 1:58PM (7/20/2007)
Again, they need to do something with the mpg.
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AladdinSane 11:57AM (7/22/2007)
What the 2008 AVEO5 should improve on is side curtain airbags, and perhaps better side protection in general. It seems no improvements have been made in this respect for the new model year. Plus Chevy SHOULD make OnStar available, for those that want it, as an option on the higher priced versions of both the 5 and sedan. Of course this is out of the question. Why? If you really want OnStar you must go with the Cobalt, which may be a ploy on GM's part to get one to really purchase the Cobalt in the long run. Yeah, I know what some may say:
We don't want OnStar with such an inexpensive machine, to keep costs down. After all, it IS "cheap" transportation. Later for that (OnStar). Well, I disagree. It still should be an option, for those that may desire it, for peace of mind to the driver of such a small machine as this. I speak for myself, but a few may agree.
Peace!
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T 10:22PM (8/03/2007)
My roommate's mother has one (for when she's not driving a Yukon XL) and it's a really decent car. Plenty of room in the back seat, nice ride, quiet. Really surprising.
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