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Chevrolet Aveo Sedan
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Comments
As far as GMDAT doing a good job, I'm not sure I would agree. This is a car that's far better than most small cars of the 70s and 80s, but is a good 10 years behind the best in its class. With the Toyota Yaris due out and new Rio/Accent models, the Aveo is an oxcart by comparison in its niche.
Having nearly 50k on my 2004 now, its just basic transportation, nothing more. Performance, handling and the body structure are only so-so and fuel economy is plainly sub-standard for a 2300 lb. vehicle with a 1.6L engine -- there are mid-sized cars with V6s that can match or beat the Aveo in MPGs.
Reliability is still a gigantic question mark -- I certainly know that the dealers don't pay much attention to it since they make little to no profit and probably figure that Chevy will drop the model shortly. Parts, except for the most basic filters, are totally unavailable.
I've heard that the current Aveo will remain unchanged through 2008 and then be dropped in the US. It hasn't made any mark on the buying public and would have to greatly improve to compete with much newer and more desirable models from Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Scion and Hyundai/Kia.
Nov. 2005 sales are down 44% from 2004 to 3600, less than the Hummer H3 sales of 4400.
The car seems extremely touchy that way. My last few cars (all automatic 4 cylinders) barely varied more than 2 MPG while filling up no matter what type of driving was involved. The difference between urban or highway driving didn't cause 10 MPG swings from tank to tank.
Until the cold weather set in (Northeast), my average overall was about 32-33 MPG.
I always top off the tank and calulate from fuel used.
The older automatics were considerably worse than a manual trans, but have improved in the past 15 years or so due to 4-speeds with overdrive and locking torque converters. I spend most of my time in overdrive, so there's no slippage and the final drive ratio is actually higher than the 5-speed Aveo.
Basically, a 2350 lb. car with 103 hp should be solidly mid-30s for gas mileage and that seems to be one of the biggest complaints from Aveo owners. It's also mentioned in professional reviews -- Car and Driver in their road tests only got actual fuel economy of 24 mpg with a 5-speed, the same as a V-6 auto trans Malibu Maxx that weighs 1100 lbs. more than an Aveo.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/AutoshowArticles/articleId=108750
Host, do we need a new discussion for this new model, or just carry forward in this one?
When the car is cold, it goes to 3.5 to 4K RPM before start moving. It just not responds, or takes a while to get traction. I took the car to the same dealer and show them what was going on. They heard the noise and the feedback I got next morning was: "we will change the transmission fluid".
Today a got the car. It still not responding well but it is a little better. If I put in drive (D4) and do not step on the gas, the car does not move 1 inch.
According to my sister-in-law, it was not like that before. Any clues, suggestions, recommendation are very welcome.
THK, Caio
When the car is cold, it goes to 3.5 to 4K RPM before start moving. It just not responds, or takes a while to get traction. I took the car to the same dealer and show them what was going on. They heard the noise and the feedback I got next morning was: "we will change the transmission fluid".
Today a got the car. It still not responding well but it is a little better. If I put in drive (D4) and do not step on the gas, the car does not move 1 inch.
How cold are we talking here? If it's way below freezing, most automatics will barely move until the engine and transmission warm up. I have the same year Aveo with auto and it's a bit sluggish if cold. It's designed not to shift from 3rd to 4th until the engine reaches a certain temperature.
I believe that it's normal not to move unless the accelerator is pressed, but revving to 3 or 4K rpms is a sign of some greater problem with the transmission.
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I have devoted a lot of research into the Aveo due to low price and how it sips gas rather than guzzle. However, I have read in the Edmunds roadtest of the 2004 LS hatch, that Chevy/Daewoo engineers used wide gear ratios on the mauaul tranny. They said it was to cut down on the shifting around town, but also that it forsed drivers to downshift to 3rd on freeway driving. I know that certainly there are Aveo owners here who own the stick shift so can any of yawll inform me if this is really the case. Any input will be appreciated.Thanks!
Tubb Bilford Jr
Does anybody have the specs ?
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/17/chevy-launches-2007-aveo-sedan/
The press release notes that the standard side torso airbags also provide head protection, something I did not know before (or maybe they were upgraded from '06). There are currently two major approaches to head protection: side curtain airbags which drop from the ceiling, and side torso airbags with an extension that also protects the front row heads.
Integrating head and torso protection into side airbags (Ford also does this on the Focus, but the are optional there) provides complete side body protection, but only for the front seat occupants. Separate side curtain airbags can easily extend to the rear, to protect rear seat occupants as well - that's how it works on the Impala, which has them standard (but not standard torso protection) and on this year's Malibu.
I think Chevy made the right decision in the Aveo. Most cars have single occupants anyway; and with a car in the Aveo's class size, adult rear passengers are much rarer. Kids in child seats won't benefit much from rear side curtains, and even a little bigger kids are usually too low in the seat for side curtains to help. So Chevy did a smart job of triage and gave front seat occupants full protection. Thanks!
The Aveo has now proved it's no "flash in the pan" for Chevy. This is the second full year of production with a much upgraded model. I would probably now recommend this to my friends instead of the Scion xA or Toyota Yaris since it is a better supported model, and would even recommend that friends on a budget consider it over a Fit, since the Fit is so overpriced in my opinion (a subcompact car with a compact price).
I see a lot of these around San Francisco. Chevy has hit a home run with the Aveo!
(Be aware that the 5 door hatchback continues forward unchanged this year, it has none of the sedan's improvements.)
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My Aveo just cost me $2,000 for my timing belt and head to be replaced, i wish i heard about the problem before mine went. my car only has 74,000 miles on it, i have a long drive to work as well, how did you find out about the law suit? i need to check on any in my state, i am in Michigan, i have had alot of problems with my car my throw out bering went right off the bat like 6 months old.
hope things works out with your Aveo
I agree -- it'd be a selling point. Most people will spend $1000 or more with belt changes and water pumps over the car's lifetime. In essence, the Aveo loses some of its price advantage when compared to Yaris, Corolla, Fit or Scion that use timing chains.
Unlike other cars I've owned or driven, this model has no margin of error with belt changes. Many have had problems before the 60,000 mile interval.
It makes so little sense to build an engine that'll last hundred of thousands of miles, but can experience catastophic failure due to a $30 rubber belt breaking.
C'mon GM! Ditto for any other automakers using them.
Last night I was in 5th gear and floored the car to 160km/hr (100mph), the car was totally quiet and very stable.
If you get a Toyota and you keep going to the same gas station you will have the same issues but will you keep buying Toyota's after that?
I am not sure what you mean by Mitsubishi having the fastest 4-cylinder engine. Previously Honda Civic's had all the records before the Chevy Cobalt came out which re-wrought the Guiness book of World Records in almost every catagory. Asperated or non-asperated the Cobalt took all of the records and is dominate throughout the U.S. in bracket, stock, and modified racing. Also the Cobalt took the Civic's records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
Mine's an '04 -- I heard about a number of 04 and 05 models having valves that had to be replaced, but the problems didn't appear until I was well out of warranty.
Loud explosion that I suspect may have been a thrown rod. I know I've never heard anything like that in almost 50 years of driving with 30+ cars. I've owned three Korean cars: an 88 Festiva, an 01 Elantra, and an 07 Optima. Had good luck with all of them. My wife was looking at buying one last year before we got the Optima. This this will keep me from considering anything with Daewoo roots for many years.
By the way, I am no supporter of Daewoo in any way, shape or form, but the engine in the Aveo is made by GM (who now owns Daewoo as well), in the Austrailian Holden division, which supplies many GM engines in other cars and also assembles the Pontiac G8GT auto, as an example.
SO, can't really blame Korea on this one, I'm afraid...