2006 Chevrolet Aveo Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

Chevrolet's entry-level car gets standard front side airbags and available 15-inch wheels for 2006. Aveo is among the smallest, least-expensive vehicles sold in the United States. It comes as a 4-dr hatchback and a slightly longer sedan. Both use a 103-hp 4-cyl engine with manual or optional automatic transmissions and offer Special Value Model (SVM), LS, and LT trim. All include tilt steering wheel, height-adjustable driver seat, and split folding rear seat. Unavailable for 2005, the front side airbags provide torso protection. LS and LT add air conditioning and offer optional ABS. SVM and LS have standard 14-inch wheels. LT has 15s, plus power windows/locks/heated mirrors. An optional sunroof is exclusive to LT. Also for '06, cruise control and remote keyless entry are standard for LT, optional for LS.

Competition

Consumer Guide® Automotive places each vehicle into one of 17 classes based on size, price, and market position. Compact Cars comprise the smallest passengers cars. These vehicles range from tiny economy models to slightly larger, popularly priced sedans, hatchbacks, and wagons.

Our Best Buys include Chrysler PT Cruiser, Honda Civic, Mazda 3, and Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix twins. Our Recommended picks include Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, and Toyota Corolla.

New or significantly redesigned models include Chevrolet HHR, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, and Volkswagen Golf and Jetta.

News

Aveo hatchbacks will likely catch up with the newly freshened sedans, perhaps later in the '07 model year. Otherwise, few near-term changes are expected for Chevrolet's smallest cars.

2006 Chevrolet Aveo Road Test

Pros	Cons

Fuel economy	Acceleration

Maneuverability	Handling

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

LS sdn, man.	LS hatch, auto.	Class Average
3	2	4.4

Fairly brisk on takeoff and around town. Feels slightly quicker with manual transmission, but no Aveo has enough power for swift highway passing or short freeway on-ramps. Manual has rubbery shift action. Automatic often hesitates to kick down for passing. Engine smoother than most in this price range.

Fuel Economy

LS sdn, man.	LS hatch, auto.	Class Average
8	7	6.7

Test manual-transmission sedan averaged 29.3 mpg in mostly city driving. Test automatic-transmission hatchback averaged 29.9 mpg in near-even mix of city/highway driving.

Ride Quality

LS sdn, man.	LS hatch, auto.	Class Average
5	5	4.9

No opportunity yet to test with 15-inch tires. Impressively absorbent for a small car on most bumps. Some minor bobbing and pitching over irregular pavement.

Steering/Handling/Braking

LS sdn, man.	LS hatch, auto.	Class Average
4	4	5.6

Petite size, responsive steering make for nimble low-speed moves. Body lean, noseplow increase rapidly with cornering speed. Both test models had ABS and good stopping power.

Quietness

LS sdn, man.	LS hatch, auto.	Class Average
4	4	4.2

All noise sources muffled fairly well, better than in many rivals. Unlike many small, light cars, only large, sharp bumps trigger pounding through Aveo's suspension, body structure.

Controls

LS sdn, man.	LS hatch, auto.	Class Average
5	5	5.9

Gauges easy to read. Controls logically placed. Audio system mounted within easy reach, but tiny buttons, knobs difficult to manipulate at speed. Budget-grade plastics dominate decor.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

LS sdn, man.	LS hatch, auto.	Class Average
5	5	5.5

Comfortable seats are softer and a bit higher than in many entry-level cars. Driver positioning aided by standard height-adjustable seat, tilt wheel. Good head room, but tall folks might want more leg space. Visibility to rear corners hindered by thick roof pillars in sedan; hatchback's pillars are thinner.

Room/Comfort (rear)

LS sdn, man.	LS hatch, auto.	Class Average
3	3	3.9

Good head room. Leg room tight with front seats more than halfway back. Seat rather flat, but high mounting means adults don't sit knees-up.

Cargo Room

LS sdn, man.	LS hatch, auto.	Class Average
2	7	4.7

Hatchback has room for just a row of grocery bags behind rear seatbacks. But those fold without removing headrests, and cushions flip forward to make a fairly flat load floor. Sedan's trunk volume par for class, though lid hinges dip into load area. Sedan's rear headrests must be removed to fold seatbacks. Interior storage meager, with small bins in console and dash.

Value within Class

LS sdn, man.	LS hatch, auto.	Class Average
3	4	6.2

Aveo is imported from General Motors' South Korea manufacturing branch; cars built in that country have been reliable, in our recent experience. Still, we recommend that anyone shopping for a vehicle of this size consider a larger car. That aside, the likable Aveo is surprisingly refined for its price and compares well with budget rivals Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio, though those cars come with head-protecting curtain side airbags.

Total Score

LS sdn, man.	LS hatch, auto.	Class Average
42	46	52

Scores for all Compact Cars

Low Score		37
Average Score		52
High Score		64

2006 Chevrolet Aveo Prices & Equipment

Model Prices

Prices Updated: 05/30/2006

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge

SVM 4-door sedan	$9,350	$8,836	$540

SVM 4-door hatchback	$9,350	$8,836	$540

LS 4-door sedan	$11,450	$10,820	$540

LS 4-door hatchback	$11,450	$10,820	$540

LT 4-door sedan	$12,850	$12,143	$540

LT 4-door hatchback	$13,050	$12,332	$540

Pricing Key: Retail prices listed with each report are set by the vehicle's manufacturer. These figures appear on each car's federally mandated window sticker. Most price lists also include dealer-invoice prices. Dealer-invoice prices are what the dealer pays the manufacturer for the car and its factory-installed options. The destination charge is not included in the suggested-retail or dealer-invoice price and must be added to the cost of the vehicle. Car companies change prices frequently throughout the year. If the prices published do not match those on the vehicle's window sticker, the manufacturer has probably altered the price recently.

NA = price note available, NC = no charge.

Rebates and Incentives

There are no rebates or incentives at this time.

Consumer Guide®'s Rebates and Incentives represent a summary of national manufacturer programs available. Regional restrictions may apply, and offerings may vary by model. For a complete list of Rebate & Incentive programs click here.

Standard Equipment

SVM

Powertrain

1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine, 5-speed manual transmission.

Safety

Dual front airbags, front side airbags, daytime running lights, emergency inside trunklid release (sedan).

Comfort and Convenience Features

Power steering, tilt steering wheel, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, height-adjustable driver seat, center console, cupholders, split folding rear seat, AM/FM radio, digital clock, tachometer, variable-intermittent wipers, visor mirrors, cargo cover (hatchback), rear defogger, rear wiper/washer (hatchback).

Appearance and Miscellaneous

185/60R14 tires, wheel covers.

LS adds to SVM:

Comfort and Convenience Features

Air conditioning, interior air filter, floormats.

LT adds to LS:

Comfort and Convenience Features

Cruise control, heated power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/CD/MP3 player.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Rear spoiler (hatchback), 185/55R15 tires, alloy wheels.

Optional Equipment

Major Packages	Retail Price	Invoice Price
Cruise Control and Remote Control Entry
LS	$425	$374
Cruise control, power door locks, remote keyless entry, alarm.

Powertrain
4-speed automatic transmission
LS, LT	$850	$748


Safety
Antilock brakes
LS, LT	$400	$352


Comfort and Convenience Features
Power sunroof
LT	$725	$638


AM/FM/CD/MP3 player
LS	$325	$286


Premium speakers
LS, LT	$125	$110
LS requires AM/FM/CD/MP3 player.

Appearance and Miscellaneous
Theft-deterrent system
LT	$100	$88
Engine immobilizer.

Fog lights
LS, LT	$110	$97


Engine-block heater
LS, LT, SVM	$50	$44


Mud guards
LS, LT	$60	$53


Alloy wheels
LS	$375	$330


15-inch alloy wheels
LS	$475	$418
Includes 185/55R15 tires.

2006 Chevrolet Aveo Specs & Safety

Vehicle Dimensions

Specification	Chevrolet Aveo 4-door hatchback	Chevrolet Aveo 4-door sedan

Wheelbase, in.	97.6	97.6

Overall Length, in.	152.8	166.7

Overall Width, in.	65.8	65.7

Overall Height, in.	58.9	58.8

Curb Weight, lbs.	2359	2381

Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	42.0	11.7

Standard Payload, lbs.	--	--

Fuel Capacity, gals.	12.0	12.0

Seating Capacity	5	5

Front Head Room, in.	39.3	39.2

Max. Front Leg Room, in.	41.3	41.2

Rear Head Room, in.	37.6	37.6

Max. Rear Leg Room, in.	35.4	35.3

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Engines

	dohc I4

Size, liters/cu. in.	1.6 /98

Horsepower @ rpm.	103 @ 6000

Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm.	107 @ 3600

Availability	Standard

EPA City / highway mpg

5-speed manual	26/35

4-speed automatic	24/34

Engine Key: l/cu in. = liters/cubic inches; ohv = overhead valve; ohc = overhead camshaft; dohc = dual overhead camshaft; I = inline cylinders; H = horizonally opposed cylinders; V = cylinders in a V configuration; W = cylinders in a W configuration; rpm = revolutions per minute; CVT = continuously variable (automatic) transmission; NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Safety Features

Antilock Brakes

Traction Control

Antiskid System

Front Side Airbags

Curtain Side Airbags

Rear Side Airbags

NHTSA Crash-Test Results

Test	Chevrolet Aveo 4-door hatchback	Chevrolet Aveo 4-door sedan

Front Impact, Driver	5	NA

Front Impact, Passenger	5	NA

Rollover Resistance	4	NA

Side Impact, Driver	4	NA

Side Impact, Rear Passenger	4	NA

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests a vehicle's worthiness in front- and side-impact collisions and rates its resistance to rollovers. Front-impact crash-test numbers indicate the chance of serious injury: 5 = 10% or less; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-35%; 2 = 35-45%; 1 = More than 45%. Side-impact crash-test numbers indicate: 5 = 5% or less; 4 = 6-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 2 = 21-25%; 1 = More than 26%. Rollover resistance numbers indicate the chance for rollover when the vehicle leaves the roadway: 5 = Less than 10%; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-30%; 2 = 30-40%; 1 = More than 40%.

Manufacturer's Warranty

Class	Years/Miles	Comments

Powertrain	5/60,000	Aveo, Cobalt and Uplander only.

Bumper-to-bumper	3/36,000	--

Corrosion	6/100,000	--

Free roadside assistance	3/36,000	--

Free scheduled maintenance	None/--	--

Manufacturers may periodically offer additional coverage as a purchase incentive. There offers are not reflected on this chart. The federal government requires two other warranties. The Exhaust Emission Warranty covers corrosion-related parts for 2 years/24,000 miles, plus 8 years/80,000 miles on the catalytic converter and any on-board diagnostic device. The Passenger Restraint Warranty covers seat belts and airbags for 5 years/50,000 miles.

Built in: South Korea

Drivewheels: front-wheel drive

< 2006 Chevrolet Aveo Photos

Also in the 2006 Chevrolet Aveo Review:

Chevrolet Aveo

Chevrolet Aveo Road Test

Chevrolet Aveo Prices & Equipment

Chevrolet Aveo Specs & Safety

Chevrolet Aveo Photos

Chevrolet Aveo Full Review

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