Head Office: CAA-Quebec 444 Bouvier Street Québec, QC G2J 1E3

2004 AVEO

Like its sibling, the Swift+, the Aveo is made in South Korea by GM DAT ( Auto and Technology). The subcompact Aveo is available in basic and LS trim, and as a four-door or five-door sedan, whereas the Swift+ is available only as a hatchback sedan.

Interior and trunk

The front seats are comfortable and easy to enter and exit. The driving position is good but for some drivers the wheel well reduces the room for their left leg. The seats should have better side supports. Headroom is very generous.

Getting in and getting out of the rear seats is more difficult. The rear bench is not comfortable because of the seatback angle, tilted too far to the rear. Headroom and legroom are a bit tight for tall individuals. The 60/40 split seat folds to increase cargo space that is otherwise rather limited with the seatback up. Fortunately, the rear hatch opens wide, providing easy access to the cargo area. With the sedan, however, the trunk opening is narrow.

Convenience and safety

The Aveo is well finished, with good soundproofing for this category of vehicle. There are plenty of storage spaces, all quite roomy except for the glove box.

Instruments and controls are well laid out. Some of the radio buttons are too small. The windshield wipers do not have a MIST mode, and the washer jets are a bit weak.

Pictures: www.gmcanada.com We’d like the heater to heat up more quickly. The cup holders are in the way of the heater controls in the dash, and they are too shallow to do a good job.

Safety features include two air bags, good headlights and four locking head restraints. The two rear restraints cannot be raised high enough to adequately protect tall people, and they hamper visibility even when they are lowered. The rear wiper leaves dirt on parts of the window, which also blocks the view. The horn is activated by two small buttons.

Engine and transmission

The 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine makes 103 h.p. and 107 lb.-ft. of torque, which is adequate considering this vehicle weighs just over 1,000 kg. Acceleration is just acceptable, and for good pickup, the engine has to be running at over 3,000 rpm. The engine is responsive enough that the driver doesn’t have to downshift all the time. It is noisy in average and heavy acceleration and at highway speeds.

We tested both the manual and automatic versions. With the manual gearbox, shifts are a bit balky, especially to third, and gear throws feel rubbery. The automatic transmission shifts very smoothly. It has a HOLD position to facilitate starts on slippery surfaces.

On the road

The suspension is well tuned, providing a firm but very smooth ride with no harsh reactions on rough sections. Road holding is adequate and suits the type of vehicle. Overall the Aveo has a sturdy feel that belies its small size. It is a bit sensitive to side winds.

The power steering is well tuned, stable, precise and reasonably quick. It has a normal turning circle and even provides a bit of road feel. Braking is powerful and fade resistant.

At the CAA-Quebec technical inspection centre, we noted that the underside is sturdy. However, the pump that pressurizes the gas tank is left unprotected in the left rear fender, and there is a big opening in both front fenders.

Conclusion

The Aveo is more that just a good little urban vehicle. Besides being well assembled and fun to drive, it offers snappy handling, comfortable front seating with lots of headroom, and good road behaviour.

FOR AGAINST Front-seat comfort Small horn buttons Roadability No MIST position (wipers) Handling Rear visibility Good assembly Manual gearbox Pleasant steering Slow heater Good front headroom Rear-seat comfort

2004

Engine: 16-valve, 1.6-litre 4- Horsepower: 103 hp @ 5800 rpm cylinder Torque: 107 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm Transmission: 5-speed man.; 4- speed auto. Suspension: independent/semi- Brakes: disc/drum independent Length: 388 cm (sedan: 423.5 cm) Width: 167 cm Height: 149.5 cm : 248 cm Weight: 1,065 to 1,070 kg Tires: 185/60R14 Towing capacity: non- Air bags: standard dual recommended

Fuel consumption (automatic transmission): − Transport Canada rating: city: 9.0 L/100 km (31 mpg); highway: 6.4 L/100 km (44 mpg) − Test result: 9.8 L/100 (29 mpg)

Fuel tank capacity: 45 litres

Acceleration: 0-100 km/h: 10.3 seconds 60-100 km/h: 6.9 seconds

Competition: Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, +, Toyota Echo

Warranty: − Full basic coverage: 3 years/60,000 km − Powertrain: 5 years/100,000 km − Surface corrosion: 3 years/60,000 km − Perforation damage: 6 years/160,000 km − Emissions control system: 3 years/60,000 km (full coverage); 8 years/130,000 km (catalytic converter and electronic control module)

Factory replacement parts: Rear bumper: $367 Front brake disk: $86 Brake pads: $78 Muffler: $268 Front fender: $203

Average insurance premium (Quebec City, replacement cost endorsement, claim-free insurance record, female driver or male driver 30 to 40 years old): $915 to $1,502

Price according to trim line: Base sedan: $13,595 Base hatchback: $13,935 LS sedan: $14,450 LS hatchback: $14,785

Main options: Automatic transmission: $750 Air: $1,150 ABS: $565

Price as tested: $16,615

Freight and preparation: $930

Dealers: Quebec: 173; Canada: 647

 CAA-Quebec, January 2004. All rights reserved.