2005 Chevrolet Aveo in Kernersville

General Motors's first attempt to compete on a heads-up basis with entry-level Asian econoboxes involved a partnership with Suzuki. The progeny of this corporate marriage was a little runt called the Metro, which was retired five years ago. Now, GM is trying again, only this time, it's hooked up with a Korean rather than a Japanese manufacturer. The Aveo is the car formerly known and marketed elsewhere in the world as the Daewoo Kalos. It was adopted by the Chevrolet family as a 2004 model after Daewoo Motor America ceased selling cars in the United States. (Ironically, other Daewoo models are sold in the States as Suzukis.) The Aveo is among the cheapest cars sold in America, with bare-bones examples--known technically as SVMs, or Special Value Models--starting at less than $10,000. This segment of the market is the basement of the automotive world, where compromises in space, creature comforts, safety, and general refinement come with the territory. But by the standards of the class, the Aveo is stylish and friendly, and it will wipe away the acrid taste left in consumers' mouths by the unloved, unlamented Metro. It's configured as a four-door sedan and five-door hatchback, each available in SVM, LS, and LT trim levels.

Exterior design is the Aveo's most distinctive feature, especially in hatchback form. The styling is the work of Giorgetto Giugiaro's renowned Italdesign studio, which gives the car instant credibility in the looks department. Riding high on a narrow track, it shares the tall-boy stance of the Toyota Echo and Suzuki Aerio while sporting a much lower weirdness quotient.... Read full article