2009 Chevy Aveo, Aveo5 Get Prices, Slightly More MPG

For 2009, Chevy’s compact Aveo sedan and Aveo5 hatchback get slightly revised engines, and the Aveo5 gets the same design upgrades the sedan did in 2008. Prices for both now start at $11,460, before the $660 destination charge, for the base LS trim level. That’s actually a reduction of $710 for the sedan and an increase of $1,225 for the Aveo5, but, again, that model gets more modifications. Both come standard with side-impact airbags but no air conditioning. The 2009 Aveos will hit dealers in early July.

Minor tweaks to the small four-cylinder engine improve mileage to 27/34 mpg city/highway with the manual transmission and 25/34 mpg with the four-speed automatic. That’s compared to 24/34 mpg and 23/32 mpg for the outgoing manual and automatic, respectively. The new numbers still fall short of competitors like the Toyota Yaris, which comes in at 29/36 mpg and 29/35 mpg for its manual and automatic models. However, the Aveo does top the Hyundai Accent’s numbers of 27/32 mpg and 24/33 mpg.

More trim level prices are below.

Comments

UGLY. The new Ford fiesta (2010) and Honda Fit (2009) are going to stomp all over this thing.

Cj - it's been getting stomped since it came out - major reliablity issues with this one.

I drive an new Accent and have driven a rental Aveo and I would take the Accent any day- despite the slight premium. (It's funny nowadays, Hyundai's cost more than Chevy's, how the tables have turned)

The Hyundai drives on a relatively new platform, has a respectably refined engine and suspension-for the price of course!

The Aveo is an ancient (Pre-GM buyout) Daweoo, that is practically unsafe to drive.

The fact that NHTSA let this thing into America is shocking and should be a crime.

The quicker GM replaces the Aveo the better (fingers-crossed for 2009)

Collin, I doubt GM changed the platform. This looks more like a facelift (not a total redesign). The Honda Fit is getting a total redesign for 2009, coming out this Fall. Ford's Fiesta is due next year, and is a totally new model from Ford Europe. With competition like that coming, GM doesn't stand a chance with the Aveo. It's pretty sad that Hyudai's Accent is better than the General's Aveo.

Cj That's what I meant...the Aveo is Daweoo's T200 platform and is like a million years old.

The new 2010 Aveo will be on GM's new Gamma platform. It should be a pretty good match off against the new Honda Fit, considering GM's vast improvements lately.

The Honda Fit is great now, but with the 2009 every characteristic that makes it a benchmark now is going to be improved. GM's 2010 Aveo will likely only match todays Fit, even though by then the Fit is going to be even better. But the Honda Fit isn't GM's only worry. The Ford Fiesta is going be a leap above essentially every subcompact available in the US market. In Europe, where the Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta already compete, the Ford routinely stomps all over the Honda in every aspect. The interior is better, the driving dynamics are better, and the styling is simply awesome. Just like Honda, the new Ford Fiesta is going to improve on every aspect of the current Fiesta. GM is way behind Ford and Honda (in the subcompact category) and likely won't catch up anytime soon.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see Cj.

Besides that point, I think you bring up another important subject-which is the way different car makers position themselves to consumers.

Ford's new 'sporty' mentality (which they're bumming off of Mazda) is much more similar to Honda's product identity.

Chevy is much more akin to Toyota's banal existence (at least in terms of driving characteristics).

So if you're talking about it being fun to drive? Then the new Fit and Fiesta are probably going to burn the Aveo.

If your talking about comparative affordability, features, packaging, safety and reliability?

I think the Aveo will be much more than an also-ran in the subcompact category.

They sold 70,000 Aveo's last year, compared to 55,000 Fits.

Say what you want, but numbers speak volumes. If the Aveo can deliver 80% of what the new Fit has to offer, with Chevy's massive sales channels and high gas prices- they'll be selling over 100k of these things for sure!

I wasn't actually talking about the performance. Most consumers don't care about the 0-60 on these subcompacts. I was talking about interior, exterior, and drive train quality. Even though Ford's American vehicles have spotty quality, Ford's European offerings have quality that matches or beats Honda, BMW (entry level), MB (entry level), and VW (I know VW isn't considered a quality brand in the US, but they have great interiors). The Ford Fiesta is going to really "shake up" the subcompact category, just like the Fit did a couple years ago. I wasn't talking about sales, either. If sales were what made vehicles benchmarks, then the F150 would be the best truck ever made in the world.

Cj just how like Ford's are good in Europe...so are GM vehicles. Opel and GM Daweoo are really helping to improve GM's interior quality, exterior panel gaps etc.

Reviewers praised the new Saturn Antara's (I mean Vue) overall quality.

Judging from the latest spy pics form several Chevy's, it's going to be a good fight in the coming years.

No more crazy subpar American interior/exterior design or quality.

Hopefully there will come a point when we don't even have to talk about quality, because in every car, that will be a given.

I'm sure if that day comes though, the last ones to catch up will be Chrysler, right after Chery does it ;)

Cj just how like Ford's are good in Europe...so are GM vehicles. Opel and GM Daweoo are really helping to improve GM's interior quality, exterior panel gaps etc.

Reviewers praised the new Saturn Antara's (I mean Vue) overall quality.

Judging from the latest spy pics form several Chevy's, it's going to be a good fight in the coming years.

No more crazy subpar American interior/exterior design or quality.

Hopefully there will come a point when we don't even have to talk about quality, because in every car, that will be a given.

I'm sure if that day comes though, the last ones to catch up will be Chrysler, right after Chery does it ;)

Let's not sing the praises of the Fiesta just yet. Although the Fords of Europe have everything CJ has said, changes can/have/might be made for the U.S. release. The Ford Focus is a great European car, but Ford has not brought THAT Focus to the U.S. So, until the Fiesta reaches our shores with no changes from the European version (regardless of what Ford says they will do), I am reserving judgment.

Now, on the topic of the Aveo, I think it looks good with the Chevy "brand look" although the back doesn't look like it has been changed--they should have made the back more round; more sporty. Regardless, until GM makes the Aveo themselves and not Daewoo, I will take anything else on the road.

Ford Europe stomps on Opel, too. Compare the Ford Mondeo with the Opel Vectra (Saturn Aura). The Ford's styling alone trumps the Opel. Chysler is likely going to die because not only do they have a bad reputation in the US, they don't have a great one globally either. I think of the 3 domestics, Ford has the best chance of a resurgence. GM is too bloated and would take a lot of work and time to turn around. By the time GM does turn around Toyota will already be one step ahead. Ford already has some great products in the US that are already starting to take a bite out of their respective segments. Compare sales of the Ford Edge with the GMC Acadia. The Edge supplanted the Honda Pilot from #1 selling midsize crossover, and the Acadia is struggling, even though it came out with TONS of media buzz. Same with the Focus vs Cobalt thing.

I agree Jason. Ford will probably swap out the Euro interior with the US Focus's interior. But if the price is right it should still be a major contender in the US subcompact market. If Ford were to sell the Fiesta "as is" it would probably cost more than the Focus.

One interesting thing about ALL these new subcompacts is their highway mileage.

It's generally a bit less than the compacts. Just a mile or two mpg, but you'd think thay would get better mileage.

Most of these new subcompacts are rated about 34 mpg highway. Cars like the Corolla, etc come out about 35. The local mpg seems to be about the same for the segments, or a little higher for the subcompacts.

My guess is that the engines in the new subcompacts are a bit weak, and have to work much harder at highway speeds.

The Aveo is a Daewoo with a Chevy logo. I would take any other car over a Daewoo.

I used to own a 2004 Aveo, so this article held some personal interest to me. I really liked that car's styling, roominess, versatility, features,comfort, and it had pretty good performance. All in all, I was very impressed with it over a comparable Accent, Rio, or Echo of the time.

However, this car had terrible reliability woes. The suspension and steering disintegrated in no time and the car was bought back as a lemon. I wasn't too upset over the quality issues, but GM's treatment of me as an Aveo owner was shameful. The service facility basically stated that an economy car wasn't worth their resources to fix. I was often left waiting in the service drive while owners of more profitable and expensive cars and trucks received VIP service.

This was my first brand new car and because of the service (not because of the reliability, bad cars happen) I will never buy another GM again. I hope that when GM is trying to appeal to younger buyers with this Aveo that they treat them with respect and strive to keep that customer happy. Brand loyalty is important, especially in tough times like now

Roo: That was the dealer, not GM. Lousy dealers exist for every brand of car.

There was a Toyota dealer in my neck of the woods who had their motor vehicle sales license pulled by the state. The same thing happened with a multi brand, multi location dealer (Ford, Hyundai, Honda) who was a total crook. That guy was forced, by the state, out of 5 different dealerships.

Neither of the above is a reflection on the brands of autos - just lousy dealers.

Maxwell, totally agree with you that every manufactuer has lousy dealers. However, this car went through three different dealerships during the course of ownership (I moved twice) and it was the same story each time. Granted, there are some very good Chevy dealers out there somewhere.

But GM Corporate was also a hassle in the lemon lawsuit. They drug their feet through the whole process and slowed down the case.

They need to bring over the Opel Agila and badge it as a Saturn.

I guess GM does not expect many buyers of the standard trim to market a car like this in the beginning of July without AC. The low price must just be a showroom traffic strategy.

I am in the market for a very reasonably priced compact car. I test drove the Aveo and the Cobalt. Because of the room in the Aveo and how quiet it was I had intended to buy one this summer. Because I get about $4,300 off from having a credit card and another $3000 off paid by the state for trading in an old gas guzzler, plus the sale of another car I have that I could sell for $1,500, the resulting cost for a brand new car would be only $3,000. Not bad for a car that gets fifteen miles per gallon more than my current car. I'll get the $3,000 back in gas savings in no-time. We wouldn't be in this energy mess if Bush and Cheney hadn't lied to go to war, causing chaos in the Middle East, allowing oil companies to rape customers, and allowing US oil speculators to steal trillions from American consumers. We saved Kuwait and its leaders from certain execution from the Iraqis, but even though Kuwait has the 4th largest oil reserves in the world, Bush isn't demanding that they open their oil spigots so more cheap oil could get to the US. That is because Bush couldn't care less about Americans, our economy or our country. He is a corporate prostitute who is owned by corrupt corporations, like Halliburton. Bush and the republican party have orgasms when they strip all regulations and laws to allow corporations to run amuk. If they had their way there would be an Enron on every Main Street in America. It's sad the Bush Regime is so infinitely corrupt.

Adam & Eve, I applaud your future Aveo purchase. But, you had to go all political...

Please save your ignorant rants for Clinton rallies. Oh right, Bill - the last truly corrupt President who, with the support of his wife, took out more people than the mafia. Globalization has caused the demand for energy to rise to unheard of levels due to the fact that countries like India, China, Chile, and others discovered something called capitalism, which made their economies prosper like never before. Capitalism is based on the free market, which unlike the socialist party that you endorse, Republicans support. So, face it, Globalization - simply demand for oil - has caused its price to increase. You and I are facing a new reality of looking at people who drive Aveos, Civics, and Corollas and thinking they are cool.