Review of the new Chevrolet Aveo - Family View

"It makes a statement doesn't it?" My wife was looking thoughtfully at the front of our Chevrolet Aveo long term test car. This little supermini has been her staple transport for the last few weeks and the more aggressive styling has clearly made its mark.

Fortunately, there's more to this car than just a bold front end. It's the replacement for the marque's moderately successful Kalos, reprising a lot of the old themes but in a package that's been brought thoroughly up to date.

Our use for the car has been fairly typical, with three small children of 10, 7 and 2 being ferried from school to ballet class to parties and on again to goodness knows where. I've already made a mental note to apologise to Chevrolet when the car is returned to them: the carpets are usually covered in a fine residue of biscuit crumbs and sticky marks, while discarded Mcdonalds toys and half-eaten chips litter the area under the seats. But then, such is the daily grind for family transport.

I haven't seen too many other Aveos on the market - but I suppose that's only because I live in the UK. Over in North American, this is one of the continent's best selling cars. In Britain, Aveos start at just over £7,500, or at least some of them do. My test car retails at a little more, but that's only because I couldn't resist the top of the range 1.4 five-door LT model. Mind you, that still only costs around £9,500 - the cost of a pretty bog standard version in other manufacturers' supermini ranges. Chevrolet only offers petrol power with this car, a choice of an 84bhp 1.2-litre unit or the 100bhp 1.4-litre powerplant that I'm trying. The 1.2-litre will get to 60mph in 12.8 seconds and run on to a top speed of 106 mph. If this isn't enough, the 1.4 is usefully quicker, topping out at 109mph and hitting 60 in 11 9 seconds.

The 1.4-litre is a notably more complex engine, with four valves per cylinder and DCVP (Double Continuous Variable Cam Phase) that helps to boost torque at lower revs and power at higher engine speeds. Visibility out of the Aveo is very good, although larger drivers on our test team have found that the dashboard moulding intrudes on legroom a little. Both engines are decent units but the added motorway refinement of the 1.4-litre powerplant is what swung the balance for us when we were selecting our model for test.

"The carpets are usually covered in a fine residue of biscuit crumbs and sticky marks. But then, such is the daily grind for family transport"

Not that the Crouch family were interested in all this detail. They were more bothered about the performance of the surprisingly good standard-fit stereo (very satisfying for a loud rendition of 'With Love From Me To You' - they're into the Beatles at present). My wife wasn't hugely gripped by the performance of the 1.4-litre engine but she loved the regular 48mpg return at the pumps.

The interior trim and plastics didn't look that impressive at first glance but they did prove easy to wipe clean - which is far more important. There's nothing fussy about the detailing with the designers obviously preferring to keep things solid and chunky, two themes that are echoed on the inside of the vehicle.

Space is definitely a key asset for the Aveo. There's plenty of room in the back for two six-foot adults and even if they were joined by a third passenger of similar dimensions, the squeeze wouldn't be unbearable on long trips. The boot too is remarkably large, harbouring more than enough capacity for one of my wife's regular really expensive trips to Tesco. Some might find the cabin a touch bland in terms of decor and design, especially at a time when rival family hatchback manufacturers have given their design departments free reign to dream up all manner of outlandish interior features. Luminous plastics, gaudy colours and curvaceous facias have been left on the drawing board, the Aveo instead keeping it simple. Some will like the look, some won't but the build quality is better than you might expect for the money. The main thing is that it all works and even a driver who is new to the vehicle should be able to locate the control they want almost instantly.

This was certainly the case when my wife sat herself behind the wheel. She found that the driving position was excellent and that there was good scope for adjustment so that passengers of varying shapes and sizes had no problem getting comfortable. She reported that when fiddling with the seat position, it was best to have the door open as the controls are difficult to get at once you've shut yourself into the car. She awarded plus points to the leather-covered steering wheel ("which has a nice feel to it") and the positioning of the gear lever ("perfectly placed quite high on your left side").

With two engines and three and five door body styles to choose from, Aveo customers also benefit from a decent level of standard kit. "Plenty of car and equipment for a fair price" is part of Chevrolet's corporate philosophy and the entry-level Aveo adheres to that maxim with driver and passenger airbags, an MP3-compatible CD stereo and wipers with intermittent facility. Plusher trim levels add tinted glass and electric front windows. Options (most of which we've gone for on our test car) include 15-inch aluminium wheels, leather trim for the steering wheel and gear knob, an onboard computer, steering wheel-mounted audio controls and automatic climate control.

Depreciation is key to the running costs of a car like this, though in the Aveo's case, it's too early to say exactly how things will pan out. It's likely to be around the class average. Buyers recognise good value when they see it and the Chevrolet badge carries a little more brand equity than many other budget brands. You also get very cheap insurance, ranging from Group 3 to Group 5.

True, the Aveo is an evolutionary rather than revolutionary car. But if evolution equates to affordability, then many budget-minded supermini buyers will happily take it. As a compromise between budget, ability and badge equity, this Chevrolet more than makes a case for itself.

Overall, our test reinforced Chevrolet's assertion that the Aveo is an overwhelmingly sensible supermini choice that also has a dose of attitude - a welcome thing at this price point. Now all I've got to do is to clear out all those crushed crisps and sweet wrappers before Chevrolet come to collect it...

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