New Chevrolet Aveo (2011 / 2012) revealed

The Chevrolet Aveo debuts at Paris

It always seems a bit strong proclaiming that a new car has been revealed when we know it’s probably going to be a year before said car hits the showrooms. And so it is with the new Chevrolet Aveo we have here which, despite Chevy saying this is the production car, won’t hit the roads in the UK for a year.

That long gestation period could even change the 2011 Chevy Aveo in to the 2012 Chevy Aveo, which considering the ‘Concept’ for the new Chevy Aveo was shown at Detroit in January is one long introduction phase. Still, the new Aveo is revealed, so what’s it about?

It’s about Chevy producing a credible hatch in a market place it has no real experience in. A fact that is easy to discern if you’ve ever had the misfortune to drive the current Chevy Aveo. It is a rather woeful car. Woeful handling; woeful performance; woeful style. Which in a world where there are few really bad cars any more is quite an achievement.

So the only way is up, and the new Aveo looks quite promising. It’s kept most of the styling of the concept – just a bit toned down. Which makes it a credible looking small hatch. Remove the first woeful.

Chevrolet tell us that the chassis on the Aveo is set up for Europe and as such will not only be comfortable but will also be responsive. If they’re right, you can remove another woeful.

The trouble is that the Aveo doesn’t seem to be getting anything really worthwhile on the engine front. Chevrolet say that the Aveo will get ‘a comprehensive range of four cylinder petrol and diesel engines‘ including ‘…latest technologies such as variable valve timing, double continuous variable cam phasing and common rail fuel injection for the diesels’. Which sounds great.

But Chevy say the petrol range includes ‘…a 1.2 litre version (at 86 hp) and a 1.4 litre unit (100 hp)‘ and ‘two versions of a 1.3 litre diesel engine (at 75 hp and at 95 hp) featuring Start/Stop‘. Which apart from the diesel options sound much like the current options, which as we’ve already said are quite woeful.

But we’ll see. Wiping out all but one woeful is a great start. But it will be a year before we know if it’s a complete woeful wipeout.

By Cars UK