2010 Chevy Aveo Sedan778B84F2AYXP

The No.1 least expensive sedan" title doesn't go to the $14,150 Chevrolet Aveo LS, but it is in the running. Only the $12,594 Ford Fiesta S Sedan and the $12,698 Nissan Versa 1.6 S and manage to submarine under it in price, albeit the Fiesta is a 2011 model. In this contest of austerity, they are each bare-bones creatures with little in the way of amenities. None have air conditioning, however you can beat time on the steering wheel as you perspire because each at least have a basic audio system. If all you are looking for is simple motorized transportation, you don't mind sweating in the summer, and you embrace the "old school" method of manually cranking down the side glass, any of these bargain-basement models fills the bill.

Moving up the Aveo food chain to the only better equipped trim level expands the list of standard features and broadens the range of available options. Chevrolet provided an example of its top-end $16,850 Aveo LT for this evaluation. No matter how you dress up Aveo, however, it is an economy subcompact. By building in some creature comforts, you can make life in this sedan more livable; but when you distill it all down, it is still an econobox. What you get for its fire-sale price is the quickness of a three-legged plow horse and the handling dynamics of a tricycle. It's that "simple transportation" thing at work, you see.

Because of its tidy size and small engine, Aveo is best suited for city slogging. Its 4,318-mm (170-inch) length is just over a hundred millimeters (4.0 inches) shorter than the new Ford Fiesta and more than a hundred and fifty millimeters (6.0 inches) shorter than the Versa. This is an ideal size for squeezing into narrow slots along the curb or the undersized spaces in many city parking facilities.

Another characteristic reinforcing Aveo's cred as a city commuter is its aversion to gas pumps. Its miserly approach to conserving fuel is the most notable benefit of being powered by a 108-horsepower 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on both Aveo sedan trim packages. Chevy offers an optional four-speed automatic for $1,150. The EPA estimates the fuel economy for Aveos with the manual tranny at the equivalent of a healthy 8.7 L/100km in the city and 6.7 on the highway (on the less conservative Canadian cycle it gets and estimated 7.9 and 5.7 respectively). This isn't far behind the 2010 segment leader Toyota Yaris at an EPA equivalent 8.1 and 6.5 respectively (6.9 and 5.5 on the Canadian cycle).

Aveo can travel more than 600 km (400 miles) on a tank of gas. The average consumer has a 60-km (40-mile) round-trip commute each day. That means on a weekly basis, after carrying its owner to and from work each day, Aveo will still have up to 30 km (200 miles) left in the tank for running errands.

As sure as day follows night, with few exceptions small-displacement fuel-sipping four bangers earning impressive mileage numbers historically offer meager acceleration. Giving the spurs to this four cylinder produces a lot more bark than bite. With all the chaos under the hood that firmly goosing the accelerator brings, you would expect telephone poles along the road to suddenly blur. Not so. Having said that, in pulling away from a traffic light in congested city traffic (Where Aveo is most at home.), it won't be left sucking the exhaust fumes of Yaris, Versa and other "urban" transports. Bottom line: It won't disappoint when pressed into service as the urban warrior it was engineered to be.

The front suspension is an independent MacPherson-strut setup. Typical in this segment, there is a solid axle in the rear. Chevy has done more than should be expected in tuning the suspension. Even if the power components were up to the task, the suspension architecture doesn't encourage flogging Aveo around the twisties; however, the suspension provides decent passenger comfort and handling characteristics adequate for typical city driving.

Quite common within the segment, discs up front and drums in the rear provide stopping power. Where ABS is available among competitors, it's usually as an option. Chevy offers it as a $600 extra. Electronic stability control isn't offered at all.

Don't expect to be dazzled by Aveo's interior. There is a lot of plastic. However, the styling is pleasant and choosing the neutral cloth seat trim, rather than charcoal, brings with it a two-toned dashboard treatment with faux wood accents. The controls are straight forward in their operation and easy to locate. The four-speaker audio system comes with an auxiliary input jack. The seats are comfortable enough for moderate distances and errand running. Front-seat legroom is good, as is headroom. Rear-seat passengers may feel a bit cramped, particularly if the full complement of three is shoehorned across the rear bench. The trunk holds 351 litres (12.4 cubic feet) of cargo.

Other than the already mentioned audio system, the LS is pretty basic; however, all Aveo's do come with a 6-way adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support, driver’s armrests, 60/40 split rear seatbacks, side-impact airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, GM's OnStar communications capability and 12-months free service. Moving up to the LT adds air conditioning, a tilt steering wheel, and an upgraded audio system with six speakers and a CD player, full power accessories including remote keyless entry and power locks, power windows and power remote mirrors, a trip computer, and cruise control.

A special Team Canada Edition at $1,635 includes 15-inch alloy wheels, a trunk mounted spoiler, a premium 6-speaker sound system with an iPod cable, satellite radio and redundant audio controls on the steering wheel, plus a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.

Budget-priced sedans aren't designed to get anyone's adrenaline flowing. They target buyers who must get from point A to point B, and want to do so with a degree of reliability. Aveo has that covered. It may not be cool, but it is inexpensive. And that's what econoboxes are all about.