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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2009 Chevrolet Aveo

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Curious about the newer model? Check out the 2011 Chevrolet Aveo

Overview

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2009 Chevrolet Aveo Review

By KBB.com Editors

The 2009 Chevrolet Aveo, a smartly styled subcompact, offers excellent fuel economy, a long list of standard features and a bargain-basement price. The Aveo's appeal extends to budget-conscious first-time buyers, anyone on a limited income and unhappy SUV owners looking for an affordable and fuel-efficient way of getting to and from the office. Available as a sedan or sporty five-door hatchback, the Aveo's uncommonly high roof means tall occupants can sit comfortably in both front and rear, a major bonus for those who might stay clear of some small cars due to their cramped interiors.

You'll Like This Car If...

If you're looking for budget-conscious, efficient basic transportation you'll like the 2009 Chevrolet Aveo. Practical, utilitarian and with no complicated high-tech systems to learn, the little sedan is also a good choice for RVers looking for a haul-behind car. Another plus: The high seating position for driver and passenger.

You May Not Like This Car If...

If you're seeking a small car that can also perform like a sports car, the Aveo's economy-minded engine and suspension may leave you wanting more. You may also find that properly-secured children are the best bet for occupying the rear seat. With the front seats all the way back, there is very minimal legroom for rear-seat passengers.

What's New for 2009

The Aveo5 gets a new grille and minor interior updates, while all Aveo models now feature a more powerful 1.6-liter engine. New standard equipment includes OnStar, variable windshield wipers and an auxiliary audio input jack. A new 15-inch alloy wheel is available on 2LT trims, as is charcoal leatherette seating and leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.

Driving the Aveo

Driving Impressions Driving a car as uncomplicated as the 2009 Chevrolet Aveo releases you from constantly checking the myriad of messages or dealing with the intricate controls found on the lavish instrument...

panels in pricier cars. With an eye occasionally on the speedometer, the driver is free to enjoy the surprising capabilities of the Aveo's miserly 106-horsepower engine. There is no available stability-control system, although anti-lock brakes (ABS) are an option. A slight lean is noticeable on corners taken at speed but the overall driving experience is precise and pleasant, with the car holding the line during straight, hard braking. As to be expected from this category of car, some tire, wind and engine noise is par for the course.

Favorite Features

Auxiliary Audio Input Jack
With an eye on youthful buyers who enjoy music 24/7, even the most basic Aveo has an auxiliary input jack for iPods and other music players and electronic devices.

Fuel Economy
Saving on fuel bills is high on many folks' lists and Aveo buyers are obviously looking for this benefit. The LT with automatic transmission rewards you with 25 mpg city and 34 mpg highway, depending upon road conditions and driving style.

2009 Chevrolet Aveo Details

Interior

With small touches of metallic grain, satin chrome trim and a faux leather interior, the Aveo LT retains an upscale look uncommon in this class. Front seats with tilt headrests, storage pockets in doors and seatbacks, a sunglass holder and six-way adjustable driver's seat are features you'd expect in a higher-priced car. The dashboard is simplicity at its best, clearly showing all the information the driver needs. The front passenger seat reclines and, with a trunk capacity of 12.4 cubic feet and rear 60/40-split seats that fold almost flat in the sedan and feature a flip-and-fold-flat design in the five-door, there's plenty of room for good-sized boxes or long, skinny stuff like skis.

Exterior

A full-featured economy subcompact built by General Motors Daewoo in Korea, the Aveo is a competently-designed four-door with sheetmetal that blends smoothly together to present a neat package. The Malibu-inspired V-shaped hood and split grille reveal its Chevrolet heritage and emphasize its wide stance. Large "shoulders" over the wheels, oversized front and rear lights and a height of almost five feet give it the appearance of a larger sedan.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

Despite its entry-level status, the 2009 Chevrolet Aveo offers a surprisingly high level of standard equipment, including front side-impact airbags, height-adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support, tilt wheel, interior releases for trunk and fuel door, variable wipers, OnStar and a rear window defogger. The upscale 2LT trim adds air conditioning, remote keyless entry with alarm, 15-inch wheels, cruise control and power and heated mirrors. Music lovers will appreciate the standard CD/MP3 player and 180-watt six-speaker system with auxiliary input jack. Power windows and door locks lift this model above many of its similarly-priced competitors.

Optional Equipment

The four-speed automatic overdrive transmission with Hold Control uses adaptive-shift technology. It helps to reduce wheel spin and loss of traction by allowing the driver to manually select and then hold a gear so that torque to the wheels is reduced, much as with a true manual transmission. Like audio controls at your fingertips? The Aveo LT has them at thumb level on the steering wheel. Other options include a sunroof, leatherette seats, XM Satellite Radio, fog lamps, a rear spoiler, anti-lock brakes (ABS), an engine-block heater and an anti-theft system.

Under the Hood

General Motors' 16-valve four-cylinder engine powers every 2009 Aveo and produces 106 horsepower. An electronic throttle control and variable induction system help maximize power across the rpm range for consistency and fuel economy, and the four-speed automatic transmission's Hold Control mode provides a pseudo-manual operation the driver can select for sportier or more controlled driving.

1.6-liter in-line 4
106 horsepower @ 6400 rpm
106 lb.-ft. of torque @ 3800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 27/34 (manual), 25/34 (automatic)

To compare current market prices, check out KBB.com's car classifieds to view the new and used Chevrolet Aveo vehicles for sale near you.

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2009 Chevrolet Aveo Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

7.0

Out of 10

Based on 678 Ratings for the 2004 - 2010 models.

Review this car

Value

7.8/10

Quality

7.2/10
Reliability

7.8/10

Performance

7.2/10
Comfort

7.4/10

Styling

7.5/10

Great car for single or family

By Tony (MI) on Tuesday, July 09, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 160,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: Not Rated
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 7/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: Not Rated
Comfort: Not Rated

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"This car has taken a beating it never should have and is still going. Get the manual transmission, these things can really go. Handles great in the snow and ice."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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Good dependable low end car

By Gino (VA) on Friday, May 31, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 189,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 8/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 8/10
Comfort: 8/10

Pros: "Good little economic car"

Cons: "Could use more legroom for the back"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"If you keep up with the oil changes and timing belt replacements this is a good little commuting car. Timing belts need to be checked every 30K and replaced every 60K I did have a problem with an airbag sensor in the passenger's seat which may have been due to things rolling under the seat and hitting the wiring. It was an expensive ($1,300) repair."

5 people out of 5 found this review helpful

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Behind its pretty looks lurks a monster.

By e town (MO) on Monday, May 13, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 94,000

10 3.0

overall rating 3 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 3/10
Value: 5/10
Reliability: 2/10
Quality: 2/10
Performance: 7/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 5/10

Pros: "Good looking car"

Cons: "Bad gas mileage, oil burning, Very poor quality."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"The only good thing I can say about my aveo is is I like the way it looks. When driving on slick surfaces the brakes are un predictible. It is very easy to loose control in the snow making it a car that I would not let my daughter drive in the winter. My aveo has been serviced on schedule since new, but i have had many mechanical problems for example replaced computer under warranty after that at about 40,000 miles The first throttle body went out and it took over a week for the dealer to find out what was wrong because the computer did not put out any codes. At around 60,000 miles the second throttle body went out and the third at 80,000 miles I have had to also replace fuel pump map sensor crank shaft position sensor and cam sensor. When going through a car wash the wind shield leaks and when passing through drier at the car wash the roof makes a loud bang because the roof bends the car has very little insulation so there is alot of road noise the seats are ok but pretty hard the controls are laid out well but interior materials are of very poor quality very hard to vacuum the carpet because it holds the dirt like velcro. This car gets horrible gas mileage for a car its size at 20 city and about 25 Hwy not to mention the oil burning It uses almost a quart of oil every 600 miles it smokes when I start the engine. I bought a 93 volvo 240 for a 1,000 dollars and would not trade it for two Aveos."

9 people out of 15 found this review helpful

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Worst car ever owned.

By Navyred (ND) on Thursday, April 18, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 52,797

10 1.0

overall rating 1 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 1/10
Value: 1/10
Reliability: 1/10
Quality: 4/10
Performance: Not Rated
Styling: 7/10
Comfort: 6/10

Cons: "No cup holders n back, ash tray very hard to reach"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"This is the worst car I have ever owned. It was cheaply made and it does not hold up. Since buying it new in Aug 09 with less than 100 miles on the odometer, it needed a new battery in Nov. 09; new brakes Oct.2010; new radiator & new transmission plus something went wrong with the gas pedal(fuel regulator etc.) all in Sept 2013. To date, there have been 11 times that major things have gone wrong with this car. The original tires went bald at 8,000 miles;to date the car is on the 3rd set of new tires (at 52,000 miles). I have had the entire car aligned twice and all the hoses have been replaced 3 times now."

4 people out of 8 found this review helpful

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Wish they still made them !

By J.K. (NC) on Saturday, April 13, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 56,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I would buy another in a heartbeat. Comfortable driving, great gas milage,good hauling ability with fold-up seats and sporty looks. Only fault...cd only, no cassette player !"

5 people out of 5 found this review helpful

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excellent and reliable vehicle

By don (MA) on Wednesday, April 10, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 185,000

10 8.0

overall rating 8 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 8/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 9/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 7/10
Comfort: 7/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"i bought this car new. i change the oil every 3000 miles. changed the timing belt at 100000. have replaced the front brakes twice, the rear brakes are still very good. I have also replaced the thermostat and the belt tensioner. this car has been an unbelievable value. 185000 miles and still going strong"

5 people out of 5 found this review helpful

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