I bought my aveo about a month ago and So far have loved nearly everything about it.
I have a 2006, LT hatchback, with automatic trans, and i believe nearly every option available. I figured i could go all out and still pay considerably less than the most basic cobalt. I think i made the better choice.
Pros:
-
Extremely Spacious on the Inside, tons bigger than you'd think
-
MP3 CD player(standard on the LT) is very convenient
-
rear seats fold up to nearly tripple cargo space
- the
alloy wheels are attractive and not gaudy, i tend to be extreamly picky about apperance mods, and these are not overwhelming and yet still incredibly stylish
-
Sunroof is very fun
-
tilt steering wheel makes it convenient for myself and my boyfriend to drive comfortably
-
Economical--- maxxed out, cost less than the most basic cobalt. I went the dealership to purchase a 2001 VW Beetle, which i had been swooning over, but the brand new aveo actually ended up costing considerably less with warranty, interest rates, and mileage considered.
-
Very low interest rate... GM standard rate on this Car, for qualified is as low as 1.9% for up to 3 years. I did 5 years and it only bumped it up to 3.9%.. I'm also 20, and have never bought a car before.
-
Rear window Wind sheild wiper is very convient
-
I can park nearly anywhere, bear in mind I've been a bit anal about where i park because i just got it, but it generally takes up about half a parking space(i can litterally parallel park by pulling straight in, no backing up or anything)
-
Cruise Control- I have never owned a car with the feature before, but i will never buy another that doesnthave it. This makes driving so much more convient and comfortable. Also, the car has a feature so you can pretty much control the cruising speeeding completely from the cruise controls simply by holding the button down or tapping it a few times to accelerate or deselerate, this is extreamly conveint and one of my most favorite things about the car
-
it chirps!- when you lock the doors it chirps, rather than just honking the horn, it makes a very distinct sound that was described to me by a co-worker as 'sounds like someone stepped on a rat'... but i adore it! Also, it will not churp if all the doors are not shut properly and therefor informs you the security system is not armed
-
Its cute and very funy to drive... I'm constantly asked 'what kind of car is that... ive never seen that before... or Is that a European car?'
-
my dealership has been incredibly helpful and I've probably called them once every 3 days since I've bought it and they have answered every question friendly and confiedently.
Cons:
-
No armrest! - I'm not sure if this was an option, but becuase it lacks a center console, or armrests it can be a little uncomfortable on extended drives. I feel awkward without somewhere to put my arm.
-
Milelage - Sticker said 24-35. I drive to school 4 days a week 15 miles round trip. Work 4 days a week 17 miles round trip. Majority of which is highway milelage with minimal redlights or slow downs. I average about 27 MPG, which is considerably lower than I exspected. However... it could be attributed to the fact that most of my trips last less than 10 miles at a time and actually starting the car requires a great amount of gas. After my 3 months oilchange, and the intial break in of course, i will be a bit disapointed if this doesnt improve.
-
Keyless Entry Range- Range for the Remote is about 20 feet... this completely eliminates opening the car from inside the house so you dont have to take this with you at 1am when you need to go get your anatomy book.
Doors- You have to make an effort to close the door. I beleive this is because they are so light weight. With my cavalier when you barely pushed the door it would close tight wihtout a problem. I have to make sure i put enough force behind closing the door. This could be with alot of the new Chevys, because I've noticed my dad's new HHR is the same way.
-
Not sirius Ready- I am extreamly addicted to Sirius for various reasons and am dissapointed that its not Sirius ready. I think that GM has a contract with XM, but i dont even think its XM ready as a matter of fact. Even though the add on tuner is $300, i would have gladly paid it to have to ability to not have to have a seperate unit to clutter up the dash. I did price adding a aftermarker cd player, tuner, and all the parts peices, and labor required to keep the warranty and make sure all the chimes and alarms and such work, and for a $200 jvc stero is was something along the lines of $500. I really do not want to do anything invasive to it yet, but i absolutly hate having anything on the dash.
Overall----
I adore my aveo. I would recommend it to anyone. The most difficult thing i've noticed so far is actually trying to explain what the car is to someone who has not seen it... best i can come up with is 'kinda like a ford focus hatchback, kinda like a tiny tiny tiny mini van, or a squished up toyota matrix. I plan to keep mine for at least the next 4 years and possible longer than than depending on how she treats me.