A U T O B U Z Z     S P E C I A L

General Motors Philippines is making a full-fledged assault on the Philippine car market with the strengthening of their Chevrolet line-up.  The Chevrolet badge welcomes three new cars into their fold last August 13: the Chevrolet Aveo, the Chevrolet Optra and the Chevrolet Zafira.

These three new Chevrolet automobiles join such established lines as the Venture minivan, the Suburban and Tahoe SUVs and the Silverado full-sized pick-up.  According to GMPh’s President James Lim, the launch of these three new cars “puts Chevrolet in the lead and communicates that we [Chevrolet] are now offering more style and features than competitive vehicles in its class.”  Sales and Marketing Director Nicky Mariano adds that because of the increased exposure and loyalty associated with the Chevrolet badge, these new vehicles will “address the ever dynamic needs of the market”.

Chevrolet Aveo

A result of the GM-Daewoo joint-project, the Chevrolet Aveo comes into the country straight from Korea, where it is marketed under the name of Daewoo Kalos.  Designed by Giugario, the Aveo is a departure from its segment competitors by offering a hatchback configuration.  Besides offering better maneuverability in traffic and parking, this five-door hatchback gives a sporty pretense to the Aveo.

Luckily, this is one car which has performance to match its looks.  The Aveo is powered by a European-style 1.5-liter SOHC 8-valve inline-4 with 83 bhp at 5,600 rpm and 128 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm.  There are two transmission choices: a five-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic with a gate-type shifter and adaptive shift control logic.

Underneath, it features MacPherson Struts up front and a Torsion-Beam Axle at the back.  Handling is definitely European with its standard 185/60 R 14 tires.  Unfortunately, the Aveo only comes with steel wheels with full covers as standard. 

At 3880 mm in length, the Aveo is quite small, but it still offers excellent front seat space.  The rear seats, however, can just accommodate two adults in a tight squeeze. 

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