Warp back to the early nineties, and you’ll come to an era when small cars were anything but fun.  They were literally at the bottom of the automotive food chain—nothing more than just a box on wheels, serving as a college dude’s first ride.  They were cramped, crashy, poorly built and austere—in bare metal sort of way.  But, they were cheap to buy and more importantly, cheaper to maintain.  It can cross the Sahara Desert in a single tank of petrol and their spark plugs were as cheap as buying cotton buds at a corner drug store.  And that’s what Mr. College cared about.  Forget Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Porsches, they’re just bedroom poster material.  During a time when he’s balancing grades as much as his accounts, cheap is important and everything else was second.  That was until the rise of the funky super mini.

Thank Toyota for that one.  In 1999, they debuted the Echo (Yaris in Europe, Vitz in Japan)—a car that was as fun to drive as it was to own.  It was fun to drive, cute to the eye and yet, it maintained a high level of practicality, economy and value for money.  It was as safe as the Camry, but the small one could do 400 kilometers on a single tank and could do 14 km/L on a good day.  More importantly, the Echo served as the bench mark for other super minis that followed.  In this new era, the college driver didn’t just want a cheap asking price.  He wants something funky, different and cute with a hint of sports car flare.  Of course, any company in search of global domination simply can’t ignore this market, and guess who’s just entered into the act: Chevrolet.

From the company that brought to you the Camaro and Corvette comes this interesting little number called ‘Aveo’.  Though the name closely resembles a baby care product, this isn’t a child’s toy.  Erase the retina-burning green paint job and you’ll see this as a sedate thing.  Supposedly designed by Italian designer Giugario, the Aveo is as boring and predictable as an oven toaster.  It may have those interesting lights, fender flares and rear crease, but it isn’t going to stand out of the college parking lot.  Folks from Giugario merely lifted elements straight from a super mini design book—from the early nineties.  Perhaps the only way to quip interest in the Aveo is either you look like Tom Cruise or you Heidi Klum sitting next to you.

As boring as Calculus it maybe on the outside, the Aveo delights with an interesting cabin.  Again, although most design elements feel as they were lifted straight from other super minis (dimpled plastics, anyone?), the Aveo has great space, good ergonomics and is excellently finished.  The driving position is just about right with a nice steering angle (despite the fixed wheel) and good pedal reach.  The seats are equally fantastic, at least for my body frame, although a wee bit more bum support would be appreciated for long-distance drives.  All buttons are within easy reach and are easily understood even with tactile feel.  The biggest joy here though, is the easy to use JVC audio system.  Unlike other so-called ‘modern’ stereos with microscopic controls, the JVC can be operated instinctively even without the need for the manual.  Sadly, Usher and Black-Eyed Peas sound trapped in a deep well with the Aveo’s tinny speakers.  Also, it’s hard to stuff mobile phones, i-Pods and other loose gadgets because of its lack of cubby holes and utility trays, though it does have a dual-level, his and hers glove box.

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