- 2010
2008 Chevrolet Aveo
- Used Chevrolet Aveo
Safety - What the Auto Press Says
The 2008 Chevrolet Aveo has a general lack of accident avoidance and crash protection gear, even as options. However, both the sedan and hatchback do moderately well in government crash tests.
The Detroit News says "One of the first questions you have to ask is what kind of safety equipment you get … All you need to do is make a list of all the safety hardware that is not available." Most notably, not only are side curtain airbags not standard on the Aveo, they aren't even available as an optional upgrade. However, the 2008 Aveo earned five out of five stars for the driver and four out of five stars for the front passenger in frontal offset crashes. The Aveo earned four stars for the front seat and three stars for the rear seats in side crash tests, and has a four-star rollover rating, out of five stars. The Aveo5 earned five stars for both driver and front passenger in frontal offset tests, and four stars for both front and rear seats in side crashes. Like the sedan, the hatchback also has a four-star rollover rating.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the Aveo a score of "Acceptable" in frontal offset tests, but a more discouraging score of "Marginal" in side impact tests.
Accident Avoidance
Visibility is one the compact Chevy's safety strengths. Autoweb points out "the generous side mirrors and extensive side glass helped us see people and vehicles outside. Visibility also benefits from retractable rear headrests and relatively narrow B- and C-pillars. The A-pillars are a little too wide." But antilock brakes (ABS) do not come standard on the Aveo, an omission that Edmunds calls "astonishing." ABS is available as an option on all models, but neither electronic stability control (ESC) nor traction control is available as an option.
A larger issue raised by Automotive.com concerns the power brake assist, "which -- by the way -- cuts out under quick left-right transitions at even moderate speeds, raising questions about accident avoidance," the reviewer notes. "The same question comes up when braking in a turn, which often sends the Aveo's tail flying out a little too easily, and again when braking hard in a straight line, which coughs up enough smoke before eventually stopping that you wonder if Kumho tires might not have been the best choice. One concern with the Aveo, as with all small cars, is a collision with a larger vehicle."
Crash Protection
The Aveo has standard front and side impact air bags for the front seats -- but, as several reviewers pointed out, air bag protection is not available for rear passengers. "The biggest drawback," says MSN, is "the Aveo doesn't have curtain airbags -- either standard or optional."
