The Chevrolet Aveo boasts great design, a smooth, safe driving experience and surprising amenities. For 2009, a stronger, more efficient 1.6L engine comes standard on all models, delivering a notably more responsive and refined driving experience and importantly, even better fuel economy.

With highway fuel consumption of just 5.7 L/100km and 7.9 L/100km in the city, the 2009 Aveo further improves on GM of Canada's leading fleet of fuel efficient vehicles that get better than 7.0 L/100km (40 mpg) highway driving.

The 2009 Aveo lineup includes the sedan and the redesigned Aveo5 hatchback, featuring the new design language of the global Chevrolet brand. Both the Aveo sedan and Aveo5 offer smart-looking styling and roomy interiors characterized by thoughtful details and refinement. They also deliver confident, dynamic driving experiences and offer generous features usually seen in more expensive cars, challenging the expectations of what an entry-level car can deliver.

In addition to the more powerful standard Ecotec engine and the Aveo5's new look, the '09 Aveo lineup includes the following new or revised features:

• OnStar standard on LT models
• XM Satellite Radio available
• New 15-inch aluminum alloy five-spoke wheels
• Three new exterior colours: Midnight Black, Blue Moon and Tahiti Green
• Available leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
• Auxiliary input jack included on all radios
• GM Oil Life monitoring system
• More powerful 95-amp alternator
• Variable intermittent windshield wipers
• Enhanced ergonomic controls and features

Aveo sedan lineup and features

The Aveo sedan is high in style and progressive in attitude. It features crisp, sculpted lines and a wide, confident stance. The design skilfully creates the illusion of a larger car through such attributes as contoured side feature lines that rise from front to rear, pronounced "shoulders" over the wheel openings and body-colour door sills.

Aveo sedan's V-shaped hood lines point to its distinctively Chevy front fascia, which boasts a chrome-accented grille with prominent cross bar and iconic gold bowtie emblem. The sedan's dynamic look is highlighted by premium cues, including three-dimensional, richly detailed headlamps that extend into the hood, available front fog lamps and bold, round taillamps.

The 2009 Aveo sedan and Aveo5 are available in LS and LT models. Each model offers many standard features, such as standard side-impact air bags, and a wide range of optional equipment.

Aveo LS standard features include:

• Power rack-and-pinion steering
• Variable intermittent windshield wipers
• Dual-stage frontal driver and passenger
• Body-colour outside rearview mirrors and door handles
• AM/FM stereo with auxiliary input jack (for an iPod or other device)
• Driver's seat with fold-down armrest, manual height adjuster and manual lumbar adjuster
• Fully reclining front seats
• 60/40 split-folding rear seats with height-adjustable head restraints for outboard passengers
• Tilt steering wheel
• Front head restraints with convenience hooks
• Rear window defogger
• Sunglass holder
• Driver and front passenger seatback map pockets
• Interior fuel door and trunk releases

Aveo sedan powertrain, chassis and suspension options include an Aisin four-speed automatic transmission with Hold Control Mode that gives the driver the ability to manually shift gears, and optional four-channel anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution.

The up-level LT model adds air conditioning with cabin filtration and rear-seat air vents, steering wheel-mounted cruise control, remote keyless entry with content theft-deterrent, heated power outside mirrors, power door locks and power windows, fog lamps and an available `no charge' sunroof - features not typically found in the small segment.

A Team Canada Edition package, available on both models, adds even more content including 15-inch aluminum wheels, trunk mounted spoiler, 6-speaker premium sound system, steering wheel mounted audio controls and XM Satellite Radio.

Aveo5 lineup and features

The Aveo5's signature "tall car" design boasts smooth lines and short front and rear overhangs that give it a bold personality. It was conceived for maximum versatility and practicality, such as the convenience of easy access for both front and rear passengers, and the versatility of a hatchback configuration with ample cargo space that can reach all the way to the front of the cabin.

New exterior styling for 2009 includes a front-end design that leaves no doubt that the Aveo5 is a contemporary Chevy. Signature, upper and lower grilles are flanked by sweeping headlamps that give this small car a sleek and purposeful look, completed at the rear by a lower fascia insert and roof-mounted spoiler.

The Aveo5 offers the same standard equipment and options as the sedan, with the following differences:

• Aveo5 has a standard rear wiper/washer
• Aveo5 offers standard 60/40 flip-and-fold seats; Aveo sedan 60/40 seats fold, but do not flip
• Aveo sedan has standard inside trunk release

Refined interior

Aveo sedan and Aveo5's cabins reflect a youthful interpretation of refinement. A "tall car" design and generous dimension offer ample interior space - capable of accommodating passengers more than 6 feet tall in each of the five seating positions. A combination of sound-dampening technologies and aerodynamics provides a quiet and comfortable ride, even at higher speeds.

The interiors were designed for maximum comfort and convenience, which is evidenced in elements such as the standard folding driver's armrest and lower-profile rear-seat headrests. Additional conveniences include dual visor vanity mirrors, a sunglass holder on the driver side headliner, door and seatback storage pockets; and clever hooks, located on headrest posts, that can hold items such as backpacks or shopping bags.

Theatre-style rear seating provides a commanding view for all passengers. A fully reclining front passenger seat and a 60/40-split folding rear seat expand Aveo sedan's interior cargo capacity, enabling long items, such as skis, to be carried between the trunk and passenger compartment. The trunk offers 350 litres (12.4 cubic feet) of storage space. The spacious Aveo5 hatchback offers up to 1,053 litres (37.2 cubic feet) of cargo space with the rear seats folded.

Aveo radios are derived from GM's family of premium radio systems, distinguished by upscale appearance, simplicity of operation and range of features and capabilities. An auxiliary input jack for iPods, satellite radio accessories and other devices is standard on all radios. The base radio is an AM/FM/CD with MP3 playback stereo with four speakers with six-speaker sound system is available, as are steering wheel audio controls. XM Satellite Radio is available.

A better driving experience

Chevy Aveo models are engineered and validated for a broad range of driving and road conditions around the world and tuned for a dynamic, well-planted driving experience. The suspension system features a MacPherson strut front suspension with coil springs and stabilizer bar, and an independent, torsion beam axle-mount compound link-type rear suspension with gas-charged shocks. Power-assisted, variable-rate rack-and-pinion steering is standard. The steering gear is mounted on the front suspension cross member for precise action and stability.

Power-assisted front disc and rear drum brakes are standard; a four-channel ABS system is available. The four-sensor system - one at each wheel - incorporates electronic brake force distribution, which balances braking performance based on such factors as road conditions and the weight of passengers and/or cargo.

Drive-enhancing features of the Aveo also include:

• A wide, solid stance and long wheelbase (2,479 mm / 97.6 inches) with a front tread of 1,450 mm (57.1 inches) and rear tread of 1,430 mm (56.3 inches) deliver a smooth, confident, stable ride. This wide footprint is among the best in class, making the car very surefooted, imparting a sense of confidence and stability among driver and passengers.
  
  
• A 17-mm front stabilizer bar combined with higher rate front springs and more highly damped front shocks minimize the amount of vehicle roll and increase the roll damping to provide more precise control for the driver. The suspension bushings also contribute to the precise handling control. This fully retuned suspension package provides a distinctively European-style performance and feel.
  
  
• Valve tuning in the rack and pinion hydraulic-assist steering system is consistent with the suspension tuning to provide more precise control.

Fifteen-inch, five-spoke aluminum wheels are standard on Aveo sedan LT and available on LS (including Aveo5). Fourteen-inch steel wheels with a bolt-on wheel cover are standard on LS, while new 15-inch wheels and wheel covers are standard on 2LT models.

Responsive powertrain

Powering the Aveo lineup is an enhanced version of GM's sophisticated 16-valve DOHC four-cylinder engine. This 1.6L Ecotec engine features variable valve timing for optimal power and fuel efficiency. It is rated at 106 horsepower (79 kW) and 105 lb.-ft. of torque (142 Nm). Technologies such as electronic throttle control and an electrically controlled thermostat to help maximize performance and efficiency across the rpm range. It also features an integrated oil cooler with piston spray nozzles.

The engine also features long-life and environmentally friendly features, including a timing belt designed to last 160,000 kms and replaceable cartridge-type oil filter rather than a conventional, spin-on metal can filter.

A smooth-shifting, five-speed manual transmission is standard on all models and an Aisin four-speed automatic transmission is available. It features a segment-exclusive Hold Control Mode that helps reduce wheel spin and traction loss on slick roads by allowing the driver to select and hold a higher gear, reducing torque to the wheels. It enables sportier driving operation by allowing the driver to control shift points similar to manual transmission operation.

Safe and secure

The Aveo sedan and Aveo5 are supported by a comprehensive system of safety and security technologies designed to meet safety standards in markets around the globe.

Aveo's safety starts with a high-strength steel structure that creates a safety cage around the passenger compartment. The structure has been engineered to help maintain passenger compartment integrity and features tailor-welded blanks, a feature not typically found on vehicles in the segment.

All models include standard advanced dual-stage frontal air bags and the Passenger Sensing System. The dual-stage frontal air bags deploy at different levels, depending on the severity of the crash. Optional seat-mounted side-impact air bags provide additional head and thorax protection.

Additional safety and security features include:

• Front safety belt pretensioners with front-load limiters
• Height-adjustable shoulder belt anchors
• Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren (LATCH) child seat attachment system in the rear seats
• Rear child safety door locks
• Emergency hatch release inside the trunk
• Fuel door lock with remote release feature
• Standard engine immobilizer theft-deterrent system
• Available four-channel ABS

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