Daewoo Kalos
Encyclopedia
The Chevrolet Aveo (əˈveɪ.oʊ ) is the first generation of the Chevrolet Aveo
, a subcompact automobile
manufactured since 2002 by GM Daewoo
, the South Korea
n subsidiary of General Motors
— originally marketed as the Daewoo Kalos and prominently marketed as the Aveo. The model received the T200 internal codes, used first by Daewoo, and then, by GM Daewoo during the car's development. The T250 code was designated for the model's facelift.
Designed, engineered and originally marketed by GM Daewoo, the Aveo superseded the Daewoo Lanos
and was marketed worldwide in 120 countries under five brands (Chevrolet, Daewoo, Holden, Pontiac, and Suzuki). In its home market of South Korea, the T200 was known as Daewoo Kalos, before being rebranded Daewoo Gentra. In several Asian, Australasian, and European export markets, the "Daewoo Kalos" name was also used, only to be later renamed "Chevrolet Aveo" or Holden Barina in the case of Australasia. Other names used include Chevrolet Lova in China and Pontiac G3 in the United States, selling alongside the "Chevrolet Aveo" version. In Canada, the name Pontiac Wave was originally used, followed by Pontiac G3 Wave, before adopting the "Pontiac G3" name used in the United States. Since 2003, Suzuki
has also sold a version in Canada as the Suzuki Swift+ alongside the Chevrolet and Pontiac badged versions. T200's successor, the T300 was released in 2011. The Swift+ was dropped after the 2011 model year due to poor sales along with the entire Suzuki brand, although Suzuki Canada's website lists 2010 as the final model year Swift+.
platform named T200, replacing the Daewoo Lanos
(T100). Under development before Daewoo's bankruptcy, the Kalos was the company's first new model introduction following its subsequent takeover by General Motors. Manufacture of the Kalos began in early March, 2002, with pre-production prototypes shown at the Geneva Auto Show in April 2002. The nameplate Kalos derives from the Greek
word καλός (kalós)
for "beautiful" and "good".
Designed by Italdesign
, the Kalos derives directly from the Kalos Dream concept vehicle first presented at the 2000 Paris Motor Show and subsequent developmental concepts at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show, 2002 Geneva Auto Show, and 2003 at the Geneva Show. During this three-year development period Daewoo was struggling financially, with the ultimate fate of the company and the concept vehicle remaining uncertain.
Two different T200 front-end styling designs were sold. When released in 2002, the T200 headlamps were detached from the horizontal amber turn signal strip, located directly below. This detached style, used primarily in South Korea and North America, was used in conjunction with a semi-elliptical grille
. When sales in Europe began in 2003, the headlights were an integrated unit that slanted upwards from the "V-shaped" grille towards the front fenders
. In Australia, when the Daewoo Kalos was introduced in 2003, the hatchback featured the integrated lighting arrangement, with the detached style used to differentiate the sedans. In South Korea, where the detached lights were used at first, the integrated design was later utilized as a facelift.
The T200 sedan and five-door hatchback featured a swage line running along the lower body to the rear door, which kinks downward prominently on the five-door. Five-doors also feature a side window in the C/D pillar with a distinctively angled lower edge. Interiors feature a circular motif throughout. Upon introduction the initial European models carried an emblem reading "Design Giugiaro." Referring to his firm's design of the Kalos, Giorgetto Giugiaro
said: "When we designed it, we set out to produce an alternative to conventional lines and tread new paths in terms of design."
The Kalos was sold in three available body styles: a 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback from the beginning of production in 2002, and a 3-door hatchback available in certain European markets beginning in 2005. All body styles meet North American subcompact and European supermini or B-segment
size classifications. The interior volume was 102.7 l (3.6 cu ft) (5-door) and 107.4 l (3.8 cu ft) (sedan) according to the EPA, meeting the minimum criterion for a compact
vehicle despite being marketed as a sub-compact. Headroom was unmatched in its class at the time of its introduction. Per the German Verband der Automobilindustrie
(VDA) standard, 5-door hatchbacks featured 175 litres (6.2 cu ft) of cargo space with the rear seats in their upright positions and 735 litres (26 cu ft) with the rear seats folded down, with a maximum payload rating of 495 kg (1,091 lb). Per U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) ratings, the 5-door hatchbacks featured cargo volume of 11.7 cubic feet (331.3 l) (rear seats up) to 42 cu ft (1,189.3 l) (rear seats down), with 7.1 cu ft (201 l) available in the sedan.
near Nuneaton, UK. Long-term testing covered nearly 2.2 million kilometers (1.4 million miles) with further testing outside South Korea on test sites in Arjeplog
, Sweden
; Granada
and El Vendrell
, Spain; Kapuskasing, Canada and Beijing
, China. According to an April, 2003 GMDAT press release, Daewoo built 119 prototypes during the Kalos's design and development, crashing 31 for research and data-gathering purposes, and manufacturing 39 pilot production vehicles to verify standards and quality.
The body's sheet metal panel gaps were kept to 3 mm (0.118110236220472 in) and all but the roof panel were galvanized steel. 46% of the Kalos' underlying structural components were produced with high-strength steel, with tailor-welded blanks used in the production of the vehicle to put strength where needed while saving weight. The front suspension used MacPherson struts with offset coil springs and a stabilizer bar, while the rear featured a semi-independent torsion beam axle.
The body featured a drag coefficient
of 0.35, with a frontal area of 2.16 m² (23.3 sq ft) giving aerodynamic resistance of 0.74 m² (8 sq ft). All Kalos iterations featured high H-point
seating within a relatively narrow, short and high-roofed body that combined a long wheelbase with short front (81 cm (31.9 in)) and rear (49 cm (19.3 in), hatchback) overhangs to maximize the outward visibility, interior space and maneuverability for the vehicle's footprint. Rear seat H-point
s are higher in all body types, giving the car theatre seating.
South Korea: models received four stars for both driver and front-seat passenger in crash tests conducted by the Korean Automobile Test and Research Institute (KATRI).
Europe: models received the following European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) ratings:
Australia: Holden Barina models received scored 2 stars (of 5) from Australasian New Car Assessment Program
(ANCAP), a rating that is lower than the previous European-built, Opel-based Barina had scored, and the lowest ANCAP rating since 2004. Notably, the Australian Barina models do not feature the front-seat mounted side airbags offered in other markets (e.g., USA), nor are the ANCAP ratings directly comparable to the ratings of other NCAP programs.
, designed in cooperation with PATAC. Bearing the internal code T250 and sold in South Korea as the "Daewoo Gentra", the revision comprised primarily interior and exterior styling changes, a new interior instrument panel
and minor equipment changes, including increased sound deadening. Incorporation of the radio antenna into the rear glass and extensive wind tunnel testing helped reduce the coefficient of drag from 0.348 to 0.326.
A restyled hatchback with the sedan's updated instrument panel
was presented as the Chevrolet Aveo during the Frankfurt Motor Show 2007, to be marketed in Europe and North America. The Korean market's restyle of the hatchback, the Gentra X, featured a less distinct/more "normal" grille treatment that formed the basis for the Holden
, Pontiac
and Suzuki
-branded variants.
Later iterations, including the Kalos, Aveo, Barina and Gentra sedans, the Gentra X hatchback and the 2007 "Frankfurt Show" hatchbacks were styled in-house and with the assistance of PATAC, and depart notably from the original Giugiaro exterior and interior styling designs.
With launch of the Gentra X in South Korea, GMDAT had replaced engines of T250. 1.2 L S-TEC II
inline-four engine was updated with features such as dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) and timing chain (older version has timing belt) system. 1.6 L E-TEC II engine had replaced with ECOTEC (GEN-III) engine with new features such as variable valve timing mechanism.
The T250 model has been tested by the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP):
This ratings apply only to 4-door sedan Aveo.The 5-door/3-door hatchback model has not been tested by EuroNCAP but since it has the same floor as T200 model it earns 3 stars without side airbags and 4 stars with side airbags.
The American Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
(IIHS) gave the Aveo an Acceptable overall rating in the frontal offset crash test and overall Marginal rating in the side impact crash test.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
's (www.safercar.gov) ratings (5dr):
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
's (www.safercar.gov) ratings (4dr):
SOHC I4
– South Korea, Europe, India
E-TEC II SOHC I4
– Europe DOHC I4
– Europe, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, India, Philippines SOHC I4
– South Korea, Europe, South Africa, Philippines, Pakistan, Ukraine SOHC I4
– ? DOHC I4
– North America, Venezuela, Australia, China, India, Ukraine
, Russia
and Venezuela
, local versions of the Aveo are assembled from complete knock down kits. For the Chinese market, Aveos and Lovas are manufactured by Shanghai GM
Dongyue. In India, Aveos are assembled from Halol Plant. Also in Egypt
GM assembly plant started in August 2007 producing the Aveo locally in three variants. Beginning in August 2008, Chevrolet Aveos are also produced at the new General Motors San Luis Potosí plant
located in Mexico.
The T200 was sold as Daewoo Kalos; the hatchback named 'Kalos V' and the sedan simply Kalos. The tagline from the very first advertisements was 'It's beautiful – Hi! Kalos'. Daewoo began selling the T250 sedan in September 2005 as the Daewoo Gentra, replacing the Kalos sedan. "Gentra" is derived from the English word "gentleman" and "transportation". The tagline in the advertising campaign introducing the Gentra in Korea was "Are you gentle?", and the campaign starred Daniel Henny. In October 2007, the Kalos hatchback adopted the T250 underpinnings and was renamed Gentra X. The Kalos won, twice consecutively (2003 and 2004), the Korea Design Power Index (KDPI) conducted by the Korean Management Association (KMA) and deriving from interviews and an internet polling of 20,000 consumers in Korea's six largest cities.
China
The T250 sedan is sold as "Chevrolet Lova" in China. It is also the first market to receive the 2010 facelifted version of the T250.
India
The T250 was launched in India in 2006 as Chevrolet Aveo along with the slogan "An Indian Revolution", referencing Chevrolet's An American Revolution
ad campaign. The T200 hatchback has been sold in India since December 2006 as the Chevrolet Aveo U-VA. Interestingly, the Aveo was promoted in the Bollywood film Ta Ra Rum Pum with decals on the race cars, but the cars were ARCA-spec Chevrolet Monte Carlo
s.The television commercial of the Chevrolet Aveo UV-A features Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan.
Thailand
The T250 Sedan is sold as the Chevrolet Aveo in Thailand. In February 2008, the Aveo was awarded the ‘Green Label’ environmental certificate by the Thailand Environmental Institute, being recognized for its 'minimal impact on the environment in comparison to other passenger cars in Thailand'. This made Chevrolet the first automobile brand in Thailand to have won this award twice in a row.
As of 2010, the Chevrolet Aveo is sold with either a 1,399 cc or 1,598 cc 16V DOHC E-TEC II engine with VGIS variable length intake manifold
. The 1.4 grades are MT Manual transmission
or AT Automatic transmission
'Base', MT/AT 'LS' and AT 'LSX'. The 1.6 grades are AT only 'LT', 'LSX', 'LUX' and 'SS'. All models except the 1.6 LT are configured to used E20 fuel.
Vietnam
As of 2011, VIDAMCO of Vietnam produces the T250 sedan in complete knock-down (CKD) form at its Hanoi
production facility. The VIDAMCO model was launched in Vietnam on January 20, 2006 under the name "Daewoo Gentra".
(3-door and 5-door). The TK Barina replaced the previous XC Barina
, which was an imported and rebadged European Opel Corsa
. The T250 sedan was introduced in February 2006, and both the T200 and T250 models are sold together as the Barina lineup. The switch from the Opel-sourced Corsa was criticized, given the Kalos' lower ANCAP
safety performance. The T250 hatchback, both 3-door and 5-door, was introduced in August 2008.
the "Chevrolet Kalos", coinciding with the introduction of the three-door. The new T250 sedan is marketed as the "Chevrolet Aveo" replacing the Kalos sedan in 2006. A revised hatchback was introduced in the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, to go on sale in early 2008 as the Aveo—replacing the Kalos. In Italy there exists a variant of the Aveo called the Chevrolet Aveo Eco Logic. This low emission version has a dual power LPG
engine 1.2 and 1.4 16V.
The T200 was sold in Eastern Europe as "Chevrolet Aveo" from its introduction in 2003. The T250 has replaced the T200 sedan in 2006, retaining the same name. Versions sold in this region had 1.4 L engines, and were available as both five-door hatchback and four-door sedan. In 2006 it was announced that FSO in Warsaw
, Poland, would begin assembling the Aveo under a joint venture
between GM and FSO's owner, the Ukrainian
company UkrAVTO
. Production of the sedan started in November 2007, while the hatchback was assembled from July 2008. Starting from April 2008, they were delivered in the rest of the European markets too. Production in Poland ended in February 2011, when UkrAVTO decided moving it to Ukraine, where it would be assembled only for the local market and the CIS
states. This comes also as an effect of the free trade agreement reached between South Korea
and the European Union
, that took effect from 1st of July 2011. UkrAVTO plans to manufacture the car under the ZAZ
brand from 2012.
The T200 models were introduced to the US and Canada 2004 models at the 2003 (February) Chicago Auto Show
as the Chevrolet Aveo to replace the Daewoo Lanos
when Daewoo
withdrew from many markets outside South Korea
in 2002. The US 5-door and 4-door models went on sale in November 2003, and as reported by the Boston Globe in November 2006, "the Aveo (was) the largest-selling subcompact in the United States".
The Aveo was introduced for its market debut in a 60 second television advertisement that first appeared on New Year's Eve 2003, created by the firm of Campbell-Ewald
, directed by Michael Bay
and featuring the song Magic Carpet Ride
by Steppenwolf
. The advertisement was titled "An American Revolution, Car Carrier"
and featured six yet to be introduced cars and trucks boarding a car carrier as it traversed the United States. It featured the Aveo descending the Twin Peaks of San Francisco and making an airborne leap highly reminiscent of Steve McQueen's Ford Mustang
in the movie Bullitt
, before boarding the car carrier. Two other fifteen second TV ads also created by the firm of Campbell-Ewald, spotlighted the Aveo: "Pachyderm" showing an elephant, chased down a city street by an Aveo and "Big Little," in which four basketball players who enter the car appear tiny in big seats, highlighting the vehicle's interior volume.
In February 2004 GM issued a "stop delivery" order, to investigate five accidents that occurred in a tight time frame just as the Aveo was introduced to the US market. The order was lifted shortly thereafter, after an investigation revealed no connection among the accidents.
The T250 sedan debuted in January 2006 as the 2007 Chevrolet Aveo at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show. Sales commenced in North America in August 2006. Also, 2009 is the first model year of the Aveo for Mexican sales, replacing the Opel
-based Chevrolet Corsa.
The Aveo 5-door hatchback was marketed as the "Aveo5" in Canada since its inception and in the US beginning with model year 2007. The models were sold as Pontiac Wave (4-door and 5-door, since the 2005 model year) and Suzuki Swift+ (5-door) in Canada. The T200 Wave sedan was replaced for the 2007 model year with the T250, coinciding with the release of the 2007 T250 Aveo. For the 2009 model year, Pontiac Wave was renamed to Pontiac G3 Wave in Canada. In the United States, Pontiac sold the 5-door hatchback as the Pontiac G3 starting in the spring of 2009. Because of General Motors phasing out the Pontiac brand, the Pontiac G3/Wave is no longer manufactured after the 2010 model year, and the last Pontiac G3 Wave rolled off the line in December 2009, making this the last overall Pontiac vehicle to roll off the line, even though the last Pontiac
for the American
market was the 2010 Pontiac G6
. The Pontiac G3 has the distinction of being the last Pontiac-badged model introduced to the United States market before the brand's 2010 demise. For the 2010 model year, Canadian models are simply referred to as Pontiac G3.
For the Canadian market the Swift+ was created with a joint between GM Daewoo and Suzuki, after Suzuki stopped selling the previous model Swift
in 2001. The Swift+, a version of the Daewoo Kalos, was introduced in fall 2003 and marketed solely as a 5-door hatchback. For the 2009 model year, the Suzuki Swift+ was updated in styling and a new Opel ECOTEC 106 hp 1.6 engine receiving 7.9 L/100 km for city and 5.7 for highway from the previous 8.9/5.9, shared with the Pontiac G3 Wave and Chevrolet Aveo.
2005: Sidemarker lights change from orange to clear. Black trim applied to B-pillars of all models and C-pillars of hatchbacks.
2006: Rear Spoiler changes from "hugger" style to pedestal style spoiler with several inches of clearance from body.
2007: Sedans were redesigned. Deleted: 4-door SVM equipment group, Aveo5 LT model. New Features: 6-disc in-dash CD player and MP3 playback audio system, restyled 4-Door Model, new neutral interior in clot and leatherette, steering wheel mounted audio controls, aux input jacks on all 4-door and LS radios, sedan instrument panel and door accents in wood appearance, metallic grain appearance or silver appearance trim on LS and LT models, manual lumbar adjuster on driver seat, driver seat armrest, back glass antenna on 4-door models. Changes: power outside mirrors now on both driver and passenger, Aveo 5-Door models are called Aveo5. Available Spring Edition in Maui Blue (metallic), with alloy wheels, power windows, power moonroof, upgraded stereo with auxiliary input, keyless remote access, power door locks, foglamps and interior silver accents.
2009: Hatchbacks were redesigned. In the T250 2008.5 Aveo and sedan, 15" 5-spoke aluminum wheels, E-TEC II 1.6L engine, Carbon fiber appearance accents were deleted. New features included a new exterior and interior design, charcoal perforated leatherette seating surfaces, OnStar and standard on all models, available XM Satellite Radio
, available leather-wrapped steering wheel wand shift knob are now included with perforated leatherette seating surface option, Driver Information Center with outside temperature display and fuel economy/driving range function, new 15" 5-spoke aluminum wheels, GM Oil Life Monitoring System , ECOTEC 1.6L DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder
MFI engine with Variable Valve Timing and Dual Continuous Variable Cam Phasing (107 hp @ 6400 rpm, 106 ft.lbf of torque @ 3800 rpm), 5-speed manual transmission
to include shift indicator light. Changes included a new-good-better-best packaging strategy labeled as 1LS, 1LT and 2LT. Power Package called Power and Convenience Package, aux input included on all radios, front wipers variable intermittent, front doors, driver and front passenger seatback map pockets on all models, Alternator 95 amps. Deletions, Additions and Changes per GM's public online order guide. This is the only model year for the Pontiac G3 in the United States
.
2010: GM badges disappear on Chevrolet Aveo models, even though early 2010 models did have GM badges. Also, the G3 enters its final model year only in Canada
, but drops the "Wave" name, making the Pontiac G3 nameplate exclusive to Canada after the United States
& Mexico
dropped the Pontiac G3 name.
The Aveo has received mixed reviews, while it has earned praise from many for its very low price tag, it has been criticized for poor fuel economy (compared with other vehicles in its class) and poor reliability by reviewers such as Consumer Reports and JD Power and Associates.
.
Chevrolet Aveo
The Chevrolet Aveo is a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002, originally by the South Korean General Motors subsidiary, GM Daewoo—and later by other GM-affiliated entities...
, a subcompact automobile
Subcompact car
Subcompact car is a North American term used to describe automobiles whose class size is smaller than that of a compact car, usually not exceeding in length, but larger than a microcar...
manufactured since 2002 by GM Daewoo
GM Daewoo
GM Korea Company is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer and is a division of the General Motors Company. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001...
, the South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n subsidiary of General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
— originally marketed as the Daewoo Kalos and prominently marketed as the Aveo. The model received the T200 internal codes, used first by Daewoo, and then, by GM Daewoo during the car's development. The T250 code was designated for the model's facelift.
Designed, engineered and originally marketed by GM Daewoo, the Aveo superseded the Daewoo Lanos
Daewoo Lanos
The Daewoo Lanos is a subcompact car manufactured by the Korean automaker Daewoo Motor from 1997 to 2002. It was manufactured under license agreements from 1997 to 2008 by Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych in Poland, where it was marketed as the FSO Lanos, from 1998 to present in Ukraine by AvtoZAZ,...
and was marketed worldwide in 120 countries under five brands (Chevrolet, Daewoo, Holden, Pontiac, and Suzuki). In its home market of South Korea, the T200 was known as Daewoo Kalos, before being rebranded Daewoo Gentra. In several Asian, Australasian, and European export markets, the "Daewoo Kalos" name was also used, only to be later renamed "Chevrolet Aveo" or Holden Barina in the case of Australasia. Other names used include Chevrolet Lova in China and Pontiac G3 in the United States, selling alongside the "Chevrolet Aveo" version. In Canada, the name Pontiac Wave was originally used, followed by Pontiac G3 Wave, before adopting the "Pontiac G3" name used in the United States. Since 2003, Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
has also sold a version in Canada as the Suzuki Swift+ alongside the Chevrolet and Pontiac badged versions. T200's successor, the T300 was released in 2011. The Swift+ was dropped after the 2011 model year due to poor sales along with the entire Suzuki brand, although Suzuki Canada's website lists 2010 as the final model year Swift+.
T200
The Daewoo Kalos was introduced in 2002, based on a then-new DaewooDaewoo
Daewoo or the Daewoo Group was a major South Korean chaebol . It was founded on 22 March 1967 as Daewoo Industrial and was dismantled by the Korean government in 1999...
platform named T200, replacing the Daewoo Lanos
Daewoo Lanos
The Daewoo Lanos is a subcompact car manufactured by the Korean automaker Daewoo Motor from 1997 to 2002. It was manufactured under license agreements from 1997 to 2008 by Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych in Poland, where it was marketed as the FSO Lanos, from 1998 to present in Ukraine by AvtoZAZ,...
(T100). Under development before Daewoo's bankruptcy, the Kalos was the company's first new model introduction following its subsequent takeover by General Motors. Manufacture of the Kalos began in early March, 2002, with pre-production prototypes shown at the Geneva Auto Show in April 2002. The nameplate Kalos derives from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word καλός (kalós)
Kalos inscription
The Kalos inscription was a form of epigraph found on Attic vases and graffiti in antiquity, common between 550 and 450 BC, and usually found on symposion vessels. The word καλός means "beautiful"; here it had an erotic connotation, and the inscription took the form of a youth's name, in the...
for "beautiful" and "good".
Designed by Italdesign
Italdesign Giugiaro
Italdesign-Giugiaro S.p.A is an automobile design and engineering company based in Moncalieri, Italy founded in 1968 by Giorgetto Giugiaro and Aldo Mantovani as Studi Italiani Realizzazione Prototipi S.p.A...
, the Kalos derives directly from the Kalos Dream concept vehicle first presented at the 2000 Paris Motor Show and subsequent developmental concepts at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show, 2002 Geneva Auto Show, and 2003 at the Geneva Show. During this three-year development period Daewoo was struggling financially, with the ultimate fate of the company and the concept vehicle remaining uncertain.
Two different T200 front-end styling designs were sold. When released in 2002, the T200 headlamps were detached from the horizontal amber turn signal strip, located directly below. This detached style, used primarily in South Korea and North America, was used in conjunction with a semi-elliptical grille
Grille
A grille or grill is an opening of several slits side by side in a wall or metal sheet or other barrier, usually to let air or water enter and/or leave but keep larger objects including people and animals in or out.-Spelling:In the United States, "grille" is used to differentiate the automotive...
. When sales in Europe began in 2003, the headlights were an integrated unit that slanted upwards from the "V-shaped" grille towards the front fenders
Fender (vehicle)
Fender is the US English term for the part of an automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle body that frames a wheel well . Its primary purpose is to prevent sand, mud, rocks, liquids, and other road spray from being thrown into the air by the rotating tire. Fenders are typically rigid and can be...
. In Australia, when the Daewoo Kalos was introduced in 2003, the hatchback featured the integrated lighting arrangement, with the detached style used to differentiate the sedans. In South Korea, where the detached lights were used at first, the integrated design was later utilized as a facelift.
The T200 sedan and five-door hatchback featured a swage line running along the lower body to the rear door, which kinks downward prominently on the five-door. Five-doors also feature a side window in the C/D pillar with a distinctively angled lower edge. Interiors feature a circular motif throughout. Upon introduction the initial European models carried an emblem reading "Design Giugiaro." Referring to his firm's design of the Kalos, Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro is an Italian automobile designer responsible equally for a stable of supercars and several of the most popular everyday vehicles driven today...
said: "When we designed it, we set out to produce an alternative to conventional lines and tread new paths in terms of design."
The Kalos was sold in three available body styles: a 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback from the beginning of production in 2002, and a 3-door hatchback available in certain European markets beginning in 2005. All body styles meet North American subcompact and European supermini or B-segment
Supermini
A superminicomputer, or supermini, is “a minicomputer with high performance compared to ordinary minicomputers.” The term was an invention used from the mid-1970s mainly to distinguish the emerging 32-bit minis from the classical 16-bit minicomputers...
size classifications. The interior volume was 102.7 l (3.6 cu ft) (5-door) and 107.4 l (3.8 cu ft) (sedan) according to the EPA, meeting the minimum criterion for a compact
Compact car
A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...
vehicle despite being marketed as a sub-compact. Headroom was unmatched in its class at the time of its introduction. Per the German Verband der Automobilindustrie
Verband der Automobilindustrie
The Verband der Automobilindustrie e. V., short VDA, is a German interest group of the German automobile industry, both automobile manufactures and automobile component suppliers. The group is located in Berlin, Germany...
(VDA) standard, 5-door hatchbacks featured 175 litres (6.2 cu ft) of cargo space with the rear seats in their upright positions and 735 litres (26 cu ft) with the rear seats folded down, with a maximum payload rating of 495 kg (1,091 lb). Per U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
(EPA) ratings, the 5-door hatchbacks featured cargo volume of 11.7 cubic feet (331.3 l) (rear seats up) to 42 cu ft (1,189.3 l) (rear seats down), with 7.1 cu ft (201 l) available in the sedan.
Design development
Daewoo's now disbanded Worthing Technical Centre in the UK conducted the initial research and platform engineering, with Daewoo's main Technical Center in Bupyong, Incheon, South Korea completing the majority of the later development programme. Daewoo engineers refined the chassis in Britain, on the proving ground at Motor Industry Research AssociationMotor Industry Research Association
MIRA Ltd, formerly known as the Motor Industry Research Association, is a limited company based near Nuneaton in Hinckley and Bosworth, Leicestershire in the United Kingdom, which provides product engineering, research, testing, information and certification services to the automotive...
near Nuneaton, UK. Long-term testing covered nearly 2.2 million kilometers (1.4 million miles) with further testing outside South Korea on test sites in Arjeplog
Arjeplog
Arjeplog is a locality and the seat of Arjeplog Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 1,947 inhabitants in 2005.It is a popular winter test site for the European car industry....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
; Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
and El Vendrell
El Vendrell
El Vendrell is a town located in Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain, in a wine-growing region. It is wedged between the Mediterranean and the Litoral mountain ranges...
, Spain; Kapuskasing, Canada and Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China. According to an April, 2003 GMDAT press release, Daewoo built 119 prototypes during the Kalos's design and development, crashing 31 for research and data-gathering purposes, and manufacturing 39 pilot production vehicles to verify standards and quality.
The body's sheet metal panel gaps were kept to 3 mm (0.118110236220472 in) and all but the roof panel were galvanized steel. 46% of the Kalos' underlying structural components were produced with high-strength steel, with tailor-welded blanks used in the production of the vehicle to put strength where needed while saving weight. The front suspension used MacPherson struts with offset coil springs and a stabilizer bar, while the rear featured a semi-independent torsion beam axle.
The body featured a drag coefficient
Drag coefficient
In fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient is a dimensionless quantity that is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment such as air or water. It is used in the drag equation, where a lower drag coefficient indicates the object will have less aerodynamic or...
of 0.35, with a frontal area of 2.16 m² (23.3 sq ft) giving aerodynamic resistance of 0.74 m² (8 sq ft). All Kalos iterations featured high H-point
H-point
In vehicle design and especially automotive design, the H-point is the theoretical, relative location of an occupant's hip, specifically the pivot point between the torso and upper leg portions of the body, either relative to the floor of the vehicle or relative to the height above pavement level...
seating within a relatively narrow, short and high-roofed body that combined a long wheelbase with short front (81 cm (31.9 in)) and rear (49 cm (19.3 in), hatchback) overhangs to maximize the outward visibility, interior space and maneuverability for the vehicle's footprint. Rear seat H-point
H-point
In vehicle design and especially automotive design, the H-point is the theoretical, relative location of an occupant's hip, specifically the pivot point between the torso and upper leg portions of the body, either relative to the floor of the vehicle or relative to the height above pavement level...
s are higher in all body types, giving the car theatre seating.
Design features
- The interior features Isofix child seat anchorages.
- The T200 features a slot specifically for holding toll tickets in the instrument panel adjacent to the steering wheel.
- The optional four-speed automatic has a “hold” feature that causes the four speed automaticAutomatic transmissionAn automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
to behave like a three speed manualManual transmissionA manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
: that is, it 'holds' the transmission in the gear which is selected. Useful for engine braking down long grades. - Kalos models and their variants are marketed as entry-level vehicles in various trim levels globally with options unusual at entry-level: including AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio, steering wheel mounted radio controls, power locks and windows, remote keyless entry, and heated sideview mirrors and power sunroof.
- Common equipment includes tilt steering column, six-way adjustable driver seat, rear-window defroster, remote fuel door and a 60/40 split-bench folding rear seat. The instrument panel includes a tachometer, speedometer, odometer, trip odometer, fuel gauge, coolant temperature gauge and lighting dimmer control. The IP also has a center storage tray, lighter, extra 12-volt outlet, digital quartz clock and lighted glove box.
Safety
The Kalos models have been tested in at least four international New Car Assessment Programs, the results reflecting varying equipment and the differences in the tests themselves. Based on market priorities and price point control, some safety equipment is either unavailable or available only as extra-cost options (including side airbags, ABS, foglights and a rear center position three-point seatbelts and headrests.)South Korea: models received four stars for both driver and front-seat passenger in crash tests conducted by the Korean Automobile Test and Research Institute (KATRI).
Europe: models received the following European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) ratings:
- Adult Occupant: , score 17
- Child Occupant: , score 26
- Pedestrian: , score 11
Australia: Holden Barina models received scored 2 stars (of 5) from Australasian New Car Assessment Program
Australasian New Car Assessment Program
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program is an automobile organisation operated by the governments and motoring organisations of Australia and New Zealand to give consumers coherent results on the protection given by vehicles in front and side impact collisions...
(ANCAP), a rating that is lower than the previous European-built, Opel-based Barina had scored, and the lowest ANCAP rating since 2004. Notably, the Australian Barina models do not feature the front-seat mounted side airbags offered in other markets (e.g., USA), nor are the ANCAP ratings directly comparable to the ratings of other NCAP programs.
- See Also: Holden Barina Safety
- See Also: ANCAP Results, Holden Barina, 2005-on
T250
GM introduced a revised sedan at Auto Shanghai 2005Auto Shanghai
Auto Shanghai is a biennial international automobile show that alternates with the Beijing Auto Show and dates to its inception in 1985...
, designed in cooperation with PATAC. Bearing the internal code T250 and sold in South Korea as the "Daewoo Gentra", the revision comprised primarily interior and exterior styling changes, a new interior instrument panel
Dashboard
A dashboard is a control panel placed in front of the driver of an automobile, housing instrumentation and controls for operation of the vehicle....
and minor equipment changes, including increased sound deadening. Incorporation of the radio antenna into the rear glass and extensive wind tunnel testing helped reduce the coefficient of drag from 0.348 to 0.326.
A restyled hatchback with the sedan's updated instrument panel
Dashboard
A dashboard is a control panel placed in front of the driver of an automobile, housing instrumentation and controls for operation of the vehicle....
was presented as the Chevrolet Aveo during the Frankfurt Motor Show 2007, to be marketed in Europe and North America. The Korean market's restyle of the hatchback, the Gentra X, featured a less distinct/more "normal" grille treatment that formed the basis for the Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
, Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
and Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
-branded variants.
Later iterations, including the Kalos, Aveo, Barina and Gentra sedans, the Gentra X hatchback and the 2007 "Frankfurt Show" hatchbacks were styled in-house and with the assistance of PATAC, and depart notably from the original Giugiaro exterior and interior styling designs.
With launch of the Gentra X in South Korea, GMDAT had replaced engines of T250. 1.2 L S-TEC II
Daewoo S-TEC engine
S-TEC is a low-displacement engine range codeveloped by Suzuki and Daewoo Motors for use in micro- and subcompact cars.The first model was 0.8 L Straight-3 engine, based on the powerplant of the Suzuki Alto...
inline-four engine was updated with features such as dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) and timing chain (older version has timing belt) system. 1.6 L E-TEC II engine had replaced with ECOTEC (GEN-III) engine with new features such as variable valve timing mechanism.
Safety
US Aveo safety features include available four-channel, four-sensor ABS system with electronic brake force distribution (EBD), and front (dual-stage) and side air bags for front row occupants with a passenger-sensing system. Beginning with 2008, Aveo standard equipment includes a tire pressure monitoring system.The T250 model has been tested by the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP):
- Adult Occupant: – 21 calculated as 3 for front plus 15 for side, with a struck out star: "The driver's chest made contact with the steering-wheel, distorting the rim. Compression of the driver's chest indicated an unacceptably high risk of life-threatening injury. As a result, the final star of the adult occupant rating is struck through."
- Child Occupant: , score 39
- Pedestrian: , score 19
This ratings apply only to 4-door sedan Aveo.The 5-door/3-door hatchback model has not been tested by EuroNCAP but since it has the same floor as T200 model it earns 3 stars without side airbags and 4 stars with side airbags.
The American Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
(IIHS) gave the Aveo an Acceptable overall rating in the frontal offset crash test and overall Marginal rating in the side impact crash test.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation...
's (www.safercar.gov) ratings (5dr):
- Passenger:
- Driver:
- Side Impact Front:
- Side Impact Rear:
- Rollover Rating:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation...
's (www.safercar.gov) ratings (4dr):
- Passenger:
- Driver:
- Side Impact Front:
- Side Impact Rear:
- Rollover Rating:
Powertrain
S-TECDaewoo S-TEC engine
S-TEC is a low-displacement engine range codeveloped by Suzuki and Daewoo Motors for use in micro- and subcompact cars.The first model was 0.8 L Straight-3 engine, based on the powerplant of the Suzuki Alto...
SOHC I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
– South Korea, Europe, India
E-TEC II SOHC I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
– Europe DOHC I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
– Europe, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, India, Philippines SOHC I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
– South Korea, Europe, South Africa, Philippines, Pakistan, Ukraine SOHC I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
– ? DOHC I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
– North America, Venezuela, Australia, China, India, Ukraine
Market
Kalos/Aveos models are assembled in the Bupyong plant in South Korea. In UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, local versions of the Aveo are assembled from complete knock down kits. For the Chinese market, Aveos and Lovas are manufactured by Shanghai GM
Shanghai GM
Shanghai General Motors Company Ltd. is a joint venture between General Motors Company and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation that manufactures and sells Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac brand automobiles in mainland China. Shanghai GM was founded on June 12, 1997 with 50% investment each...
Dongyue. In India, Aveos are assembled from Halol Plant. Also in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
GM assembly plant started in August 2007 producing the Aveo locally in three variants. Beginning in August 2008, Chevrolet Aveos are also produced at the new General Motors San Luis Potosí plant
San Luis Potosí Assembly
San Luis Potosí Assembly is a General Motors assembly plant located in San Luis Potosí, Mexico — 400 km northwest of Mexico City. The facility was dedicated on July 30, 2008, with a June 2009 construction completion....
located in Mexico.
Asia
South KoreaThe T200 was sold as Daewoo Kalos; the hatchback named 'Kalos V' and the sedan simply Kalos. The tagline from the very first advertisements was 'It's beautiful – Hi! Kalos'. Daewoo began selling the T250 sedan in September 2005 as the Daewoo Gentra, replacing the Kalos sedan. "Gentra" is derived from the English word "gentleman" and "transportation". The tagline in the advertising campaign introducing the Gentra in Korea was "Are you gentle?", and the campaign starred Daniel Henny. In October 2007, the Kalos hatchback adopted the T250 underpinnings and was renamed Gentra X. The Kalos won, twice consecutively (2003 and 2004), the Korea Design Power Index (KDPI) conducted by the Korean Management Association (KMA) and deriving from interviews and an internet polling of 20,000 consumers in Korea's six largest cities.
China
The T250 sedan is sold as "Chevrolet Lova" in China. It is also the first market to receive the 2010 facelifted version of the T250.
India
The T250 was launched in India in 2006 as Chevrolet Aveo along with the slogan "An Indian Revolution", referencing Chevrolet's An American Revolution
An American Revolution
An American Revolution is a former advertising campaign used by American car manufacturer Chevrolet. First introduced on New Year's Eve 2003 in the USA to promote its "ten new cars and trucks in twenty months", released since January 2004, but the lineup of advertised cars was later expanded...
ad campaign. The T200 hatchback has been sold in India since December 2006 as the Chevrolet Aveo U-VA. Interestingly, the Aveo was promoted in the Bollywood film Ta Ra Rum Pum with decals on the race cars, but the cars were ARCA-spec Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American-made two-door coupe introduced for model year 1970, and manufactured over six generations through model year 2007. It was marketed as a personal-luxury coupe through most of its history, with the last model version being classified as a full-sized coupe...
s.The television commercial of the Chevrolet Aveo UV-A features Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan.
Thailand
The T250 Sedan is sold as the Chevrolet Aveo in Thailand. In February 2008, the Aveo was awarded the ‘Green Label’ environmental certificate by the Thailand Environmental Institute, being recognized for its 'minimal impact on the environment in comparison to other passenger cars in Thailand'. This made Chevrolet the first automobile brand in Thailand to have won this award twice in a row.
As of 2010, the Chevrolet Aveo is sold with either a 1,399 cc or 1,598 cc 16V DOHC E-TEC II engine with VGIS variable length intake manifold
Variable Length Intake Manifold
In internal combustion engines, a variable length intake manifold , or variable intake manifold is an automobile internal combustion engine manifold technology...
. The 1.4 grades are MT Manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
or AT Automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
'Base', MT/AT 'LS' and AT 'LSX'. The 1.6 grades are AT only 'LT', 'LSX', 'LUX' and 'SS'. All models except the 1.6 LT are configured to used E20 fuel.
Vietnam
As of 2011, VIDAMCO of Vietnam produces the T250 sedan in complete knock-down (CKD) form at its Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
production facility. The VIDAMCO model was launched in Vietnam on January 20, 2006 under the name "Daewoo Gentra".
Australasia
The T200 model was available as the "Daewoo Kalos" before Daewoo's Australian operations ceased at the end of 2004 and was absent from the Australian market until re-introduced in December 2005 as the TK Holden BarinaHolden Barina
The Holden Barina is a subcompact automobile sold since 1985 by Holden, the Australian arm of General Motors . Each of the five generations have been badge-engineered versions of GM vehicles: Suzuki Cultus, Opel Corsa, and Daewoo Kalos....
(3-door and 5-door). The TK Barina replaced the previous XC Barina
Holden Barina
The Holden Barina is a subcompact automobile sold since 1985 by Holden, the Australian arm of General Motors . Each of the five generations have been badge-engineered versions of GM vehicles: Suzuki Cultus, Opel Corsa, and Daewoo Kalos....
, which was an imported and rebadged European Opel Corsa
Opel Corsa
The front-wheel drive Opel Corsa was first launched in September 1982 to replace the Opel Kadett C City, and to fill the gap vacated as the Kadett grew in size and price. Built in Zaragoza, Spain, the first Corsas were three-door hatchback and two-door saloon models, with four-door and five-door...
. The T250 sedan was introduced in February 2006, and both the T200 and T250 models are sold together as the Barina lineup. The switch from the Opel-sourced Corsa was criticized, given the Kalos' lower ANCAP
Australasian New Car Assessment Program
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program is an automobile organisation operated by the governments and motoring organisations of Australia and New Zealand to give consumers coherent results on the protection given by vehicles in front and side impact collisions...
safety performance. The T250 hatchback, both 3-door and 5-door, was introduced in August 2008.
Europe
Until the end of 2004, the T200 was sold as "Daewoo Kalos" in Western Europe. In early 2005, the Chevrolet brand replaced the Daewoo brand and the Kalos was rebadgedBadge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
the "Chevrolet Kalos", coinciding with the introduction of the three-door. The new T250 sedan is marketed as the "Chevrolet Aveo" replacing the Kalos sedan in 2006. A revised hatchback was introduced in the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, to go on sale in early 2008 as the Aveo—replacing the Kalos. In Italy there exists a variant of the Aveo called the Chevrolet Aveo Eco Logic. This low emission version has a dual power LPG
LPG
LPG may stand for:* Liquefied petroleum gas* Laboratoire de Planetologie, Grenoble, France* Landwirtschaftliche Produktionsgenossenschaft * Llanfairpwll railway station, Wales; National Rail station code LPG.* LPG...
engine 1.2 and 1.4 16V.
The T200 was sold in Eastern Europe as "Chevrolet Aveo" from its introduction in 2003. The T250 has replaced the T200 sedan in 2006, retaining the same name. Versions sold in this region had 1.4 L engines, and were available as both five-door hatchback and four-door sedan. In 2006 it was announced that FSO in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland, would begin assembling the Aveo under a joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
between GM and FSO's owner, the Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
company UkrAVTO
Ukrainian Automobile Corporation
Ukrainian Automobile Corporation JSC or UkrAVTO is a Ukrainian automobile manufacturing and service company, as well as Ukraine's largest automobile distributor. It was founded in 1969 as the Ukraine Motor Vehicles Maintenance Department - a reorganisation of diverse car manufacturing, parts,...
. Production of the sedan started in November 2007, while the hatchback was assembled from July 2008. Starting from April 2008, they were delivered in the rest of the European markets too. Production in Poland ended in February 2011, when UkrAVTO decided moving it to Ukraine, where it would be assembled only for the local market and the CIS
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
states. This comes also as an effect of the free trade agreement reached between South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, that took effect from 1st of July 2011. UkrAVTO plans to manufacture the car under the ZAZ
ZAZ
ZAZ or Zaporizhia Automobile Building Plant is the main automobile-manufacturer of Ukraine, based in the south-eastern city of Zaporizhia. It is also known for its former mother company name, AvtoZAZ...
brand from 2012.
North America
Chicago Auto Show
The Chicago Auto Show is held annually in February at Chicago's McCormick Placeconvention complex. It is among the largest auto shows in North America....
as the Chevrolet Aveo to replace the Daewoo Lanos
Daewoo Lanos
The Daewoo Lanos is a subcompact car manufactured by the Korean automaker Daewoo Motor from 1997 to 2002. It was manufactured under license agreements from 1997 to 2008 by Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych in Poland, where it was marketed as the FSO Lanos, from 1998 to present in Ukraine by AvtoZAZ,...
when Daewoo
GM Daewoo
GM Korea Company is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer and is a division of the General Motors Company. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001...
withdrew from many markets outside South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
in 2002. The US 5-door and 4-door models went on sale in November 2003, and as reported by the Boston Globe in November 2006, "the Aveo (was) the largest-selling subcompact in the United States".
The Aveo was introduced for its market debut in a 60 second television advertisement that first appeared on New Year's Eve 2003, created by the firm of Campbell-Ewald
Campbell-Ewald
Campbell Ewald is one of the largest marketing communications agencies in the United States, offering innovative capabilities both traditional and specialized, including advertising; insights and solutions planning; integrated content strategy and development; social, relationship, retail and...
, directed by Michael Bay
Michael Bay
Michael Benjamin Bay is an American film director and producer. He is known for directing high-budget action films characterized by their fast edits, stylistic visuals and substantial practical special effects...
and featuring the song Magic Carpet Ride
Magic Carpet Ride
"Magic Carpet Ride" is a rock song written by John Kay and Rushton Moreve from the Canadian-American band Steppenwolf. The song was initially released in 1968 on the album The Second. It was the lead single from that album, peaking at No. 3 in the US, and becoming the band's second-biggest hit,...
by Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf (band)
Steppenwolf are a Canadian-American rock group that was prominent in the late 1960s. The group was formed in 1967 in Los Angeles by vocalist John Kay, guitarist Michael Monarch, bassist Rushton Moreve, keyboardist Goldy McJohn and drummer Jerry Edmonton after the dissolution of Toronto group The...
. The advertisement was titled "An American Revolution, Car Carrier"
An American Revolution
An American Revolution is a former advertising campaign used by American car manufacturer Chevrolet. First introduced on New Year's Eve 2003 in the USA to promote its "ten new cars and trucks in twenty months", released since January 2004, but the lineup of advertised cars was later expanded...
and featured six yet to be introduced cars and trucks boarding a car carrier as it traversed the United States. It featured the Aveo descending the Twin Peaks of San Francisco and making an airborne leap highly reminiscent of Steve McQueen's Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
in the movie Bullitt
Bullitt
Bullitt is a 1968 American police procedural film starring Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset and Robert Vaughn. It was directed by Peter Yates and distributed by Warner Bros. The story was adapted for the screen by Alan Trustman and Harry Kleiner, based on the 1963 novel Mute Witness by Robert L....
, before boarding the car carrier. Two other fifteen second TV ads also created by the firm of Campbell-Ewald, spotlighted the Aveo: "Pachyderm" showing an elephant, chased down a city street by an Aveo and "Big Little," in which four basketball players who enter the car appear tiny in big seats, highlighting the vehicle's interior volume.
In February 2004 GM issued a "stop delivery" order, to investigate five accidents that occurred in a tight time frame just as the Aveo was introduced to the US market. The order was lifted shortly thereafter, after an investigation revealed no connection among the accidents.
The T250 sedan debuted in January 2006 as the 2007 Chevrolet Aveo at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show. Sales commenced in North America in August 2006. Also, 2009 is the first model year of the Aveo for Mexican sales, replacing the Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
-based Chevrolet Corsa.
The Aveo 5-door hatchback was marketed as the "Aveo5" in Canada since its inception and in the US beginning with model year 2007. The models were sold as Pontiac Wave (4-door and 5-door, since the 2005 model year) and Suzuki Swift+ (5-door) in Canada. The T200 Wave sedan was replaced for the 2007 model year with the T250, coinciding with the release of the 2007 T250 Aveo. For the 2009 model year, Pontiac Wave was renamed to Pontiac G3 Wave in Canada. In the United States, Pontiac sold the 5-door hatchback as the Pontiac G3 starting in the spring of 2009. Because of General Motors phasing out the Pontiac brand, the Pontiac G3/Wave is no longer manufactured after the 2010 model year, and the last Pontiac G3 Wave rolled off the line in December 2009, making this the last overall Pontiac vehicle to roll off the line, even though the last Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
for the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
market was the 2010 Pontiac G6
Pontiac G6
The Pontiac G6 was a mid-size car produced under the Pontiac brand of American automaker General Motors.It was introduced in the fall of 2004 to replace the Grand Am. The car was built on the GM Epsilon platform which it shared with the Chevrolet Malibu and Saab 9-3 along with other General Motors...
. The Pontiac G3 has the distinction of being the last Pontiac-badged model introduced to the United States market before the brand's 2010 demise. For the 2010 model year, Canadian models are simply referred to as Pontiac G3.
For the Canadian market the Swift+ was created with a joint between GM Daewoo and Suzuki, after Suzuki stopped selling the previous model Swift
Suzuki Cultus
The Suzuki Cultus is a supermini first presented at the 25th Tokyo Motor Show, formally introduced to the Japanese domestic market in 1983 and ultimately manufactured in seven countries across three generations and marketed worldwide under more than a dozen nameplates — prominently as the Suzuki...
in 2001. The Swift+, a version of the Daewoo Kalos, was introduced in fall 2003 and marketed solely as a 5-door hatchback. For the 2009 model year, the Suzuki Swift+ was updated in styling and a new Opel ECOTEC 106 hp 1.6 engine receiving 7.9 L/100 km for city and 5.7 for highway from the previous 8.9/5.9, shared with the Pontiac G3 Wave and Chevrolet Aveo.
2005: Sidemarker lights change from orange to clear. Black trim applied to B-pillars of all models and C-pillars of hatchbacks.
2006: Rear Spoiler changes from "hugger" style to pedestal style spoiler with several inches of clearance from body.
2007: Sedans were redesigned. Deleted: 4-door SVM equipment group, Aveo5 LT model. New Features: 6-disc in-dash CD player and MP3 playback audio system, restyled 4-Door Model, new neutral interior in clot and leatherette, steering wheel mounted audio controls, aux input jacks on all 4-door and LS radios, sedan instrument panel and door accents in wood appearance, metallic grain appearance or silver appearance trim on LS and LT models, manual lumbar adjuster on driver seat, driver seat armrest, back glass antenna on 4-door models. Changes: power outside mirrors now on both driver and passenger, Aveo 5-Door models are called Aveo5. Available Spring Edition in Maui Blue (metallic), with alloy wheels, power windows, power moonroof, upgraded stereo with auxiliary input, keyless remote access, power door locks, foglamps and interior silver accents.
2009: Hatchbacks were redesigned. In the T250 2008.5 Aveo and sedan, 15" 5-spoke aluminum wheels, E-TEC II 1.6L engine, Carbon fiber appearance accents were deleted. New features included a new exterior and interior design, charcoal perforated leatherette seating surfaces, OnStar and standard on all models, available XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
, available leather-wrapped steering wheel wand shift knob are now included with perforated leatherette seating surface option, Driver Information Center with outside temperature display and fuel economy/driving range function, new 15" 5-spoke aluminum wheels, GM Oil Life Monitoring System , ECOTEC 1.6L DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
MFI engine with Variable Valve Timing and Dual Continuous Variable Cam Phasing (107 hp @ 6400 rpm, 106 ft.lbf of torque @ 3800 rpm), 5-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
to include shift indicator light. Changes included a new-good-better-best packaging strategy labeled as 1LS, 1LT and 2LT. Power Package called Power and Convenience Package, aux input included on all radios, front wipers variable intermittent, front doors, driver and front passenger seatback map pockets on all models, Alternator 95 amps. Deletions, Additions and Changes per GM's public online order guide. This is the only model year for the Pontiac G3 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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2010: GM badges disappear on Chevrolet Aveo models, even though early 2010 models did have GM badges. Also, the G3 enters its final model year only in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, but drops the "Wave" name, making the Pontiac G3 nameplate exclusive to Canada after the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
& Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
dropped the Pontiac G3 name.
The Aveo has received mixed reviews, while it has earned praise from many for its very low price tag, it has been criticized for poor fuel economy (compared with other vehicles in its class) and poor reliability by reviewers such as Consumer Reports and JD Power and Associates.
- One of Forbes.com's 'Worst-Made Cars On The Road'
- 'Worst in overall safety' from Consumer Reports
- The Aveo and Aveo 5 placed 2nd and 3rd on Consumer Report's list of 'Worst in Fuel Economy' for subcompact cars.
- NDTV Profit Car India Awards 2007 Small Car of the Year, Chevrolet Aveo U-VA, NDTV Profit, India's leading business news channel, in association with Car India and Bike India.
- The Aveo sedans and Aveo5 placed 12th and 8th respectively in Consumer ReportsConsumer ReportsConsumer Reports is an American magazine published monthly by Consumers Union since 1936. It publishes reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services based on reporting and results from its in-house testing laboratory. It also publishes cleaning and general buying guides...
2007 Least satisfying Cars, with 44% of owners expressing inclined to buy again.
South America
The T200 is sold as Chevrolet Aveo in Ecuador (3-door), Peru (3-door and 5-door), Venezuela, Colombia and Chile (all body styles), and the sedan in Argentina. The T250 is sold as Chevrolet Aveo in Peru (4-door). A taxi version of the T200 sedan is available in EcuadorEcuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
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