Test Drive: 2009 Chevrolet Aveo5 Hatchback

The Small Car with No Heart

Nearly 30 years ago, when I was in high school, my first car was a late 1970's model Toyota Corolla. It had a four cylinder engine with a four-speed manual transmission. That Corolla was a great little starter car until the frame, probably stressed from the harsh Michigan winters which include the liberal use of corrosive rock salt to keep roads ice free, broke. While in college, I had an early 80's Honda Accord hatchback, also with a four cylinder engine and manual transmission. it was the perfect car for a young college guy looking for mobility and practicality.

Fast forward and I can say the same thing about the 2009 Chevrolet Aveo-- After spending a week driving the vehicle, it's the perfect car for young college bound students who need mobility and practicality.

Chevy offers the Aveo in three trims, all with GM's Ecotec 1.6 liter, dual overhead cam engine. It produces 106 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. On paper, not bad for a this type of car. But at no time did I feel like the Aveo was adequately powered. Acceleration was anemic and passing power was next to non-existent. Of course, my frame of reference is based on the thirsty eight cylinder powered vehicles in my own garage.

What the Aveo lacks in power, it makes up for in its interior. I was quite impressed with the look and layout of the car and found it quite comfortable for a sub compact. Safety ratings are also a plus. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the Aveo its highest marks, 5-stars for frontal crash ratings and 4-stars for side crash and rollover ratings.

Designed and built by GM-Daewoo in Korea, the Aveo does not have the heart or soul of the typical Chevy, but it will do for your newly licensed teenager or college bound young adult. Starting price is $15, 365. Can anybody say, "nice high school graduation gift?"

Appearance

On the outside, the Aveo looks like the typical sub compact. Its most distinctive feature might be the now-Chevy standard front grille design with a body-colored bar through the middle and the trademark Chevy bow tie logo. Front and rear light designs help provide an aggressive appearance and the optional 15-inch, 5-spoke aluminum wheels on my test model helped make the Aveo somewhat easy to look at.

Power

Under the hood, the Aveo needs help. For all of the aggressive look Chevy tries to give the Aveo, when you start it up and give it some gas, you quickly learn this dog is all bark, no bite. As I have already stated, the Ecotec 1.6L DOHC engine is anemic. It needs an iron injection to counteract the condition. If the exhilaration one feels from acceleration is measured in G-forces, is it possible for that number to be negative?

My test model was equipped with the optional four-speed automatic transmission. It performed adequately in city driving and also once I got up to speed on the highway. But forget about passing anyone.

As for efficiency, you would expect some big numbers from the Aveo. The EPA fuel economy estimates are 25 MPG/City and 34 MPG/Highway. I did not take a highway road trip in the Aveo (and, I really wouldn't want to) but the Aveo's city performance, under my foot, was less than impressive. I drove 112 miles consuming about 5.6 gallons of regular gasoline. That works out to a disappointing 20 MPG. I must have really been pushing the car to make me feel the acceleration.

Comfort

On the inside, the Aveo does not disappoint. I never expect much from sub compact interiors so opening the doors to find a clean, convenient dash layout, plenty of room, optional leatherette seats along with leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob was quite satisfying. Leg and headroom were plentiful almost creating the illusion that I was not inside a sub compact.

Features

My test model was the Aveo5 2LT. Standard features included some surprises. Things like power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry with alarm, tire pressure monitor system, stainless steel exhaust. I did not expect to find those features offered without having to pay extra for them. Add to that list the 180-watt, six speaker AM/FM stereo with CD player, auxiliary input jack and steering wheel controls and I say, "nice touch, Chevy!" XM Satellite Radio is also standard with the first three months of service included.

In addition to the aluminum wheels, automatic transmission, leatherette seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob already mentioned, my test model also included an optional antilock brake system with engine immobilizer.

Summary

The first three letters in the Aveo name are also the first three letters in the word I will use to describe the car overall-- average. A decent appearance, good comfort and nice features on the plus side; Lack of power and less than stellar fuel efficiency on the minus side. I will stick with my initial assessment-- not the car for me, but a great first car for kids.

Would You Drive A Small Car?

The auto industry has been in turmoil for much of the last year. As the recession set in, car sales plummeted pushing two of this country's Big 3 automakers to request federal help and eventually pushing them both into bankruptcy. Now, as car companies work to turn things around, the federal government is pushing them all-- domestic and foreign-- to produce and sell more fuel efficient vehicles. Translated-- most believe that means large V-8 powered sedans, trucks, sport utility vehicles and performance cars are on their way out, to be replaced by tiny, 4-cylinder powered sub compacts. The big question is would a small car work for you?

GM Unveils 2010 Transformers Special Edition Chevy Camaro

General Motors has announced what many would consider a "no-brainer" decision concerning its hot new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro-- the availability of a TRANSFORMERS special edition. It's a $995 option that puts AUTOBOT shields and TRANSFORMERS logos on various locations of the car, including side panels, wheel center caps and rally stripes. And, of course, the car is yellow, just like the "Bumble Bee," character featured in the 2007 and 2009 Transformers movies.

Here's the GM news release:

Chevrolet announces the 2010 Camaro TRANSFORMERS Special Edition

DETROIT - Fans of the new Camaro and the blockbuster TRANSFORMERS movies can now combine their love of the car and the films with the Chevrolet Camaro TRANSFORMERS Special Edition announced today at Comic-Con in San Diego.

"When the first TRANSFORMERS movie was setting box office records, we had countless customers asking to purchase the 'BUMBLEBEE' Camaro," said Karen Rafferty, product marketing director, Chevrolet. "Now, they can buy one with the new Camaro TRANSFORMERS Special Edition. Streets all over North America will be buzzing in no time."

Features such as an EPA-rated 29 highway mpg on the V6-powered Camaro, Bluetooth phone connectivity, USB connectivity, XM Satellite Radio and OnStar combined with TRANSFORMERS design cues add to the car’s status as a 21st century sports car.

“Hasbro is thrilled to team up with Chevrolet and excited to see the Camaro TRANSFORMERS Special Edition come to market for our fans to enjoy,” said Samantha Lomow, Global Brand Leader for TRANSFORMERS at Hasbro. “The yellow Camaro with the black stripes has become so iconic and closely associated with the BUMBLEBEE character that this edition was a natural fit for both companies.”

While the aggressive styling of the Camaro is unmistakable, true TRANSFORMERS fans will notice some of the unique, but subtle features of the Camaro TRANSFORMERS Special Edition.

The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro TRANSFORMERS Special Edition includes the following:

· AUTOBOT® shield on the driver and passenger side panels

· AUTOBOT® shield on each of the four wheel's center cap

· AUTOBOT® shield embroidered on interior center console

· "TRANSFORMERS" logo on driver and passenger doors' sill plates

· "TRANSFORMERS" logo embedded into the hood rally stripes

· High-gloss black center rally stripe package

· Manufacturer’s suggested retail price of package: $995

Dealers are now taking orders for this car. Customers can order the TRANSFORMERS Special Edition as either a Rally Yellow LT or SS model. The optional RS appearance package can also be added.

The V6-powered Camaro uses a 3.6L engine with variable valve timing to optimize performance and fuel economy. It is SAE-certified at 304 horsepower (227 kW) and 273 lb.-ft. of torque (370 Nm). A six-speed manual transmission is standard with the 3.6L engine; a Hydra-Matic 6L50 electronically controlled six-speed automatic, with TAPshift control, is available.

The high-performance Camaro SS is equipped with a powerful 6.2L V-8, with a choice of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Manual transmission-equipped models receive the LS3 engine, SAE-certified at 426 horsepower (318 kW) and 420 lb.-ft. of torque (569 Nm). It is paired with a TR6060 six-speed transmission.

A new, L99 V-8 engine is used on automatic transmission-equipped SS models. It is based on the LS3, but also includes GM’s fuel-saving Active Fuel Management feature. It is SAE-certified at 400 horsepower (298 kW) and 410 lb.-ft. of torque (556 Nm). It is matched with a Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed transmission that helps delivers an EPA-estimated 25 mpg on the highway.

Test Drive: 2010 Jaguar XF

This Kitty Really Purrs

The last time I drove a Jaguar car was 1986, I think. I was staying with friends in Silver Spring, Maryland and the XJ had once belonged to my friend's mother. I drove the car to Annapolis to visit friends I had left behind at the U.S. Naval Academy. I remember concluding that the Jag was a nice ride but not for me, mostly because I did not find it very attractive.

Fast forward 23 years. The 2010 XF is a sleek, swift, powerful cat capable of taming tight urban jungles and wide open highway ranges. I am quite impressed with the way it looks and the way it handles, though I feel it falls a bit short in terms of sportiness in the handling category. It lacks nothing in terms of luxury. One look at the XF made my eyes get wide and my jaw drop open. Once I gathered myself, the word "Wow" escape my mouth. That process repeated itself when I got inside.

The XF is loaded with gadgets that put new and interesting twists on old standards. Steering wheel controls for the sound system and cruise control are, themselves, wheels that, at times, felt awkward only because they are different than any others I had ever used. The glove compartment opens in a unique way. Instead of the typical lever on the compartment door, you touch a small sensor on the wood veneer, and voila! The compartment pops open. But, the feature everyone talked about was the gear shifter. It's a round knob that recesses into the console when the car is off and rises when you start the engine. Quite cool.

Speaking of starting the car, that happens at the push of button as long as your foot is on the brake pedal and the smart key fob is with you. Oh, what a nice sound the engine makes. And, oh what a nice ride it provides.

Appearance

The XF has a classic Jaguar profile with a 21st Century flair. The front grill has hints of Bentley while the rear fascia reminds me of a low-slung Lexus LS460. The frost blue color of my test model was absolutely gorgeous. It set the car off. The 20-inch wheels and performance tires also helped give the car an aggressive stance, much like the big feline for which the company is named.

Power

The XF has a 5.0 liter V8 engine that produces 385 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque. Acceleration is brisk, but not necessarily sporty. It felt more like a flagship sedan than a performance sedan. That said, cruising the highway was a pure joy. Passing power is great and the ride is always smooth and quiet.

You do pay for all of this power at the pump. The XF requires premium gasoline and gets an EPA estimated 16 MPG in city driving and 23 MPG on the highway. I averaged a little over 14 MPG during my test week. The enjoyment I got out of driving the car made that expense well worth it.

Comfort

The XF's interior is gorgeous. My test model had the ivory/oyster leather seats with burl walnut veneer trim. Sitting in the car truly makes you feel royal. A couple of my friends sat in the car and felt the same way. While the seats did feel a bit narrow, they were quite comfortable and provided great driving support. Leg room is ample and despite the low-profile roof, head room is also plentiful. Rear passengers will also find very comfortable confines.

Features

In addition to the features discussed earlier, the 2010 XF includes a wide range of standard features. Safety and security features include active head restraints, side curtain airbags and a tire pressure monitor system. On the comfort and convenience list, you will find a blind spot monitor system in the side view mirrors, a touchscreen navigation system and a 320-watt sound system which includes a 6-disc CD changer and iPod connectivity with the special cable included. I was impressed when I plugged my iPod in and the Jaguar logo appeared on the player's screen. But, I was disappointed when the system read my iPod music library, but would not access all of the folders. I was able to play some but not all. The same held true for the Bluetooth connection for the phone. The system read my phonebook, but I could not access numbers alphabetically.

Summary

Overall, the 2010 Jaguar XF is impressive. Great looks, great comfort, and for a luxury sedan, not a bad price. The base model XF starts at $52,000. The XF Premium starts at $57,000. Add the Portfolio package, included on my test model, and the starting price goes to $61,000. Those who require supercharged power can opt for the XFR which starts at $80,000. A 4-year/50,000 mile warranty is standard on all models.

Chrysler rips ‘for sale’ sign off Dodge Viper business: AutoWeek Magazine

Chrysler rips ‘for sale’ sign off Dodge Viper business: AutoWeek Magazine

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