Chevy Aveo: the 5-star of the show at Euro NCAP

The Chevrolet Aveo has come out of the 2011 Euro NCAP tests as the safest supermini available in the UK today. Good, that means we have something else to talk about other than “affordability”.

We know safety is an important factor in the design of a new car and rightly so, it’s just not very interesting to talk about. When was the last time you overheard a passionate discussion on the relative merits of airbags and crumple zones rather than handling and performance?

Having said that, most of us choose a car for reasons far less glamorous (or should that be expensive?) than how fast it will go around corners so if you are on the lookout for an affordable small car - dealers are offering the Aveo for less than £9,000 OTR if you buy before the end of March – that also holds a “best in class” award from NCAP, then look no further.

The Aveo is filled with the latest safety features. It comes with six airbags, electronic stability control, traction control and ABS with brake assist as standard. You also get Hill-start assist, cruise control, electric heated door mirrors and air conditioning on all models in the range and it doesn’t look too bad either. That’s quite an achievement for a car at the cheaper end of the spectrum.

Let’s be fair, the Aveo isn’t going to set your hair on fire but that’s probably not what Chevrolet intended anyway. The small car market is the largest sector of new car sales in the UK and Chevrolet have managed to create a new model that fits the price bracket perfectly and offers some real selling points not currently available elsewhere. You would be hard pushed to find a safer way to transport the kids for less money.

And we’ve already had a little (enjoyable) wheel-time with the new Chevy Aveo, right here…

www.chevrolet.co.uk


By David Young

Follow us @TotallyMotor