THE CHEVROLET Aveo is the American firm's latest attempt to compete with the best superminis produced in Europe and Japan.

How much of the US firm's DNA is in the Aveo is debatable however, because although it's been over three years since the Chevy badge replaced that of Daewoo on cars and showrooms around the UK and Europe, the new five-door supermini still looks and feels more like a Korean city car than a genuine slice of the American dream.
Until Daewoo's demise both firm's came under the umbrella of General Motors. Now it's Chevy alone and with three and five-door models and two engine choices, and prices starting from £7,695, the US manufacturer is determined to at least tempt the cost-conscious motorist into its showrooms.

And the Aveo makes a fair shot at making a good impression when you get there. There's nothing revolutionary of course, but tapering headlights, five-spoke alloys on the range-topping LT model tested, distinctive dual shape rear lights and air vents on the front wings make the Aveo a far more appealing vehicle than the Kalos which it replaces.

The theme continues inside, with the Aveo boasting a crisply designed dashboard with clear dials and an eye-catching sound system, with big buttons and an aux-in socket for MP3 players. Dimpled plastics add a pleasing tactile quality, although as you would expect in a car in this price range, soft-touch materials are noticeable only by their absence. It's a very decent effort and could well seal many sales on the interior alone.

Look closer though and the door pockets are impracticably narrow, while the exposed vanity mirror on the driver's sun visor is distracting and quite unforgivable. The driver's seat, too, is worth a mention - but only for its noticeable lack of support for the lower back. And without any adjustments there is little you can do to avert the backache which could follow.

The Aveo has a small 220-litre boot, which puts it 30 litres behind the latest Mazda2 and 50 litres behind the Volkswagen Polo. So you'll definitely need to make use of the split rear seats at some point or other during ownership. Trouble is, though they fold, they don't fold flat to boot level, so you're left with a very uneven load area.

There are 1.2 and 1.4 litre engines to choose from, with the latter only being available in five-door, range-topping LT trim. And there is only one three-door model on the books - the entry 1.2S which Chevy says will return 51mpg and reach 62mph in a reasonable 12.8 seconds.

Unfortunately the Aveo isn't the sort of supermini - unlike the aforementioned Mazda2 - which inspires any sort of enthusiasm from behind the wheel. The five-speed gearbox does what it says on the tin and nothing more. Changes are adequate but lack the sort of precision found in class-topping rivals. The car understeers at the mere sight of a fast corner and the softly-sprung set-up means the Aveo feels light years away from the driving experience offered by the Vauxhall Corsa - another vehicle in the GM portfolio.

If ever there was a car for pottering around in, the Aveo is it. But with the 1.2 producing an impressive 82bhp and the 1.4 engine pumping out 98bhp, both powerplants deliver enough performance to make sure the Aveo isn't an embarrassment on motorways - despite its lack of prowess once it ventures off the straight and narrow. Neither engine, however, comes close to the magic 120g/km CO2 barrier for cars aiming to become congestion zone exempt from October.

At £9,495 the 1.4 LT model isn't cheap and goes up against the big hitters in the class. But with all-round electric windows, air conditioning, central locking and alloy wheels, the Aveo is a match for its rivals on the equipment front. But it does lack the option of rear curtain airbags and electronic stability control, which is a disappointment.

Chevrolet or Daewoo it doesn't matter - the Aveo is a very ordinary supermini. GM needs to let the US firm's design team raid the Vauxhall parts bucket and give the newcomer the chassis it deserves to go with its tidy interior.

If you're after a bargain hatch then the entry-level Aveo models are still worth investigating - but if driving satisfaction is high on your supermini agenda then take my advice and look elsewhere.