Aveo

[rh77]

I've rented the automatic sedan version twice and had the same disappointing FE. Even the gearing in that was short -- from a stop: ka-pow you've inadvertently given it too much throttle, the soft suspension squats in the rear, and it takes off. On the highway, the tach reads unbelievably high.

Review Link.

My half-brother bought the 5-door, 5-speed when they first came out. His father worked for GM for like 100-years, so he ended up with rebates and the family discount, which brought the out-the-door total to sub $10k. He has a long daily commute at 55-60 mph in rural Upstate New York, and he hasn't had any complaints so far.

When I drove it, the biggest plus was the micro-car handling.

RH77

[omgwtfbyobbq]

Whoa, the xB doesn't seem to be ~3300lbs. Full sized Camrys are barely that.

[GasSavers_brick]

Isn't the Aveo some kind of re-badged Daewoo or something? It looks like a nice enough car from the outside but I tend to confuse it with the Susuki Aerio (or however you spell it). Actually, maybe that's what it is?

It's so irritating that manufacturers (even Honda! with the US-spec Fit!) blow highway FE with too high of a final drive ratio. I realize why they are doing it (available power, avoiding complaints about the car feeling like a dog) but there has to be a better way.

[rh77]

Originally Posted by brick

Isn't the Aveo some kind of re-badged Daewoo or something?

Yup. Which cracks me up with their slogan "American Revolution".

RH77

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by brick

It's so irritating that manufacturers (even Honda! with the US-spec Fit!) blow highway FE with too high of a final drive ratio. I realize why they are doing it (available power, avoiding complaints about the car feeling like a dog) but there has to be a better way.

Agreed! And the better way is simple: an optional, taller final gear for those of us willing to SHIFT occasionally when needed for acceleration or hill climbing at top gear speeds.

For the masses who apparently aren't willing to ever shift out of top gear once they get there, fine. Stick with the "original" too-short gearing.

EDIT: of course this option puts the onus on the sales people to adequately explain the pros and cons of each choice, and that's where the idea falls on its face.

[rh77]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Agreed! And the better way is simple: an optional, taller final gear for those of us willing to SHIFT when needed for acceleration or hill climbing at top gear speeds.

For the masses who apparently aren't willing to ever shift out of top gear once they get there, fine. Stick with the "original" too-short gearing.

Exactly. So, put in a slushbox so people can drive it here. Classic PRNDL shift pattern. People use "D" and that's about it. BUT

Put a curious button somewhere that says "Economy". When pressed, the dash indicates "Economy" in green or something. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the highest gear is now available and it shift's into a taller gearset at higher speed cruise. Normal operation ensues. Shut the car off, and like cruise control it resets. So you can go back to "D" and forget about stuff until you pass the gas station prices and "Hmmm, might as well press the "Economy" button today".

RH77