CHEVROLET AVEO (Kalos) Sedan West Drive Sedan

In search of the difference

Chevrolet Aveo. Price: $ 17 100. On sale: since 2007
Suzuki SX4. Price: $ 22,000. On sale: since 2007
A year and two months ago, I became the owner of the Chevrolet Aveo. I already drove 22 thousand km. I chose from many cars no more than $ 15,000. On occasion, I saw a new restyled sedan at the dealer and realized: this is mine. I selected a complete set with an engine of 1.4 liters, 92 hp And now I was offered to compare the car that has already been my favorite with another, but very similar. Well, let's see how much Suzuki SX4 is better than my Aveo
Vladimir Milyutin, 28 years old, a researcher, travels to Chevrolet Aveo Sedan, driving experience of 6 years
Appearance
Suzuki SX4 is very similar to Aveo. The same high roof, rounded shapes, lines of the body. Explicit differences are also striking: a small window in the front door rack and the front slanting (entering the wing) optics. How mistaken I was, hoping that this window would increase visibility! On the contrary, sitting in a driver’s place, you see only a small area of \u200b\u200bthis window, everything else is closed with rather large racks. The turn signals in the anterior optics are closer to the center of the car, and not around the edges, like Aveo, which, in my opinion, is illogical. In front, Suzuki looks slightly more massive and aggressive, most likely due to optics. In the back, if you look at the lanterns, there is a slight feeling of incorrectness: due to the fact that there is no second foglight headlight in the right lantern, and its place is occupied by the back lamp, it seems that the flashlight was broken and we see the lower part of the reflector. Such a sort of sophistication looks a little.
Let's look inside
Unlike Chevrolet, in Suzuki the interior looks, in my opinion, less modern. It just resembles the interior of the Aveo Hyethack. Such similar air flow control handles and air conditioning control buttons. The same torpedo cladding. The glove compartment was pleasantly surprised: he is much larger and more spacious than in Chevrolet. I really liked the steering wheel: small, comfortable, with well -located radio control buttons and, in my opinion, the most pleasant one, with the best signal button. Aveo has two signal buttons. They are located along the edges of the steering wheel, and get into them when you make some maneuver with a turn or simply in an emergency, it is not always convenient. On Suzuki, the button is the whole steering wheel, despite the airbag. It was pleasantly pleased with the presence of a second salon lighting plafoner located closer to the rear seats. Since there is no such ceiling on Aveo, in the dark, for example, in winter, when opening the rear door, it is completely impossible to see what lies in the back seat, since there is not enough light from the front ceiling. Suzuki and Aveo radio tape recorders are very similar: the same two -day sizes, there is also MP3/WMA support, but Suzuki seemed to me more ascetic and uninteresting. But Suzuki’s audio training clearly wins with Chevrolet: competently spaced and directed speakers of high and medium frequency in the front and rear doors. I would like to note the presence of an on -board computer in all Suzuki trim levels, which shows the time, temperature and fuel consumption per 100 km. For Chevrolet, this is possible only in expensive trim levels. In general, the electric package on the SX4 is worthy. In all trim levels there are electroregulation and heating of external mirrors, front and rear electric windows, air conditioning, anterior seats, lighting lights and fog lights.
The dashboard is comfortable, well read, however, like Aveo, but without delights. It definitely cannot be called beautiful. Suzuki pockets in the doorway of Suzuki, but they are made so that they can put a bottle of water in them. It was very pleased that in Suzuki, with the most pushed back the front seats behind, an adult is easily placed without hesitation. In Aveo, alas, under the same conditions, the back is not so comfortable. The roof is low.
Let's look into the trunk
The volume of the trunk of the SX4 seems more than that of Aveo. Why? Raising the false floor, we guess why. Under the floor of Suzuki, a dock that occupies all space. AVEO also has a dock, but the place is designed that you can put a full -size wheel here. But the trunk sheathing, both Suzuki and Chevrolet, upset the obvious cheapness. I would even say that Suzuki looks cheaper. The loops screwed to the lid of the trunk at Suzuki are not closed by anything, which causes a feeling of incompleteness. And not in any car there is no pen that can be closed with the trunk, which means that the hands will get dirty in slush.
Go
Suzuki I tested with an automatic box, which nevertheless allowed to fully enjoy the dynamic qualities of the engine. The car is touching sharply and confidently, no failures in the box are felt, the accelerated speaker is much higher than that of Aveo. It is interesting how much faster and clearer it would be on a manual box.
On the track, the car behaves very obediently, the suspension extinguishes the irregularities of the road softer than on Aveo. Suzuki is also included with much smaller roll than Aveo. Suzuki has an electric power steering, which makes the car more responsive to the commands at low speed and more rigid to turning the steering wheel at high speed. I especially note the presence of an EBD brake distribution system, which shows itself perfectly when passing steep turns at speed. I was pleased with the work of ABS. In Aveo, when braking on the so -called washing board, a road with many small irregularities, ABS immediately turns on, which is sometimes annoying. In Suzuki, according to my sensations, ABS turns on only when it is necessary, at least, all my attempts to force the system to prove myself on the washing board were unsuccessful.
In general, if we talk about the behavior of the car on the highway and when making maneuvers, then I liked Suzuki more. But objectively it is difficult to say that Suzuki is very ahead of Aveo in behavior on the highway. Differences, of course, are available, but not so significant.
Chevrolet Aveo $ 17 100
Driving
With sharp restructuring, decent body rolls occur. Dynamics and brake system deserve a good assessment.
Salon
The salon does not abound in boxes and niches, and the quality of other finishing materials leaves much to be desired.
Comfort
Quite a comfortable car. But only three passengers do not take more than three passengers on a long journey i advise.
Safety
The basic equipment is quite scarce in this regard. One airbag.
Price
Acceptable.

Suzuki SX4 $ 22 800
Driving
Even with sharp rebuilding, the body's rolls are barely noticeable. Special praise deserves dynamics and handling.
Salon
The salon is replete with a mass of useful boxes and niches. Conducting high -quality audio training.
Comfort
The spacious salon is literally filled with air, which in turn has a positive effect on comfort.
 
Safety
The basic equipment is quite impressive, there are two pillows, ABS, and the system of distribution of brake efforts.
Price
Reasonable.

My verdict
Given the test I have carried out, it is difficult to say which car I will prefer. Both have both their pros and cons. It feels like the advantages of one car cover the downside of another, and vice versa. But taking into account the fact that AVEO in a similar configuration of 5060 thousand rubles is cheaper, I would probably be inclined to Aveo. It also seems to me that Aveo is a younger machine than Suzuki. Although, from the point of view of safety and the availability of different management systems, Suzuki is clearly leading.
Expert opinion
Oleg Kalaushin, journalist 5 wheels
The reader confirmed our assumption. Both Suzuki SX4 and Chevrolet Aveo can be considered classmates and put in one row when choosing a car in this price segment. The high price of the SX4 in the basic configuration is embarrassed. However, for this money, the consumer receives incomparably more both in terms of comfort and in terms of security. And safety is sometimes very expensive. So is it worth saving on it?
 
Author: Oleg Kalaushin
Photo: Igor Kuznetsov
 
 
 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [June 2008]