BOLD LOOKS The Aveo5's front grille is the most striking part of the car

By Justin Lee

THE AVEO5 WAS unveiled recently in Singapore to the media and invited guests on May 16 at a launch party held at Marina Square shopping mall.

Its exterior and interior benefits from design tweaks to bring the car more in line with the Aveo sedan which was given a refresh around two years ago.

The car’s front end features an exaggerated and more dynamic version of Chevrolet’s horizontally split corporate grille as seen on models such as the Optra Magnum and Epica.

New head and tail lamps, revised bumpers, and the addition of side vents on the front fenders are some of the other changes made.

The cabin receives the same dashboard and similar door panels from its sedan sibling.

Its engine is a 1.4-litre unit producing 94bhp and is unchanged from the previous model. Transmissions are also the same as before with a standard five-speed manual gearbox and an optional four-speed automatic.

General Motors ODC Singapore managing director Kittichai Jarusrojpoka is optimistic about the car’s sales potential.

“It is hoped that the new Aveo5 will outperform the sales figures set by the old one as it is better than the previous model in every way. This car’s predecessor was one of Chevrolet’s best selling model in Singapore. The Aveo5 has benefited from a redesign and its sporty looks will most probably attract young customers. The brand is also targeting first time car buyers with this model,” he said.

The Aveo5 will be offered with special introductory prices starting from $49,188 with COE for the manual versions and $52,188 with COE for the automatic equipped ones. This makes the car much cheaper than much of its competitors which include the Suzuki Swift and Mazda 2.