GM India Launches Chevrolet Aveo U-VA

Sets New Benchmark for Space and Styling in Premium Hatchback Segment

General Motors India launched Chevrolet Aveo U-VA on 22nd December 2006 at New Delhi.

With its combination of modern Italian design, generous list of features and roomy interiors, the stylish and incredibly spacious five-door premium hatchback sets a new benchmark in its segment in terms of product attributes.

"The Aveo U-VA is a global product sold in Europe, North America and other parts of Asia Pacific," said Rajeev Chaba, President & MD, General Motors India. "It has been re-engineered for India based on extensive testing done across the country in order to meet the specific needs of local consumers as well as local driving conditions. To meet local preferences, some parts of the vehicle were redesigned; for example, the ground clearance was increased to 188 mm, suspension reinforced, air conditioning improved and full chrome head lamps were developed exclusively for India."

 
The Aveo U-VA shares a common platform with the Chevrolet Aveo, which was introduced in India earlier in the same year. Both the cars have wheelbases of 2,480 mm and also share some mechanical components.

The Aveo U-VA has received a number of international awards such as "Best Car for the Bucks" from forbes.com, "Inter-American Car of the Year" from the Inter-American Federation of Automotive Journalists, "Most Well-Received Small Car" from News Express and Sino Trust, and "Most Influential Car of the Year" from the China Mainstream Media Association.

The Chevrolet Aveo U-VA's youthful and sporty styling is aided by jeweled-element headlamps with full chrome bezels. Strong horizontal grille with a chrome centre bar and a diamond mesh insert dominate the front view. Its long wheelbase with short overhangs, prominent feature lines on the sides that seem to almost cut across the vehicle and powerful-looking wheel arches combine to create a dynamic side view. The overall side design looks more formal as a result of its six-window styling, which also improves all-around visibility from inside.

With a class-leading wheelbase and overall length, the Aveo U-VA is incredibly spacious and can seat five adults comfortably. There are plenty of storage locations in the cabin such as cup holders in the front centre console that are flexible and can take cups of various sizes, a cup holder towards the rear of the floor console for rear occupants, dual storage areas on the instrument panel, a deposit box in the centre console and a ticket clip in the driver's sun visor.

A great deal of attention has been paid to passenger comfort. Double folding rear seats with a 40:60 split backrest on the top-end LT model provide amazing flexibility. A rear windscreen wiper and defogger, 14-inch alloy wheels, a leather gear knob, front fog lamps, and a digital clock are just a few of the amenities offered in the LT model.

Powertrain

The Aveo U-VA's 1.2-litre petrol engine delivers 76 PS of peak power and healthy torque of 110 Nm. This has been achieved by recalibrating the Engine Management System and gear ratio combination for Indian fuel, driving habits and traffic conditions.

Safety Features

Aveo U-VA has exceptionally high torsional rigidity and crash stability to its unibody design .through the use of more than 46 per cent high-strength and extra-high-strength steel. These are primarily concentrated in critical underbody sections to create a solid structure. The monocoque chassis also has tailor-welded blanks, which are generally found only- in premium segment cars. The body structure forms a passenger compartment safety cage that runs from the front door hinge pillars to the A-pillars to the roof rail, back to the reinforced B-pillar and C-pillar and includes the rocker panels.

Customers have a choice of Antilock Braking System (ABS), which is available as an option on the LT model. The car also features 2.5-mph impact-proof front and rear bumpers, which are a boon in urban traffic in which minor collisions are unavoidable.

Warranty, Service Holiday and Maintenance

The Chevrolet Aveo U-VA comes with a 3-year/1,00,000-km standard warranty and a service interval of 5,000 km or six months (whichever comes first).