Chevrolet Aveo U-VA 1.2 LT

We were skeptical about how a small engine would perform in a large hatch. Part of that skepticism stemmed from the belief that the 1.2 is just a scaled-down version of the Aveo’s unimpressive 1.4 motor. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find that this smaller unit is a different motor altogether. It’s from a different engine family and it shows. It’s fairly refined, pretty responsive and delivers performance in a way that belies what the stopwatch or the dyno figures reveal.
The in-line four-cylinder, 1150cc engine puts out a respectable 76bhp, but even more important is its torque — 11.2kgm at 4400rpm. It breathes through eight valves (two per cylinder) and the engine’s long-stroke helps improve bottom-end responses. GM has tuned it for low-speed driveability — just look at the long intake tract designed to improve low rev responses. The ECU too has been recalibrated to improve driveability and fuel efficiency.

All-out performance, as expected, isn’t scorching. It takes a leisurely 16.4 seconds to get to 100kph from rest, identical to the Palio 1.2. But, where the Palio feels sluggish, the U-VA never feels underpowered in the city. In fact, in such conditions you would be hardpressed to tell that it’s only a 1.2-litre engine powering the car. It’s that good. And it’s this performance which explains why the U-VA doesn’t feel lethargic while dawdling around town.

The midrange and top end are quite weak though, but it’s only on the highway that the engine feels out of breath and you miss a little extra cubic capacity.

Overtaking requires a downshift, sometimes two, to get really get going. So, it’s a good thing that the five-speed gearbox is a big improvement on the Aveo’s unit.
The U-VA’s fuel economy is good for a car of its size and weight. We got a decent 10.6 kilometres per litre (kpl) in the city and a good 15kpl on the highway.