# Chevy Aveo vs Toyota Echo **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 12, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185 "2005-12-12T01:02:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/1 "2005-12-12T01:02:19Z")
I’ve been thinking seriously about replacing the ol’ Camry, preferably with something of significantly better fuel economy. My first leanings were toward the Echo, but a friend has built up a large credit toward purchase of a GM vehicle on her Visa, and since she no intention of ever using it, I may be able to cut the price of a Aveo but $1000 or more. Car reviewers indicate the Echo has slightly better mileage, but the Aveo has slightly better features. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/2 "2005-12-12T01:11:44Z")
Are these essentially the same cars? Like the Chevy Prizm (which I own) and the Toyota Corolla? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/3 "2005-12-12T01:16:21Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Are these essentially the same cars? Like the Chevy Prizm (which I own) and the Toyota Corolla? The Aveo is based on the [Suzuki Swift](http://cars.about.com/cs/testdrives/fr/Suzuswift_test.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/4 "2005-12-12T02:18:05Z")
Toyota’s ability to make quality, long lasting vehicles is well documented. The same cannot be said for Chevy. You’ll go through that $1,000 saving in no time with repeated repairs to the Chevy. My Toyota has 125,000 miles on it. Other than a battery replacement, and tire and oil changes, I haven’t had to put a penny in to it. And I torture the thing with short drives here and there with almost no highway driving. Its a work truck and all my jobs are local. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/5 "2005-12-12T03:58:19Z")
A few months ago I checked out a couple of different 2005 Aveo models. IMHO they’re just a little short of being good small cars. Just a bit too tinny, just a bit too lightweight. My own feeling was that once I got over the newness of it, an Aveo would be slow torture. An Echo might not be that much better, but Toyotas in general tend to grow on you, not wear on you. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/6 "2005-12-12T04:19:44Z")
The Echo is on its way out, to be replaced by the Yaris. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/7 "2005-12-12T14:09:38Z")
I drive an Echo every day. There are pros and cons to it. It is reliable, and the gas mileage is just fine. But I have never been comfortable in this car like I was in my old Mazda Protege. The seats are just brutally hard, and the car is narrow. When shifting gears, I’m always bumping my passenger. I’m stuck right now in a deal with my wife - I’ll drive this thing, which is her old car, until the minivan is paid off. The instant that happens, I’m losing this sucker faster than you can possibly imagine. I have to commute in this thing every single day, and I ought to do that in a vehicle that is comfortable to me. YMMV, but keep that in mind. ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/8 "2005-12-12T23:35:52Z")
Have you considered the new Toyota Corolla (03 to present)? That has great mileage and is a lot more comfortable than an Echo or Aveo. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/9 "2005-12-13T15:00:09Z")
That Aveo is supposed to be turd on wheels. I’d get a used Civic or something similar for the same price. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/10 "2005-12-13T15:31:20Z")
Yeah, the Echo is going byebye, and it’s usually not the best idea to buy a car that’s no longer being produced. It raises the costs of depreciation and repairs over the long haul. One suggestion might be to give the Saturn ION a try. A litle better than the Chevy Aveo and similar in price and fuel economy, plus you’d get to use that $1000+ GM credit. They are doing a Red Tag Price incetive until 1/3/06 so you may be in business. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/11 "2005-12-13T20:27:06Z")
I would go for a Toyota personally, mainly for reliability (and excellent aircon, but they may not be necessary where you are.) I would also suggest you look at a Corolla, though in my opinion, the older model (2001?) is a better car. The new Corolla has you sitting too upright, and I find the clutch and gear shift to be unforgiving. I have the older one but have spent the last six weeks driving a new one, long enough to know that I am very happy with my own 2001 Corolla. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/12 "2005-12-13T20:57:28Z")
One says “Toyota”, which is a car company. The other says “GM”, which is a pension and health benefits company that has a sideline business of making cars. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/13 "2005-12-14T15:21:34Z")
Okay, I’ve put a toe in the water and visited a Toyota dealership and a GM dealership, and gotten more than enough talk about how low my monthly payments can be. I was hoping to pick up a cheap 2005 basic hatchback (+ automatic) on a deal, but the Toyota guy didn’t have any more (he was loading up on Yarisi, which I’m prepared to rule out for the obnoxious advertising alone) and all the GM guy had was a sporty '05 Aveo tricked out with a nifty orange paint job and a lot of of other crap I’m at best indifferent to. If I’m still looking around in a month and he hasn’t sold the Cheez Whizmobile, maybe I can lowball him. Tonight I’ll head uptown to a bigger Toyota dealer and see what he’s got. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/14 "2005-12-14T15:28:09Z")
Did the GM dealer have Saturns on hand? If so did you do any comparisons? ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/15 "2005-12-14T16:01:53Z")
According to [googlefight](http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=%22Chevy+Aveo%22&word2=%22Toyota+Echo%22), the winner is the Echo. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/16 "2005-12-14T21:14:38Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Did the GM dealer have Saturns on hand? If so did you do any comparisons? Sorry, I can’t afford a car that has a philosophy. ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/17 "2005-12-14T23:10:03Z")
I like my Echo. I don’t find it uncomfortable (but I’m very short), and I like the wacky styling. I even groove on the center-mounted control panel. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-aveo-vs-toyota-echo/335185/18 "2005-12-15T14:14:41Z")
> **[In which the characteristics of the Suzuki Aerio are enumerated.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=239017)** > > There have been a lot of threads lately in which someone asks everybody’s opinion on what new cars are interesting and reliable before going out and buying a Honda, and I’ve found myself responding to every darned one with a description of the...