2006 Chevrolet Aveo

The new car, which according to GM shares only the windshield, two windows, and large sections of the body structure with the outgoing model, is a dramatic improvement over the previous Aveo. It’s hardly going to set pulses racing, but the restyled Chevrolet Aveo —essentially a rebadged Daewoo from Korea— has a lot going for it. It will be cheap, for sure, but we are impressed by interior quality that is quite simply better than many a more expensive car in the General’s U.S. armory.

Nice features for an econobox include standard front side airbags and a radio input jack for iPods, as well as premium options like a power sunroof, six-CD changer audio system, and steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls. The redesigned exterior is still homely and the 103-hp, 1.6-liter in-line four-cylinder engine is hardly a fireball, yet we think this will be a pretty good entry-level vehicle. The Aveo eventually will be sold in more than 120 countries, and while Chevrolet has not announced pricing, count on a base price of approximately $10,000.