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A really affordable car with great handling and impressive fuel economy, but all that glitters is not gold.

The 2011 Chevrolet Aveo appeared to have a strong chance of dominating the subcompact economy car market. It's cheap, has good handling, and it's up there when it comes to high fuel economy. However, the Aveo has a problem in that there are still several better options in this class of cars.

The Aveo has some appealing features, such as OnStar (with six months of free membership to the Directions and Connections package) and available upmarket extras like Bluetooth connectivity and a sunroof. Chevy also offers several ways to customize this small car, including colorful paint options and possible simulated carbon-fiber interior accents.

These benefits, however, are insufficient to make up for the Aveo's uninspired design and average performance. In this class, people don't necessarily expect lightning-quick acceleration, although competitors like the 2011 Ford Fiesta and 2011 Kia Soul have greater power. Both cars have manual gearboxes that perform better than the Aveo's, which blunts performance during highway merging and passing maneuvers.

That said, so why should you avoid the 2011 Chevrolet Aveo?

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The 2011 Chevrolet Aveo looks monotonous, and its dull body lacks character. In fact, the only thing exciting about the car's appearance is the large headlights and the door moldings on the sides.

It turns out that Kelley Blue Book's appraisal of the vehicle didn't say much about the exterior style either: "The V-shaped hood and split grille indicate its Chevrolet origins and underline its wide stance."

Also, the 2011 Chevrolet Aveo has the appearance of a larger sedan due to its tall height, wide "shoulders" above the wheels, and enormous front and backlights. In other words, the key selling point is that the car appears more extensive than it is.

The interior is also lacking in enthusiasm. The Aveo's cloth seats, which one can upgrade to leatherette, convey real rental-car quality, but the no-nonsense dashboard is so uninteresting that it could be more fun to watch paint dry on a wall.

The seats are painfully firm and flat, the inside panels don't fit well, and the switchgear is shoddy, according to reviewers. It doesn't take long to notice that the interior of the Aveo looks like it belongs in a car from the '90s. That wouldn't be too bad, but keep in mind that Chevy built this car in the 2010s.

The Aveo is practical for commuting and getting around town. Its 108 horsepower is a little less than the Honda Fit’s, yet it weighs a bit less than the Aveo, giving it an edge. The Aveo is a poor choice for a tight pass on a two-lane road. With careful consideration and preparation, merging onto a busy freeway shouldn't be an issue, especially with a passenger.

The Chevrolet Aveo is more concerned with ride comfort than with handling. The Aveo easily smoothes out most bumps. Sharper bumps have little effect on passenger comfort. When pushed aggressively, the Aveo seems nose-heavy and lacks the snappy handling found in the Honda Fit.

When you accelerate through a moderately tight corner, the Aveo's body leans quite a little. That's part of the price one pays for a comfortable ride, especially on a rough surface. It's also the Aveo's way of reminding the driver that it wasn't supposed to be a sports car.

The steering seems light and a little numb, but not too much. Although considerably less direct than in the Fit, it is typical for an inexpensive vehicle. Although using rear drum brakes is an outdated technology, the brakes feel natural.

The 1.6-liter engine has well-controlled noise and vibration for a four-cylinder engine. It isn't quiet, especially at higher engine speeds. Since acute bumps produce loud banging noises, road noise is also rather annoying. In a storm, one can also clearly hear the rain hitting the roof, which shows that Chevrolet didn't utilize a lot of soundproofing.

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Engine difficulties in a 2011 Chevrolet Aveo are highly inconvenient. Some users have reported issues ranging from white smoke coming from the engine to unexpected power loss.

They also reported oil leaks, overheating, and cooling system issues, all of which were accompanied by an illuminated check engine light. Some owners were forced to pull over because it got too risky to continue driving.

Some owners have taken their Aveos to the dealerships, but mechanics could not identify any issues with the vehicle. Different diagnoses, such as coolant fluid leaks, broken head gaskets, and other problems, have been given to other owners.

Depending on which components have failed, these issues get fixed on a case-by-case basis, according to reports.

Another annoying problem is a faulty turning signal switch. The turn signals on the 2011 Chevrolet Aveo may not function correctly due to a switch that commonly malfunctions or fails.

Certain owners have reported this issue when driving. They complained that the turn signals remained on or off instead of flashing as they should. Some owners attempted to resolve the problem by replacing the fuses in their vehicles, but the problem persisted. Other owners have said that they tried to replace relays and cables, but nothing worked.

Marcus is a car enthusiast who loves writing about them. He travels frequently and always seeks out the best driving roads to really test a car's limits. His favorite cars are anything with a manual transmission, and he's been known to spend hours just shifting through all the gears.