Chevrolet desperately tried to save its European branch by introducing a budget car able to increase the sales in a drowning market.
GM bought the Daewoo remains and used its already planned models to expand its market share on the European continent. The times were tough, and the world financial crisis cut sales all over the world. A small-segment vehicle with a good-looking design seemed to be a good idea, but it didn’t work well for Chevrolet Aveo/Kalos.

Kalos (beautiful in Greek) was designed with the help of Pininfarina studio. The Italians tried to give the car a shape that would distinguish itself among the other competitors on the market. With its straight-cut headlights and the split-grille, its image was good. From the side, the hot-hatch appearance looked better in pictures than in real life.

While the exterior promised a vehicle with good qualities, the interior was fitted with a bland design and budget materials. Its connection with the former Daewoo models couldn’t be hidden by introducing a new steering wheel and a new CD-radio (only on top trim levels). The instrument cluster, in particular, offered a cheap-looking design with fake plastic pieces that mimicked aluminum.

Under the posh-looking bodywork, GM used the same old platform from Daewoo. There was a choice of new engines, including a 1.2-liter 16-valves, paired to a 5-speed manual. The upper version, which featured a 1.4-liter unit, was available with a 4-speed automatic transmission.