2006 Chevrolet Aveo

Showing the 2006 Aveo LT. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy
25–26 mpgcombined; city 21–22, highway 31–32; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,490–$12,990U.S. average; Ohio $11,160–$11,610 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
Recall campaigns
1over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
189filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2006 Aveo. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 189 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Aveo. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical system671120
Air bags58917
Exterior lighting38050
Power train16000
Engine and engine cooling13000
Suspension11101
Vehicle speed control11300
Engine9111
Steering9311
Structure8101
Service brakes7410
Unknown or other6020
11 more parts
Electronic stability control (ESC)4000
Fuel/propulsion system3000
Latches/locks/linkages3000
Seat belts3010
Service brakes, hydraulic3000
Tires2000
Visibility2000
Wheels2000
Equipment adaptive/mobility1000
Fuel system, gasoline1000
Interior lighting1000

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 2006189
  2. 2007216
  3. 2008163
  4. 2009169
  5. 201066
  6. 201177

Every Aveo year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2006 Aveo over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Exterior lighting: headlights

NHTSA campaign 14V261000 · reported May 19, 2014 · 218,000 vehicles potentially affected

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Aveo vehicles equipped with daytime running lights (DRL). In the affected vehicles, there may be heat generated within the DRL module located in the center console in the instrument panel, which could melt the DRL module.

Risk: If the DRL module melts due to the heat generation, it could cause a vehicle fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a revised DRL module, inspect the wiring connector for heat damage, and clean the DRL circuit grounds. Owners were sent interim notices on August 14, 2014. The recall began on February 6, 2015. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). General Motors recall number for this campaign is 14236.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 656 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2006 Aveo, the latest on Jul 18, 2025. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: equipment (319), electrical system (130), engine and engine cooling (80), equipment adaptive/mobility (49), power train (38).

NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2006 Aveo.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Specs

EPA class: subcompact cars. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
Aveo 5
Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cylManual 5-spdRegular Gasoline22 / 32 / 26
Aveo 5
Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cylAutomatic 4-spdRegular Gasoline21 / 31 / 25

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data