Despite its recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, General Motors is continuing work on its next-generation small car — as evidenced by our latest spy shots. Although there is some debate about what the final product will be named, GM’s Ford Fiesta fighter should be ready to hit the U.S. market sometime next year.
This running prototype has, in recent weeks, been labeled as the next-generation Chevrolet Aveo, as well as the Chevy Lecetti. However, evidence is now mounting that this prototype is actually an all-new model for GM, dubbed the Chevrolet Viva.
According to several sources, the Viva will replace the Aveo in Chevrolet’s lineup. Although the Aveo has sold in decent numbers, it has never exactly been a fan favorite. Most criticisms involves the car’s cheap feel — something GM hopes to shore up with the new Viva.
In order to improve the small car’s quality, GM will move the Aveo-replacement’s production from Korea to the United States. That will likely raise the price of the sub-compact, but it should also raise the bar in terms of quality.
An exact launch date is not know at this time, but the Viva should hit U.S. shores just in time to take on Ford’s Fiesta.



06/03, 9:32 AM
posted by:
zfenderguy
Move production of a Chevy back to the US! More news like that please! That said, this car looks a long way from anything I’d drive. Especially if it’s called the “Viva”. I can’t even say that without feeling like compulsively doing “jazz hands”.
06/03, 9:35 AM
posted by:
bigs4610
looks decent
still dont like the segment of cars, regardless of make or model
06/03, 9:44 AM
posted by:
Borat
Looks like GM copied former Russian Niva and just slightly changed name.
06/03, 10:26 AM
posted by:
JakeK66
It looks like a GM product, where the Aveo doesn’t. I think this is a good thing, it brings more unity to the model line. No one can expect much from the sub-compact segment anyway, but it has some nice touches to help it, like steering wheel controls. I don’t think it’s as nice as the Fiesta but I also think it will undercut it in price by a few thousand dollars.
06/03, 10:30 AM
posted by:
inline6
Yeah, Borat, you might want to research the name “Vauxhall Viva”, because that was the name of GM’s English-made small car until 1979, when it was replaced with the Astra.
06/03, 10:39 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
So no more Aveo. Chalk up another name to add to Gm’s MIA list of vehicles that were either so crappy or so forgettable that it was just better to bury all memory of it than continue. Viva La Revolution!
06/03, 10:40 AM
posted by:
shaver
Viva, like the paper towels?
06/03, 10:51 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Speaking of things that absorb, they should call it the Kotex and just maybe it will stop the bleeding.
06/03, 10:53 AM
posted by:
Borat
shaver, good point! Can GM sell cars with paper towel’s name in US? It is different industry and nobody will confuse paper towel with a car, but who knows? May be you will need one when you buy another?
06/03, 10:55 AM
posted by:
Borat
Johnny, appropriate. Once Hummer will go Borat’s first wife transformation in China, it may will need Kotex to go along.
06/03, 11:20 AM
posted by:
leftwingagenda
better name than the Ford Aspire, for what it’s worth…a car that aspires to be a real car someday…
06/03, 1:12 PM
posted by:
Lawnchair88
I never considered an Aveo because they were made in Korea. But a US built car I would consider. Glad to hear GM is moving jobs TO the states.
06/03, 1:36 PM
posted by:
A4
Thank god they changed “no” to “vi”
06/03, 2:35 PM
posted by:
Blakkarr
The name is clearly a stab at “Fiesta”. VIva generally received as a celebratory term but does mean “live” or “life” My Spanish is rusty.
Right now the body is so heavily disguised I can’t tell it this is some re-badged Daihatsu, a Deawoo, or something new. All the same I’d wait for the Chevy beat or whatever.
06/03, 3:11 PM
posted by:
TomF
Viva used to be a pretty good paper towel.
06/03, 4:03 PM
posted by:
Borat
Tom it still is.
06/03, 4:57 PM
posted by:
impulsive facts
Unless Viva paper towels sue GM for name infringement, like the the makers of the Beretta gun did back in the late 80s / early 90s to fight the Chevrolet Beretta.
Just curious, wouldn’t the quality of the vehicle have a little more to do with the quality of the parts and of the engineering of the vehicle as opposed to its place of manufacture? I like the idea of them building the car in the US, but South Korea DOES build some good products (Hyundai) and the US does build some cars on par with the Aveo (like the Cobalt and the Caliber).
06/03, 5:12 PM
posted by:
zoomzoomer
Because of this news story, Chrysler has just decided to rebadge the Fiat 500 as the Dodge Hola for the US market.
06/03, 8:21 PM
posted by:
sharpie
What’s there to Viva about? Maybe somewhere in GM, someone is thinking his/her job is secured because s/he has suggested such “brilliant” name.
06/03, 8:31 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
The latest itteration of the Aveo is not low quality. I’d call it nice, if not a bit stale like an 80’s compact.
Great if it was built in the U.S., but as long as they create a reliable, quality product and profits come here…
06/03, 8:47 PM
posted by:
AutoCritical
Wow – so the Viva is a good at cleaning up messes and soaking up? well, from what I had heard about the Korean version viva, you’d hope it would be good at cleaning up if you were to constantly defecate your pants with the shocking drive and build quality of that car…. Good thing they are taking it to the US…
06/04, 2:18 AM
posted by:
steve333
First they change the Cobalt to the Cruze, not the Aveo becomes the Viva?
What kind of morons does GM have in marketing?
For God sakes, just keep the Cobalt name and if you must change the name Aveo, just call it the Metro.
06/04, 4:45 AM
posted by:
fan
from what one can tell with all that camo on it, it could be a rebadged opel corsa…
06/05, 12:29 AM
posted by:
Kanucko
Hopefully it doesn’t have the massively ugly Chevy Malibu face on it like the current Aveo has. Hideous…