2009 Chevy Aveo5 and Aveo sedan to start at $12,120

While the outward appearance of the Chevy Aveo5 could charitably be described as "polarizing", its recently announced pricing will likely polarize a few people, as well. Currently, the Aveo sedan and Aveo5 hatchback boast the lowest average transaction price in the United States of $12,258 according to J.D. Power and Associates, but the 2009 model might end that trend with a big price bump for the redesigned 2009 Aveo5. The new five-door Aveo5 hatchback comes in with a starting price of $12,120, which is $1,125 more than the 2008 Aveo5 that starts at just $10,895. This increase is partly due to the fact that the Special Value edition has been dropped. We should also note that the Aveo5 is redesigned for 2009 and features a number of upgrades, but the price bump will still be felt hard by those looking for the cheapest Point A-to-Point B transportation. The sedan version, meanwhile, now has the same $12,120 starting price as the Aveo5, which means its MSRP has actually been lowered compared to the 2008 model that starts at $12,830. Stepping up a notch to the LT model, meanwhile, will get you standard air conditioning and a $14,255 starting point.

Desirable safety features such as dual frontal and side-impact air bags, front safety belt pretensioners, a tire pressure monitoring system, oil life monitoring system and OnStar come standard on all Aveo models. Available on the up-market LT models are XM Radio, leatherette seating trim, steering wheel audio controls, a power-operated sunroof and power-adjustable and heated outside mirrors. Regardless of what you think of the Aveo's styling (we're not fans), its still relatively low price and decent fuel mileage of 27 mpg city and 34 mpg highway should yield a good chunk of buyers for GM's entry-level model.

Tokyo Motor Show: Suzuki Palette vs. Daihatsu Tanto

The 2007 Tokyo Motor Show ended last week, but today we're cleaning out our closet of yet-to-be published posts from this biggest of biannual Japanese auto shows.
click above image to view just how much legroom this truly mini vans have

Pity poor Suzuki. Japan's vast market for mini vehicles has been dominated by the company since the creation of kei cars in the '50s, but ever since the turn of the millennium, Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu has been taking some serious chunks out of Suzuki's market share. The final straw came at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show when Daihatsu premiered the Tanto -- a kei with minivan-style sliding rear doors and simply astounding amounts of leg room and interior space. Suzuki had to react, so at this year's Tokyo Motor Show it unveiled the Palette (shown above), a car strikingly similar to the Tanto in profile, but with a smidge more legroom.

So balance has been restored to the kei car market then? Nope. Daihatsu has upped the ante by removing the B-pillar from the Tanto (shown at right), creating a mammoth hole through which struggling toddlers can be passed. The ball is back in your court Suzuki.

Details on Mazda1 revealed

High energy costs and growth in emerging markets have automakers scrambling to downsize their product plans, and ultra-small transportation like the VW up! is bound to bring low-cost city cars to the masses. Mazda intends to be a serious player in this burgeoning segment and will unveil the Mazda1 concept in Paris this fall, expected to look like the sketch above and influenced by the Nagare design language.

Mazda promises that the production vehicle will be more "radical" in production trim, though it likely won't carry fuel cells and batteries like the concept. The automaker does plan on offering amenities like navigation, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, and the micro will have sliding doors and seats to make getting in and out easier. Mazda engineers are also working hard to make sure the Mazda1 is environmentally friendly, which means low emissions, small powertrains, and low weight. Fortunately, those very same attributes will also help keep costs down, which should help Mazda offer the vehicle everywhere from India and China to more developed regions like Europe and the US.

Mazda1 city car coming to Paris Motor Show

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mazda Taiki concept.

show cars with a supermini concept, due to be unveiled at the Mazda is finally going to employ the styling cues shown on its Taiki, Ryuga, Hakaze and FuraiParis Motor Show. The concept aims to slot in below the Mazda2 and may be the first production model to benefit from the Nagare design theme. Other models utilizing Laurens van der Acker's swooping and sculpted lines are expected to come to production in 2010, including the redesigned Mazda3.

Mazda also plans to unveil a small crossover concept at the Moscow Motor Show later this year, which will likely be based of the Ford Kuga and utilize the same Nagare DNA. This new CUV will be specifically designed for the Russian market, which Mazda maintains could overtake Germany as the largest market in Europe. But bringing this cute 'ute to the UK and the US is a possibility, as consumers continue to downsize their rides.

2009 Ford Ka unofficially revealed

The Ford Ka has been a prime example that the Blue Oval can be successful at making make little cars, even if they kind of look like basketball shoes. After 12 years of service, it's time to shake things up a bit. The next Ka shares mechanicals with the stylish Fiat 500, and after scoping the first unofficial pics from Auto Express, the Ford will be just as cute as its Italian sibling. Designers did manage to heavily differentiate the Ka from the 500, skipping the rounded lines in favor of edgier lines and details that reinforce Ford of Europe's styling language. Think micro-Fiesta, and you've got the picture.

Since it's for European consumption, it'll have no less than three powertrains from the get-go, with a 68 hp 1.2L, a 100 hp 1.4L, and a 1.3L, 50 mpg diesel. Rumor has it that a hotter Ka ST is on its way as well, with 150 hp coming from a turbocharged 1.4L engine. Interior refinement over the outgoing model comes courtesy of better materials and improved ergonomics.

We're still a few months away from the Ka's official unveiling at the Paris Auto Show in September, but we like what we see so far. Besides, if it's good enough for Bond, it'll be good enough for us. The Ka will be produced in Poland and it'll go on sale in Europe by the end of the year.