Chevrolet's 3-Door Kalos Points Way to a Sportier Aveo

The Kalos Will Be Chevrolet's Top Selling Model in Europe

Chevrolet is the definitive American brand, a staple for the North American consumer when it comes to affordable automobiles,

The new three-door Kalos would compliment Chevy's four-door notchback and five-door hatchback models Aveo if sold in Canada. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

sport utilities and pick up trucks, reaching a level of household notoriety that few brands can challenge.

While Chevrolet may rein supreme in North America, its brand equity isn't as strong elsewhere in the world. This won't surprise anyone who has traveled to Europe, for instance, where the only Chevy that you might see is a Corvette, and that would be a rare sighting. Another GM rarity might be a late model Cadillac, but again you'd need to drive for quite some time to see one.

For the longest time General Motors products have lived under the shadow of the automaker's European division, Adam Opel, often criticized for its lineup of sub-par quality, gas-guzzling vehicles. Now that GM has purchased Daewoo it has another brand in Europe, however, the Korean carmaker has nominal brand recognition

Stylish bumpers and a unique sporty roofline are part of the three-door package, but the dimensions are the same. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

and those that do know it hardly consider it highly. So why not kill the Daewoo name and replace it with Chevrolet? It makes sense, being that the all-American brand sounds very European due to founder Louis' Chevrolet's French heritage.

The move to swap nameplates on Daewoo's 2005 lineup was a surprise to most nevertheless, and one that seems questionable being that those who disrespect the Daewoo brand will now cast the same doubt over Chevrolet. After all, most Europeans will be savvy enough to notice that a new badge is all that separates the Chevrolets from their Daewoo predecessors, making the strategy to establish the bowtie brand in Europe odd to say the least.