Aveo-a-go-Joe for the MPG Marathon

With its low purchase price, handsome looks and penny-pinching running costs, the Chevrolet Aveo is already one of the best supermini choices for younger drivers.

But apprentice marine engineer Joe Durkin, from Falmouth, Cornwall, hopes to go one better, by proving that a responsible driving style is an even smarter way of saving the pennies.

The 17-yr old, who works for Pendennis Superyachts, has yet to pass his test, but is already keen to show other young drivers that you don’t have to be quick to be with it.

“I’ve told my mates what I’m doing, and they think it’s quite cool,” he said. “The Aveo’s a smart looking car, and I’m going to be driving it in a smart way.”

Behind the wheel of the latest Aveo, Joe certainly won’t have anything to worry about in the style stakes. He’ll be driving the 1.2 S 3-dr with body styling pack, which is currently on offer at participating retailers as a £500 option plus £350 for metallic paint. That brings the total cost of the model to just £8,995, though sadly Joe won’t be able to benefit from Chevrolet’s free insurance offer as he’s too young – if you’re aged between 21 and 80, you get a year’s free cover included in the price.

The MPG Marathon begins and ends this year in Coventry, Warks, and takes in a 400-mile route through the East Midlands, then across into the West Midlands and Shropshire.

The event aims to promote fuel efficient driving, by demonstrating the benefits of predicting and pre-empting traffic conditions and employing mechanical sympathy to get the best MPG possible.

In previous years, Chevrolet demonstrated how Sports Utility Vehicles could be used responsibly by taking seven adults in a Captiva, emitting less CO2 than seven adults in two hatchbacks, while last year two Aveos competed side by side, one driven economically, one driven normally, to illustrate how a careful driver could save themselves over £600 a year by driving responsibly.

To find out more about the event or to track Joe’s progress, visit mpgmarathon.com; or for more information on the Chevrolet Aveo, go to chevrolet.co.uk.