However, there's not much else in this segment, and considering the Mitsubishi Mirage is similarly priced, the Chevy Spark gets a rating as the best of a bad bunch. But for anyone looking for something more than just self-propelled transportation, the Spark falls short. It's not bad to drive, it looks cool, and the infotainment system is pretty good. Another drawback is the lack of advanced driver aids and the nonsensical decision to limit those that are available to the most expensive trim. The car's low curb weight helps, but the tin-can feeling never really leaves you, especially when the car hasn't been fully rated by any local crash-test agency. It's possibly a little too small to be anything more than a runabout, the CVT is frustratingly annoying and indecisive, and the engine is severely underpowered. It's ideal for student drivers and those residing in congested cities, but for pretty much anyone else in the USA, the Spark is outclassed by most of the competition. Thus, if you're going to do a lot of freeway stuff, it's worth going for a test drive in this little automobile to see if you can live with the intrusive noise.Ĭonsidering the Spark's pricing, it's not a bad car and does exactly what it's meant to. That is more down to the cost-saving, narrow, lightly insulated door panels and cabin than an overly harsh engine, but it's the only real complaint to note - it's also to be expected for a car that is more suited to city driving than high revs. However, at highway speeds, there's plenty of drone from the little motor. Overall, it's comfortable enough, smooth enough, and agile enough for the city. But what about ride quality? The suspension is comfortable and compliant enough, but because this is a small car with tiny tires, mid-corner bumps can unsettle it. The brakes are also full of feel and easy to modulate and stopping power is adequate for the weight of the car. The steering is light at low speeds - which, let's be honest, is always - but well-weighted, with surprisingly high levels of feedback and communication, making it great for parking and inspiring confidence on the freeway. It is also not entirely out of its depth on the motorway, where it displays enough straight-line stability to provide confidence.What the Chevy Spark lacks in power and torque, it makes up for with low weight and a short wheelbase. In other respects the Spark makes for a good, if basic, city car with manageable weight to the steering and a turning circle of less than 10 metres. But there isn’t a great deal of sophistication to the suspension, meaning it copes less well with more challenging compound bumps or expansion joints taken at speed. In town and at low speeds it deals with even quite severe potholes comfortably. Especially when, as a consequence of the soft set-up, the Spark rides relatively well. However, that point is not so high as to be impossible to exceed on the road, after which the Spark displays further retro traits.Īs a result, the process of driving the Spark is more involving than in some rivals, which in a way is not without its appeal. 1.4-liter I4, manual: 29/38 mpg city/highway 1. Instead, you need to live with the roll rate and trust that the front end will bite, which to a point it will. The Chevrolet Spark gets average fuel economy for a subcompact car. Turn for a corner and there is a noticeable process of the car settling on its springs, which can give the impression that the Spark has less grip and agility than it actually does. A combination of small ventilated front discs and rear drums is to be expected at this end of the market, and in our tests proved capable of stopping the Spark from 70mph in less than 50m, better than the class average. Similarly, the well judged brake modulation makes the Spark easy to drive in traffic. The gearchange, although light and long in throw, moves positively and smoothly around the gate. If you can live with the volume, the Spark is at least, in both engine guises, undemanding to keep on the boil. Even so, in this city biased car we'd suggest that is has just enough power and torque to be adequate. Chevrolet quotes a 0-62mph time of 15.5secs, which tells its own story. How coarse? Let’s put it this way: when we first drove off in the Spark, we stopped and checked under the bonnet because we wondered if Chevrolet had supplied us with a three-cylinder variant by mistake.Īs for that 1.0-litre engine, it too suffers from being rather too vocal, but it’s biggest problem is a shortage of power. And this is its biggest downfall because the four-cylinder engine is both loud and coarse, damaging overall refinement. The Spark is, of course, happier in town, where it is sprightly enough to keep up with the cut and thrust, but again it needs revs to deliver its best.
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