It’s Chevy’s smallest, and its least expensive car. The 2013 Spark sub-compact four door is 14 inches shorter than Chevy’s Sonic, Chevrolet’s second smallest offering. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in economy.
It has been said Spark is not intended to excite or inspire as its bulbous body and small wheels give it a snappy, CARS movie look. It competes against the likes of the Fiat, Scion IQ, Ford Fiesta, Kia Rio and probably a few more.
Spark is the perfect car for short-trip commuters, city dwellers and college students as it’s economical to drive and inexpensive to own. Insurance costs too should be reasonable.
The front-drive Spark is offered in LS, 1LT and 2LT, the latter of which we tested. Each model offers additional standard features like leatherette seats, heated front seats, leather wrapped steering wheel, roof rails, solar absorbing glass and fog lights on my 2LT test car.
Base prices range from $13,920 for the LS, to the nicely equipped LT2 at $15,795 including delivery.
Spark gets its meager power from a 1.2L, 84-hp Ecotech, 4-cylinder that generates 83 lb/ft of torque at 4,200 rpm. The combination has been 0-60 tested at 10.5 seconds. It’s been humorously said that some motorcycles generate more horsepower than the Spark’s engine.
My test car came with the standard 5-speed manual transmission (a 4-speed automatic is optionally available) that in combination rates EPA mileage estimates of 32 city, 38-highway mpg.
Acceleration is brisk but nowhere near pocket rocket status. The 5-speed shifter was notchy going through the gears and I noticed that in 5th gear, the rpm’s drop by 500 to help conserve fuel. But what was most irritating was the light clutch that engaged at the end of travel instead of at the beginning. This long hold could give some folks leg cramps. It can also make for lethargic starts until acclimating to the exact engagement point. But it did have hill-hold, which is nice to have on steep inclines when another car is obnoxiously close to your rear bumper.
In the stylish cabin, hard plastic surfaces abound but are tasteful for a car in this price class. Chevy’s standard MyLink offers hands-free Smartphone integration with Pandora, Stitcher and Bluetooth audio streaming which was relatively easy to operate and easier than Ford’s MyTouch system. Although at times, it took a couple of finger taps to register a selection on the 6x3.75-inch touchscreen. Of course you can play your iPhone music through the system as you can its GPS function that displays on the screen, alleviating the need to watch the phone’s screen.
The front seats are on the firm side and offer minimal lateral support. The rear seats are very firm and are a bit of a squeeze to slide into. Rear headrests thoughtfully fold down to offer a better rearward view in this surprisingly spacious interior.
Trunk space measures 16 inches deep, 38 wide and 32 tall. Flip the 60/40 seat backs and depth reaches to 43 inches or 31.2 cubic feet. The seats take some time to fold, as it’s necessary to flip the seat cushions forward after removing the headrests and before folding the seatbacks.
Handling is fairly agile and Spark parks easily. Of course as with all short wheel based subcompacts, ride quality is smooth until rough pavement is encountered; then it’s a bumpy affair. Road and wind noise are also noticeable. As for long rides in a Spark, only young Gen X,Y bodies could bode well in a trip from Allentown to Orlando.
The 2013 Spark is a good choice for first-time buyers or elderly folks who only need trips to the grocery store, pharmacy, to visit the grandkids, to restaurants and bowling alleys.
Spark comes standard with frontal, knee, side-impact and head curtain, rear outboard passenger, side impact and head curtain airbags, tire pressure monitoring, stability and traction control and rear wiper. Included too on the LT2 is Sirius radio for three months (subscription needed thereafter) and 6 months of free OnStar service.
To take a youthful Spark for a spin stop by Outten Chevrolet on Tilghman Street in Allentown, and to automatically receive auto news and reviews from Nick Hromiak, click on the “Subscribe” notation on this page.
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