How to Repair, Maintain, and Care for Your Car.Inside, the Spark has cubbies in the center console and a useful shelf above the glovebox, but there's only a plastic tray between the back seats. Likewise, loading luggage involved lifting it up and over the rear bumper. Even then, the cargo floor was nowhere near flat. It required moving the front seats forward, so the bottom cushions could flip up before the seatbacks could fold down. However, this was a very clumsy transformation. That increases to 27 cubes with the rear seat stowed, allowing it to swallow 15 bags total. We fit three carry-on bags behind the Spark's back seat, which offers 11 cubic feet of cargo space. The back seat is undeniably cramped the front seats must be slid forward to comfortably fit an adult. Unfortunately, the narrow front seats have flimsy cushions and no lateral support. The large front doors and raised seat height make climbing into the cockpit easy. The driving position is upright like a crossover's, with a fold-down armrest that keeps things comfortable. Desirable features are mainly limited to leather trimmings and heated front seats. Although most plastics are hard, they fit together evenly and have attractive textures. The Spark avoids the shoddy interior quality that is common on cars this cheap. The automatic Spark LT we tested on our 200-mile highway fuel-economy route returned 37 mpg, 1 mpg shy of both its EPA rating and the last 500C we tested. These figures are better than the Fiat 500's but are outdone by the Mitsubishi Mirage's rating of up to 36 mpg city and 43 highway. Highway estimates are 37 mpg on Activ models and 38 on the others. In city driving, it's rated at 29 mpg with the manual transmission and 30 with the automatic. The firm brake pedal had strong responses that helped scrub speed quickly and consistently.ĭespite its teensy size and teeny engine, the Spark doesn't earn fantastic EPA estimates. It was also relaxed at highway speeds and made changing lanes easy without feeling twitchy. The Spark's steering felt direct and communicated the road surface to the driver's hand. However, rattles and road noise were more subdued than in rival economy cars. Still, the Chevy was bouncy on uneven surfaces, and the harshest bumps were barely isolated. Its short wheelbase aids maneuverability in tight spaces without compromising ride quality. The Spark is easy to thread through slow-moving traffic, with quick lateral movements and stable motions. This diminutive hatchback is definitely not designed for long road trips, but it's effective and quiet in the city. The Spark struggled from zero to 60 mph in 10.7 seconds and needed 7.6 seconds to go from 50 to 70 mph, which simulates passing at highway speeds. While the version we tested was responsive at low speeds around town, be prepared to wait as it moseys up to higher speeds. Thankfully, the gearless automatic managed power well without droning engine noise. Engine, Transmission, and PerformanceĮvery Spark has a feeble four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels through either a five-speed manual or continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Keep it simple, as Chevy has done with regular Spark. The faux-off-road Activ trim isn't worth the cost. If you don't know how to drive a car with a manual transmission, here is the incentive to learn. We can't, however, recommend the $1100 continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). While there is no Spark one could objectively say is "laden with content," the $1900 upcharge to the LT trim brings useful features, including satellite radio and keyless entry.
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