Friday, October 4, 2013
2013 Chevrolet Spark Review Price Specification
The Spark is Chevys new A-segment mini. Three other cars sold in the U.S. compete in this size category, and none is like this Bowtie A-car. It certainly has none of the cartoonish character of the Fiat 500, and its more than $3000 cheaper than the op-art design, two-door hatchback Scion iQ, a car surprisingly substandard in its driving dynamics, especially for a Toyota product. The only competitor that comes close to the Sparks $12,995 price is the Smart Fortwo, a two-door two-seater that serves as a strong argument for the commuter biking movement.
The Chevy Spark, which goes on sale in August or September, is the only four-door hatchback in the A-segment with reasonably comfortable space for four adults. It is unique. A pure electric version is scheduled to hit the market next year.
The rear seat, with cupholders dividing left from right, has generous headroom and pretty good legroom, with a necessarily short seat cushion. The car is tall: one inch taller than the already upright Sonic B-car. With the Sparks rear seats up, theres not much more cargo space than in the Fortwo. But who combines grocery shopping with double dates? Flip and fold the rear seats and the Spark offers 31.2 cubic-feet of volume, Chevy says.
Bonus then for the Spark: Its actually a real car. At 144.7 inches long, the Spark is within two inches of the Mini Cooper hardtop, and its 93.5-inch wheelbase is almost two inches longer than the Mazda MX-5 Miata roadster. But the Spark is over three inches narrower and almost half a foot taller than the Mini. (For those of you who might have dropped freshman Physics in favor of something less math-y, short and squat is as desirable for handling as it isnt for getting a date.) At 11 cubic feet, cargo capacity isnt huge, but its better than the others in this class. On the plus side – pun intended – the Sparks EPA passenger volume of 86 cubic feet is fairly huge, topping the Ford Fiesta hatchback, which is ostensibly a class up in the B-segment.
