Rating
Quick Summary
Average. Good looks and low costs make the Spark a decent runabout or second car.
Road Test
For years Chevrolet's city car was the rebadged Daewoo Matiz, a car that frankly didn't do the brand any favours. But now a Chevrolet-designed car, the Spark, has taken the Matiz's place as the cheapest and smallest car the brand has to offer. Thankfully, it's also an improvement.
With prices starting at approximately £7,000, the Spark retains the budget nature of an entry-level Chevy - and even the range-topping model is available at less than £10,000.
Unsurprisingly, given its low price, it does feel as if it's built to a price, but it would be harsh to damn the Spark for the feel of its interior plastics, for example: most of it feels durable but there is a slight element of give to some of them, especially the door panels.
What is at odds with the Spark's low price, however, is the amount of equipment on offer through the range. While the entry-level trim is basic, the higher specifications offer much more in the way of kit: by the time you get to the top of the range, you get toys such as 15-inch alloy wheels, a stereo with aux and USB inputs, steering wheel-mounted controls and climate control.
The options list is short, but the availability of rear parking sensors is impressive for such a small and cheap car. Given that many Sparks will spend the majority of their time in urban environments, this £150 option could be a great investment.
Diminutive dimensions are not the only reason why the Spark is better suited to the urban environment. Its light steering, for instance, makes for easy manoeuvring around town, but out on the open road, it feels a bit vague at higher speeds. That said, high speeds are not something the Spark will be able to achieve on a regular basis. The entry-level 67bhp 1.0-litre engine is very slow to 62mph, taking 15.5 seconds. The 80bhp 1.2-litre engine is little better, but it does at least mean 12.1 seconds for the benchmark. It certainly feels nippy enough around town, but overtaking can be a fairly time-consuming process.
But practicality and the ability to seat two adults in the rear is more important to the Spark than performance. Split folding back seats add to its usefulness, but it is tricky to get them totally flat and the folding mechanism is slightly flimsy.
However, the Spark's striking good looks and high level of equipment mean it is a good option for urban drivers on a budget.
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