2020 Chevrolet Spark

The Chevy Spark is offered in 4 variants with the base variant starting at $13,000. The Spark gets a 1.4-litre engine that churns out a humble 98 horsepower. The engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The Chevrolet Spark is a great daily driver. It also performs well in the city. Moreover, it gets some interesting tech features that are simple to use. Highway driving isn't all that really great and that's something that will disappoint you.

Trims	LS	1LT	ACTIV	2LT
MSRP (5-Speed Manual)	$14,095	$15,995	$17,095	$16,620
MSRP (CVT)	$15,195	$18,595	$18,195	$17,720
Engine	1.4L I4	1.4L I4	1.4L I4	1.4L I4
Features	Solar absorbing Glass	All the features in LS trim added/replaced and:	All the features in 1LT trim added/replaced and:	All the features in ACTIV trim added/replaced and:
	Manual Outside Mirrors	Cruise Control	Black Rocker Mouldings	Rear Park Assist
	15-inch steel wheels	Automatic power emergency door locks	Fog Lamps	15-inch Aluminum Wheels
	Chrome Grille	Steering Wheel Mounted Controls	Custom ACTIV Grille	Chrome Beltline Mouldings
	Daytime Running Lamps	LED Daytime Running Lamps	Luggage Rack	Enhanced Driver Information Center
	Halogen Projector Beam Headlamps	Sirius XM Radio	Black Front and Rear Bumpers	Keyless Entry
	Rear Spoiler	Body-coloured door handles	Heated power outside mirrors
	4-Speaker Audio System	6-Speaker Audio System	Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
	Driver Information Center	Power Windows
	Electronic Stability Control System
	Hill Start Assist
	Traction Control

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The Spark is the kind of car you will generally use for driving around the town and go to some departmental stores to buy your monthly or weekly grocery. The LS variant gets all the basic thing that you need to have for a car of this stature. Moreover, for $13000, it comes at a bargain price.

The Chevrolet Spark is powered by a 1.4L gasoline motor. It is a naturally aspirated 4 cylinder motor putting out a peak power of 98hp @ 6200 rpm and a torque of 94 ft.-lbs. @ 4400 rpm. The Spark is a city car and that is how it likes to behave. The car has an engine that is peppy enough to be driven within the city limits.

However, on the highway, this is a different story. You fell the car is underpowered, less responsive to throttle inputs and is not so stable either.

Models	Chevrolet Spark LS	Toyota Yaris Hatchback LE	Kia Rio S	Mitsubishi Mirage ES
MSRP	$14,095	$17,750	$16,490	$13,795
Engine	1.4L I4	1.5L I4	1.6L I4	1.2L I3
Transmission	5-Speed Manual	6-Speed Automatic	6-Speed Automatic	5-Speed Manual
Horsepower	98 hp @6200 rpm	106 hp @6000 rpm	130 hp @6300 rpm	78 hp @6000 rpm
Torque	94 lb-ft @4400 rpm	103 lb-ft @4000 rpm	119 lb-ft @4850 rpm	74 lb-ft @4000 rpm

The Chevy Spark has a decent power of 98HP but its counterparts, the Kia Rio and the Toyota Yaris are much more powerful than Chevy. While the Chevy is powered by a 1.4-litre motor, the Rio & Yaris has a 1.6-litre motor and 1.6 litres. Rio is the most powerful with a class-leading power of 130 HP and 119 lbs. ft. of torque. In the engine and transmission section, it is the Rio that outperforms its contenders. 

Acceleration

The Spark is a slow and sluggish car, credit to its small engine. The Spark takes 10.7 secs to reach 60 MPH from a standstill. This car hits the quarter-mile mark in 18 secs. This certainly isn't the car that you take to the race track to enjoy driving.

Spark has been created for city hopping and so it fitted a light accelerator that swings to your melodies. The output is immediate without any lag and dashing off red lights or passing vehicles is a breeze in the baby Chevy. But when it comes to highways, it lingers as getting up to speed is going to take time and overtaking would be cumbersome.

Models	Chevrolet Spark LS	Toyota Yaris Hatchback LE	Kia Rio S	Mitsubishi Mirage ES
0-60 MPH	10.7 sec	10.3 sec	8.7 sec	12.2 sec
Quarter mile	18.0 sec(est.)	N/A	16.5 sec	18.8 sec
Emission (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15k mi/yr)	5.3	N/A	4.9	4.5

The Chevy Spark is the slowest among its contenders. The Mitsubishi Mirage which has a smaller 1.2-liter motor manages to complete the quarter-mile 0.5 seconds faster than the Spark. It is the weight of the car that is to be blamed for this. Though the KIA Rio is heavier than the spark, the engine power output has been tweaked to make them perform better in spite of being heavy.

Ride and Handling

On good roads, the Spark does handle really well. On bad roads, the ride quality degrades. Spark is the perfect car for city driving. It easily squeezes into parking spots and the low turning radius enhances its manoeuvrability. The Spark is a front-wheel driven car and so expect it understeer a little bit. The Spark handles like a typical small city car in that it is very easy to park this car in those tight parking spaces due to its small size. However, its when you start pushing this car you realize that this car is best suited for use only within the city.

There is significant body roll around corners and it does not inspire much confidence when pushed hard. On the better side, it has a fairly comfortable ride which reinforces its reputation as a city car. The steering is light and easy which means manoeuvring in and out of traffic is very easy. Still, it does not weigh up adequately at highway speeds. It's certainly not the best handling car but pretty clear about what its meant to do and that it does pretty well. 

Braking

The Chevrolet Spark gets 9.3 inches diameter discs up front and 7.9 inches diameter discs at the rear. If you ever slam brakes hard, the Spark will come to halt at a distance of 120 feet from 60 MPH. 

The low curb weight of 2246 lbs. helps the Spark to achieve decent braking performance. 

Models	Chevrolet Spark LS	Toyota Yaris Hatchback LE	Kia Rio S	Mitsubishi Mirage ES
Brake Front (in.)	9.3	N/A	11.0	9.0
Brake Rear (in.)	7.9	9.0	8.0	7.0
60-0 MPH (ft)	N/A	N/A	N/A	127

Kia is outfitted with the largest brakes, given the fact that it is the biggest vehicle with the most potent engine of the group. Spark should be able to slot itself behind the Kia Rio in terms of braking power. The Yaris would be stalked next on the list followed by the Mitsubishi Mirage. The Mirage and the Yaris stack up head-to-head with each other in terms of stopping distance.

Thanks to the humble engine and the low kerb weight, the Spark delivers impressive fuel economy numbers. The Spark can go for 29 miles every gallon of fuel when driving in the city while on the highway it can go for 39 miles every gallon of fuel. The Spark gets a combined fuel economy rating of 34 MPG.

Models	Chevrolet Spark LS	Toyota Yaris Hatchback LE	Kia Rio S	Mitsubishi Mirage ES
MPG (city)	29	32	28	33
MPG (highway)	38	40	37	41
MPG (combined)	33	35	32	36
Fuel Tank Capacity (Gal.)	9.0	11.6	11.9	9.2
Range (City/Highway)	261/342	N/A	N/A	304/377

The only car that's more fuel-efficient than the Spark is the Mitsubishi Mirage. The Mirage gets a combined fuel economy rating of 36 MPG but at the same time, it is 22 horses deficient than the Spark. However, comparing to the heavier rivals, the spark has the edge over the Rio and the Yaris

Spark can accommodate 5 people. It isn't very spacious on the inside but you can still cramp in 5 adults inside. The legroom and headroom on the front and on the rear are pretty decent if not the best. The upright position of the seats is a little disappointing and sitting in the same position continuously for a long period of time might troublesome people.

Most surfaces are just hard plastic and you can really see the cost-cutting at certain places. The layout is simple with the infotainment screen sitting on top with the climate control vents below it and then the controls for the same underneath. The layout is not the most aesthetically designed but perhaps can be forgiven considering that it's a budget car. Metallic grey trim on the dashboard provides much relief to the otherwise dull trim. 

Models	Chevrolet Spark LS	Toyota Yaris Hatchback LE	Kia Rio S	Mitsubishi Mirage ES
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	39.0/50.8/41.7	38.2/53.2/41.9	38.9/54.1/42.1	39.1/51.7/41.7
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	37.0/49.8/33.0	37.2/50.0/34.4	38.0/53.3/33.5	37.3/51.0/34.0

Mitsubishi is the spacious of the lot as the small engine helps add a lot of space on the inside. The Kia comes in second followed by Toyota. Chevy ranks the last in terms of interior space management.

Interior Features

• 12-volt power outlet
• 2-way manual front passenger seat
• Front passenger assist handle
• Carpeted floor mats
• 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat
• Cupholders
• Rear window defogger
• Front high-back bucket seats
• Heated Driver and front passenger seats

Infotainment System

The base model of the car has a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It has a multimedia system with 4 speakers. The reverse parking camera is standard on all variants. The infotainment system is quite slick and easy to use offering most features you could have in a car in this price range. 

The higher variants have the touchscreen infotainment system on the LS along with a six-speaker setup for better sound. The 2LT variant has reverse parking camera as standard along with a host of other features. The biggest boon is that it offers Android Auto and Apple CarPlay right from the base trim.  

• 6-Speaker Audio System
• 4G WiFi hotspot capable
• Bluetooth capable
• 7-inch touchscreen with Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System
• USB Data Ports
• On Star Navigation System
• Sirius XM Radio
• Voice Recognition System
• Steering Mounted Audio Controls
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto

Cargo Capacity

The cargo volume of the Spark is its biggest downside. With the second row up, the Spark offers a cargo volume of 11.1 cubic feet which is not all that really great. 

Fold-down the second row, you open up to 27.2 cubic feet of cargo volume.

Models	Chevrolet Spark LS	Toyota Yaris Hatchback LE	Kia Rio S	Mitsubishi Mirage ES
Cargo Volume (cu.-ft)	11.10	15.86	17.4	15.6

The Kia Rio & Mitsubishi Mirage has a much larger cargo space compared to the Spark & Toyota. In terms of cargo space, the Spark is really disappointing whereas the cargo capacity of the Rio and Mirage are just excellent.

The Spark is a smart looking hatchback from the exterior. It has neat lines and good proportions. The blacked-out headlamps and the large bold grille with the fog lamp housing look cool. The rear door handles have been neatly tucked into the C-pillar to give it a clean look. At the rear, the tail lamps are quite sleek and the contours on the bumper round of the simple yet bold looks. 

The Chevrolet Spark is a compact city hatchback. It weighs 2246 lbs. and has a ground clearance of 6.6 inches, which means you don’t have to worry about scraping the chassis on those large bumps or potholes. With a length of 143.1 inches and width of 62.8 inches, the car is easy to manoeuvre through the crowded city traffic.

Models	Chevrolet Spark LS	Toyota Yaris Hatchback LE	Kia Rio S	Mitsubishi Mirage ES
Length (in)	143.1	161.6	160.0	149.4
Width (in)	62.8	66.7	67.9	65.6
Height (in)	58.4	58.9	57.1	59.4
Ground clearance (in)	N/A	5.5	5.5	6.3
Wheelbase (in)	93.9	101.2	101.6	96.5
Track width (in) F/R	54.5/54.5	58.8/58.4	60.0/60.2	56.3/55.7
Curb weight (lbs)	2246	2396	2714	2018

The Mitsubishi Mirage is the lightest car in the segment followed by the Spark, Yaris, and Rio. With a length of 143.1 inches and width of 62.8 inches, the Spark is shorter than the Mirage, Toyota, and Rio. This means parking the car into those tight parking spaces won't be an issue with the Spark.

Exterior Features

• 15-Inch aluminium alloy wheels
• Black Rocker mouldings
• Daytime Running Lights
• Fog Lamps
• Solar absorbing Glass
• Heated power outside mirrors
• Luggage Rack
• Rear Spoiler

Chevrolet has equipped the Spark with a host of safety features that are impressive for the price. Most of its competitors are yet to get a hold on most of the features. The chassis is made of high strength steel which added to the safety along with driving dynamics. It comes with 10 airbags as standard and active ABS on all 4-wheels

Safety Features

• Electronic Traction Control
• Hill Start Assist
• Chevrolet Connected Services capable
• Rear Vision Camera
• 3-point seatbelts on all seats
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Electronic Stability Control with traction control (StabiliTrak)
• Engine Immobilizer

Toyota Yaris Hatchback VS Chevrolet Spark

The Toyota Yaris is amongst the only few cars in the segment to offer a manual transmission along with the others compared here. Toyota offers the best build quality among all the cars compared here but we still are not big fans of material quality.

Toyota provides a well-built car with the only manual offering in this set. The build quality is second to none and is utterly reliable being a Toyota. The Chevy is $2500 less than the Toyota and drives better in the city. It provides better mileage and helps has a better standard equipment list than the Yaris. The Chevy shines here with a better overall package that masks its outcomings.

Kia Rio VS Chevrolet Spark

KIA Rio is the most powerful car in the segment. It also has a six-speed transmission and is more spacious than all its counterparts. It was redesigned in 2018 and has persisted pretty much unchanged after it. And being a Kia, quirkiness is its highlight. 

But if you are planning a car only for the city, then Spark offers a much better cause. The compact proportions and small turning radius makes it perfect for a city ride. But the Kia wins in the overall package.

Mitsubishi Mirage VS Chevrolet Spark

The Mitsubishi Mirage is a very basic and frugal car. It only delivers 78 HP of power. As a result, the Spark has better acceleration figures than the Mirage. The Mirage scores big in terms of cargo volume and offers marginally better fuel economy than the Spark.

Moreover, the Spark offers a better infotainment system and is also loaded with some advanced safety systems as standard. In conclusion, Spark clearly makes more sense between the two cars.

Chevrolet Spark is a pretty average car. It bags a pretty modest score. There is nothing exciting about this car and it lacks charm. It is certainly a very frugal car.

Everything has always got two sides, the good and the bad. The compact size of the car makes it easy to wade through the city traffic and manoeuvrability is no big deal. At $13000, Chevy has loaded the Spark with some great safety tech and gizmos which simply gives the Spark a little bit of edge over others. All in all, those seeking a car for basic transportation will certainly be happy with the Spark.

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