Chevrolet Spark Review: More value from the LT - Full Review

Chevrolet Spark Review: More value from the LT

Overview

You’re in the market for a small car. Something that’s affordable, something that’s easy to drive, something that looks fun, and drives well. Lucky for you you’re spoilt for choice. One of those choices, is the Chevrolet Spark, which we just happened to have on test. Mind you, it wasn’t just any old Spark either, it was the Spark LT, which is the top of the range Spark. That’s like being at the top of the bottom group in your class. But that’s being unfair. The Chevy Spark is aimed at the small car segment, and actually delivers some serious value in the segment.

Performance

What sets the spark apart from it’s competitors is the fact that it has a 4-cylinder engine rather than a 3-cylinder engine which seems to be standard for the smaller 1.2-litre engines. From the 1.2-litre engine in the Spark they manage to produce 60kW (all the Sparks in the range have the same engine), which is as standard as the 108Nm of torque. Despite this, the spark goes quite well around town. Because it’s so small and so light you have more than enough power under the hood to get you along. Problems start though once you begin up hill, you really need to drop a few gears and plant the right foot to get yourself up the hill.

Economy

The Chevy Spark does really well with the economy, which is what you’d expect from a 1.2-litre engine. As long as you keep it around town you’ll be able to get between 5 and 5.5 l/100km. Open road driving, or serious mountains can inflict some damage to the fuel gauge and send your economy north of the 7 l/100km mark, which is not ideal for such a small car, and almost entirely defeats the object of the exercise.

Tech

On the dash behind the steering wheel you’ll find an interesting instrument cluster. Chevrolet use this across a couple of their vehicle, and it gives you the impression that you’re driving something from the future. This instrument cluster gives you some basic stats about the car, fuel economy, range, etc.

The Chevrolet Spark also comes with a Radio that encompasses a USB port and an Aux jack, so you can connect your iPod to the car. But don’t worry, if you don’t have an iPod there is also a slot loading CD drive which can take a regular old music CD.

Comfort

One of the features in the Spark LT that isn’t available in the regular Spark L is the “high back seats”. These add a really nice comfort and luxury feel to the car. The seating position is good too. Road noise is possibly a little more than it could be, and the suspension is a little unrefined. The rest of the car is very pleasant though, the steering is light and smooth, and the throttle is about as responsive as you can get for 60kW motor.

Practicality

As a small town run-around the Spark does quite well for practicality. The boot is quite small, but reasonable for this class of car. It does have a full opening boot, unlike the Honda Brio or Toyota Aygo where only the rear window opens.

The rear seats are comfy and spacious enough for the kids, but adults might feel a little cramped after a while. The front of the car is nicely laid out with cup holders and storage compartments. This is the most spacious part of the car, and the Spark LT puts the space to good use.

Conclusion

The Spark LT which is the premium model in the range has a few nice extras, such as side airbags, sport coloured bumpers, 15 inch alloy rims, power windows and rear park assist so you don’t crash into something when you’re reversing. The styling is quite nice, with lots of sporty trim, and to round it all off it’s quite a good drive.

So if you’re in the market for a small affordable hatch, then the Spark LT is a good option and definitely worth a test drive. You’ll be surprised by the level of quality, and if you don’t need huge boot space the Spark LT will prove to be more than practical enough. See our range of used chevrolet spark for sale over here.