Chevrolet Spark Test Drive.

By Vince Burlapp • Published: January 16, 2013 • Last updated: 4:39 PM

The Spark might be familiar in other countries, but it is all new to us .

And it is quite amazing that a US manufacturer offers such a small car in the US, as it is only about 3 inches longer than a Fiat 500. And it has 2 more doors.

It looks just fine. Like a little bulldog to some. It seems that most people who saw it liked it.

The fun personality carries over inside. Where things look modern, are well laid out and feel pretty solid.
This is no Audi interior, but at a about $12 000 to start, it is no Audi price either.
The main things missing are a sunroof or GPS options.
Even though an oversized sunroof is available in other markets.

The upgraded stereo system in my 2LT test car sounded OK. But not great.
The bluetooth audio worked fine.

As you can see,, the back seat is surprisingly roomy for a car that size.

The small trunk was also just fine for the size of the car. And of course, you can fold down the rear seats.

With only 84hp, I was expecting the worse. But unlike some other small cars with not much power (Like the painfully underpowered Fiesta), the Spark never felt bad. With the 5 speed manual, it was actually a lot of fun to drive.

With plenty of power in the city. And things were just fine on the freeway as well.

The ride is very firm, maybe too much for some. The steering is light and has quite a bit of that, now common, video game feel. But it’s pretty accurate. And I got used to it.

It is not the best freeway cruiser. There is enough power, but the firm ride and light weight can make the ride feel a bit twitchy at times.

One thing I noticed on a sunny day was a pretty bad case of reflections on the windshield. From the top of the rather shinny dashboard. Which gets quite annoying once you notice it.

I must say that I really enjoyed my week with the tiny Spark. Parking and driving it around town is always fun. Especially with the smooth shifting 5 speed manual.
And that little engine sounds nice too when you push it a bit.

It is pretty quiet, has a nice interior and feels super solid over bumps.

It is officially rated at 32city/38HWY. Which doesn’t seem that great for such a small car.
But my real life driving resulted in better numbers. I got 35 in the city.
And a really good 45 HWY. Without trying really hard.

I really would recommend the Spark. It tops out at about $16 000, which is where the Fiat 500 starts.
It is a roomy, well built little car that gets great mileage.

And best of all, I couldn’t wait driving it around every morning.