Road Test: 2013 Chevrolet Spark
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ต.ค. 2012
- The mini car, those smaller than a subcompact, has never gained meaningful traction in the U.S. Whether it's a lack of power, aesthetic appeal, or versatility, buyers here expect style and substance for their hard-earned dollars. But, it only took a short time with the 2013 Chevrolet Spark, for us to conclude that there is plenty of both in this ultra-compact cruiser. John Davis with the MotorWeek road test review of the 2013 Chevrolet Spark.
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You people don't understand that this car is made to be affordable to people like me who can't afford a prius-like vehicle. We can't all afford to buy big cars with a v6 or a v8. The fuel economy of this car is not the end of the world considering it's a city car. And to all who say it's unsafe, it's the best rated compact above any toyota, honda, kia and hyundai. Not every american wants a huge suv or a gas guzzling muscle car. This car is cheap and well made. So what if the styling is questionable. You can't tell me $15,000 is too expensive. It comes with more features on the LS model for around $14k than you would find on similar small cars. Take it for what it is and stop complaining. We poor people need a car to buy!
You are kidding, right? The Spark was one of the worst rated vehicles in the small overlap test. This thing is far from safe, or a good car.
sleeksilver The Spark is an IIHS top safety pick, it got an "acceptable" rating in the small overlap test.
You could buy a Mazda2 and not be miserable. The 2 is about the same price and vastly better in everything but gizmos.
YOU ARE SO RIGHT
You guys are funny. A base Spark is only 10 grand with incentives, even now. The idea with these is go Basic. If you want fancy, pay more for the next class up. If you buy Smart, these are a great value. I would personally get Mirage for the much better warranty and reliability has been better. Spark is a little more fun, but less roomy. They both sell for around 10 grand base.
I bought a 2015 and it's been the funnest car I've ever owned and I'm 63. I've had the windows tinted and bought a dash mat for it. It gets up to 75 MPH with no problems or strains and the air conditioner is very good. Mines the LS model in Salsa color. I've driven Her 375 miles so far and gotten gas once and still have 3/4 of a tank. I Love this little car!
1700 miles now and I Love it even more. It is so fun to drive. Not to mention it's really good on gas. This is the easiest car you will ever park!
+Markus Perry What mpg are you getting?
+john robert I have a '14 & I average approx. 35mpg
I drive only in side of town and I stick it about 30 miles per gallon when I drive on the freeways I get over 40
Sadly, at 4300 miles, the upholstery is wearing badly where I sit. I shouldn't have needed a seat cover so soon. Otherwise, I still Love the little car and I hauled 500 lbs. of flooring in it the other day and it did perfectly.
My 2014 Spark LS is not the most luxurious car I have ever bought but it is one of the best. It has never given me a problem and has extremely low maintenance costs. I am also averaging an amazing 49.5 miles per gallon on regular. The sport gets an A-Plus for me for value.
This car is surprisingly safe, earning a Top Safety pick from the IIHS
I just bought a brand new 2017 Spark LS (base model) with a 5 speed manual transmission for $10,100 OUT-THE-DOOR. It's the deal of the decade for a brand new vehicle. I feel that I received far more than what I paid for. Thanks GM Korea for such a great little car! I've owned it for about 6 weeks now and have 2,500 miles on the odometer. Super fun to drive. Reminds me of my 80's Civics...a little street legal go-kart. Fun, Fun, Fun!!
So give us a 2 year update!
Hows it been?
@@djkenny1202 i have a 13 spark 5 speed 107k miles still running. o2 sensor replaced by dealer wheel bearing went out last week. 37-42mpg
SNART you bought a Manual.
djkenny a cheap Korean car like this spark I didn’t want an automatic. Manual will last forever if you don’t drive it like u stole it. Had a 95 eclipse manual with 165k miles on stock clutch.
I like these, they make me smile.
We have all of these in Australia "Holden Barina Spark" they are great!
i had an Spark and to be truthfully is not great for drive in highway or even if attempt to get in the highway so slow and louder turns the engine.
Tiny cars are a blast to drive. You have the same fun at 30mph that a performance car could only do at 90 mph. That means that every trip to the grocery store can be a hoot, whereas a high-end sports car would require a visit to the race track.
"Legally" speaking, of course.
Took my scion iq to a racetrack and had loads of fun
5 speed manual 107k miles and still running. original spark plugs, dealer replaced o2 sensor. bad wheel bearing just started a week ago. getting that replaced for $100. 37-42 mpg depending on driving style. I've been a couple thousand miles late on oil changes, started using synthetic (walmart supertech synthetic ) since 75k miles(update 11/24/20 121k miles. started driving over 200 miles a day. so far so good)
Definitely change the spark plugs, if you leave in there for too long they will freeze into place due to heat and corrosion. This makes it very difficult to get them out and if too much torque is applied when trying to the top end will break and the bottom threaded end of the spark plugs stays inside the cylinder well. Stay on top of the exhaust system. As soon as you hear your catalytic converter rattle, set your mind to changing it. The car
engine will outlast the catalytic converter, but what good is that if the vehicle does not pass emissions. Finally, when it comes to important engine components, replace with GM parts and be ready to set money aside for the converters. There are likely two on your car, one just after the exhaust manifold and the other after the front pipe.
I bought my 2015 cvt spark in 2018 for 3k and I’ve never had even one single problem with the car. It’s been the best car I’ve ever owned. It’s the ONLY car I’ve ever owned that’s not had any issues.
The voiceover sounds like a normal American shopping channel advert.
I traded in my 2017 Stingray, when I saw this car in real life!
people (like me) who own this car (mine's a 2019) love it. people who bad-mouth this car don't own one.
as to safety, only us owners know (even chevy gets this wrong) that 2019 sparks have 12 airbags, not 10.
the other 2019 cheapest cars cost twice as much. the one they call spark - when less is more.
Agree! I own a 2017 5-speed that I bought new and I LOVE IT. SUPER FUN little car!! A street-legal go-kart!!
gibby jones it has 10 airbags two front airbags, two knee airbags, four side impact airbags, two over head airbags. You can see it when you try to order the actual airbags from GM.
money is very tight in some cases needs a good ride get 2013 or 2014 chevrolet spark LS or 1LT with automatic this is good budget and low monthly car payments.this is good for all ages including the city.
I have a 2014 Chevrolet Spark 2 LT in the Grape Ice color and it has 42,000 miles on it now, i absolutely love the car. Im always getting 400 miles to a tank of gas, im 6,1 and i fit very comfortably in my Spark. The only things ive done to the car in the 42,000 miles, is replace one set of tires, one set of brakes all the way around, oil changes and i had to bring it in for one recall to replace the Mylink radio, other than that its been a great car. I would definitely buy another spark, however its my fun car, i also got a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis as well.
How many years have you had the car? And how's it holding up? How is it's acceleration? I'm thinking about getting a new car soon and I'm considering this one. Sorry for asking so many questions!
The new ones are improved. Just make sure to go Base for best Value. They are $9995.
@@Naioki4 I've had the car for 6 years now and it just turned 85,000 miles and still going strong. Acceleration is decent and I'm still getting over 400 miles to a tank of gas.
I love the styling of this car. I drove one briefly (Techno pink. Yuk!) around a parking garage as a valet.
I wanted a thrifty car. I whittled it down to the Chevy Spark, Nissan Versa sedan, and Kia Rio. Comparably equipped, the Rio was too expensive and not terribly comfortable. Loved the style, features, and price of the Spark, but fuel economy was a huge let down. So I opted for the Versa sedan. Perfect car for me. Roomiest, most comfortable interior. Loved the seamlessness of the CVT. Got one as cheap as the Spark, so it was no brainer. Also, MPG is incredible. Best tank so far at 50 MPG!
I love this thing in that like green. It’s absurd looking but they can be fun to drive
did ya find one close to ya ?? I sat in one here in southern MN
where do you live, i havent seen any around here in s.e. missouri, love these little things
I have a '14 Spark but I only average 300 miles or so on a tank. I recently replaced the dome & license lights with LED's. So far no warning/error messages. I'm just a little nervous about getting the LED's for like the brake/back-up in case there's an error. I bought the other LED's at Wal-Mart and the bulbs they had are made by Pilot Automotive.
Daniel W pilot leds are error free pepboys has a lot of options in their brand
we hope thats one spark that dosent get snuffed out anytime soon,guys a comical genious.nice car
Chevy is a safe car and this car has enough air bags JUST in case! It comes standard with ALL the safety features! Remember its the driver not the car that drives! Great choice
GOD I miss these cars. With Fiat and Smart gone, nobody makes a car small enough for me to want to get my license after losing my Cobalt to a neighbor.
esta super el chevrolet
A U.S. gallon is smaller than a European gallon therefore the European cars will show much higher miles per "gallon". Most people never realize that the gallon measurement is not the same on the different continents.
"Are we there yet" :p
milli vanilli at 3:30 !!!
Does a 2021 Chevrolet Spark have a timing chain or timing belt
I think I want one of these and a 1970 Lincoln just to have both sitting side-by-side in the driveway.
i just realized theres a chevy dealer right around the corner from my house! and the first car you see is the spark. i really love this car and im going to get it :)
the spark is for real man
Nicer than a Fiat, that's for sure.
I trust this over a FIAT!
Depending on where in the world a car is, emissions is everything. in places like California the emissions are extremely strict. That can cut down on performance and mileage. Its definitely hurt Diesel mileage here in the US.
Those are some big headlights! Awful I just can't get over them, other than that I love the spark!
what the hell? they didn't say anything about its braking time.
I don't like the antenna placement. Place it in the rear or use front windshield antenna.
Doesn't the Versa start at 11k and offer more power and space?
nice..
I've owned my spark (5 speed) since Sept and am getting anywhere from 39mpg normal driving combined to 46mpg combined if I drive like a grandma. This car can get way better real world mileage than what ever litmus test the EPA is using.
Do you still own it?
Yeah its really nice
2:34 Two consenting adults lmao
Because the EPA tests these small cars with a rigorous highway algorithm and thats not what these cars were designed to do so they dont pass with flying colors. In the real world, just as motorweek demonstrated, they usually beat their MPG numbers. Plus in places like downtown LA, Seattle, Detroit, Baltimore, parking space is a commodity so the smaller the car the better. Neither the Cruze nor Focus are rated at 32MPG City with any transmission, which is where this car will be driven mostly.
I really wanted a lime or mint green one of these, but after looking at the car itself I think my 2009 Ford Focus SE is a better quality car. 🤷🏼♀️
They really should have made this get better mpgs......I'd rather they bring back the Geo Metro than this.
EU MPG tests are different (easier)
EU MPG uses Imprerial gallons (smaller than US gallons)
3:29 he did not just have that song on his playlist
thats because europe uses the imperial (uk) gallon which is 4.54609 liters.
The US uses the US gallon which is 3.785411784 liters. The imperial gallon is larger so it gets more miles.
The puns are great.
I want one really bad, but my mom thinks it is unsafe.... I'm working on her though.
High scoring in safety ratings and loaded with airbags… get mom to sit with you and do some research!🧐🤓
I am in snowy Nova Scotia, Canada 🇨🇦 and this car definitely handles better in the snow than my AWD CR/V! (meaning cornering, stopping
Yes, but at 11k, you don't get: power windows, lock, and mirrors, a radio, or alloy wheels. All things that come standard on the Spark at 12k.
I want one.
I had to laugh when I saw the the test driver wearing a crash helmet at 5:05
If this thing sales, we may able to see the Ford KA
I know right
My 1997 Saturn sl2 got 40 miles too the gallon
Are this 1.2 engines reliable ??
I daily a 2017 with the 1.4 engine and it has been absurdly reliable, I drive over 200 miles a day and right now it is sitting at 174k miles and it is perfect. I even hit a wheel on the interstate bent the radiator causing the electric cooling fan to seize and burn up and I just drove it like that for about a year before slapping a new fan on it...sure it got overheated a few times if it was stuck in traffic without airflow getting to the radiator but never cracked a head or even blew a gasket...I had a guy rear end me in a drive thru and it bounced the car forward but didn't didn't even bend the bumper reinforcement...these cars are like simple, fuel efficient, super lightweight tanks
A lot of modern Japanese motorcycles (the Suzuki GSX for example) have instrument clusters that look almost exactly like the one in the Spark (and the Sonic as well). Car instruments don't usually place analog and digital gauges next to each other in the same way, and generally take up more space on the dash. Hope that helps :)
To small for me! My 1995 Suzuki Swift HB 4cyl 1.3 sohc 5pd ABS 208,xxxkm running strong!. My swift is slightly longer 149.4 inches, Spark 144.7.
Monster Energy Queered forever!
yeah i know but the rio doesnt cost much more the the spark and it gets better gas mileage and has more space
Take a Ride in the 2016 Chevrolet Spark
A ride along in the all new Chevrolet Spark.
I get the same mpg with my 1990 Corolla sedan, you would think that 22 years later it would be improved.
Ride in the 2013 Chevy Spark
Domestic in branding only.
How in the work does this can get so few mpg's... A focus or a Cruz gets better!
wow the Kia Rio got 42.2 mpg and its alot more spacious and overall nicer
Who wouldn't be interested!
Don't forget an electric model 2 XD
I'd have to be getting 50 mpg to consider such a small automobile.
This is actually a korean Daewoo
mili vanili? seriously?
Yeah, you know that they're going to 'blame it on the rain'...
and better combined fuel economy (35 vs 34)
1.2 L with 84hp and with only 32-39mpg, some large sedans with more than double the engine size get better mpgs than that! lmao
Already lightyears better than the SmartForTwo.
the rio and spark arent in the same class so of course its more spacious and nicer
How come in Europe a similar car do up to 54 mpg and here they say 38mpg is the shit, wtf is this.
i bet they'll come out with a spark eco that gets 39 mpg hwy lol
This comment didn't aged well...
Milli Vanilli!!! are you serious.....
Ok, I actually ride a motorcycle. I don't see how the instrument cluster is motorcycle inspired.
34 mpg meh ill stick with my 50 mpg Prius c lol
What the hell is much. It's nee-sh. Not Nitch
hey milli vanilli
39.8mpg huh? The dash meter showed 26.6mpg. Wtf!? $15k+ ridiculous. This car needs to be $10k. And mpg is questionable. Also its too late. Transformers has passed. Had this come out during the movie maybe ppl would rush out and buy it.
i used to drive a spark, until i recently got the bigger Sonic RS 2015 6sp manual. The Spark has 2 MPG display mods. There is real time MPG and overall average. They probably had a lot of start and stop city driving as well as having it parked idling for long periods of time, however if they would have reset the overall average for a long highway trip it, it would have shown a much higher 30+ average. i got up to about 38mpg during a 3 hour trip from Wichita KS to Kansas City MO, one tank (9 gallons) of gas with a quarter to spare. the only times it lowered the overall average was to stop for restroom breaks. this would even do 40+MPG if you wanted to drive 60MPH instead of 75 on the highway
rio is nice.its a real kia
THIS CAR IS CALLED IN COLOMBIA THE LAUNDRY MACHINE.....SPECIALLY IF ITS WHITE.
i liked the Sonic better
its a holden car
My dad had one as a rental car, he said it was horrible. It drives like shit and has zero power. He took it back the following day to get a better car.
***** Wow its hard to believe I typed that 2 years ago .It seems like less than a year ago. He took that first spark back and they gave him a 2nd Spark that ran better. And They were also in Denver Colorado where you need more power on mountain roads.
But yes, I could see where a small stick shit Spark could be fun. Its sometimes fun to drive a slow car fast. These CVT are for optimal MPG.
Very modern and urban car, but not electric??Wastes gas, what's the point here??
There is an electric variant. Electric is cool and all, but isn't a solution for every one either, for example living in an apartment complex with no garage (can't exactly just run an extension cable), and the nearest e-pump being in the next town over (would require constant trips and careful planning to fill it up). Personally I'd love to go electric but its just not practical.
My swift is definitely faster ! And was $11,500 new with ABS brakes plus tax finance $14k in B.C North Vancouver.
Ohh aren't you clever
Love you guys, but get a new camera trick. The quick push in and out is so old. I screams amateur. Learn something else or fire the camera man and get a new young guy straight out of film school to give you some new ideas. The show is so good and the camera man ruins a perfect show every time.
Milli Vanilly ... jajajajajajajajaja
I would never buy it, the fiesta looks better
Mitsubishi Mirage is more reliable.
hmmmmmmmmm.......no thanks!
Doesn't attract to me especially the name
Requires at least a 160 hp turbocharged engine and a 6 speed manual...
This car sales were decent, and people in Mexico and South America turbocharge the 1.2 engine with good results (120hp at 7 psi, stock internals, injectors, pump, basically stock everything) and 200hp at 16 psi with upgraded fuel system and ECU, stock internals
@@JefeInquisidorGOW 200 is pretty reasonable with a tune
@@glsracer yup, the iron block gives this tiny engine enough meat to hold on to boost
ride over poor pavement, and handling?