2016 Chevrolet Spark (first test drive review)

[debburyl]

Also we have to remember that GM had to be Bailed out ,,, from the Government,,,,, so they had to Do something to get out of the Hole!

[Speedracer]

@M88 The Spark certainly will have a timing belt the same engine is used in European Corsa's and Aveo (Sonic). You can better choose a Mirage or if you want something bigger then a Mazda 2 of Honda Fit.

The current 2013-2015 Sparks have a 1.25 liter engine, timing chain not belt, iron block with aluminum head. The 2016 is a different ecotec design, 1.4 liter, GDI, aluminum block and head, with a timing chain not belt.

[debburyl]

It's obvious they are trying to copy the Mirage! I'm sure there more exspensive then the Mirage as well. I saw one the other day, didn't care for it. Didn't knock me off feet.

[cyclopathic]

It's obvious they are trying to copy the Mirage! I'm sure there more exspensive then the Mirage as well. I saw one the other day, didn't care for it. Didn't knock me off feet.

Good question who is copying who. Daewoo Matiz has been around since 1998, 4th generation.

Here's the link to history of Spark:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Spark
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daewoo_Tico

[davidricardo86]

I like the interior, maybe Mitsubishi can spice up the Mirage's plane Jane interior.

[cyclopathic]

GM does own Daewoo and Suzuki. While Chevrolet didn't design it, an arm of GM did.

GM does own Daewoo and Suzuki. While Chevrolet didn't design it, an arm of GM did.

GM bought Daewoo way back in 2000 IIRC but they don't own Suzuki. Never heard of them acquiring Suzuki - someone else chime in to verify that, K?

Chevy Spark (originally Daewoo Matiz) was designed by GM for Daewoo in 1998, sold as such and then after acquisition increasingly as Chevy Spark. Daewoo used to be heavily involved with Suzuki, and many Daewoo's were re-badged and sold as Suzuki in various markets.

GM used to own a stake in various joint ventures with Suzuki. There was also a partnership btw GM and Suzuki, but it mostly failed through. THis was before Suzuki turned to VW (another failure btw). GM/Suzuki partnership(s):

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...-75137767.html

[cyclopathic]

There is a good review of 2016 Spark at cars.about.com:
http://cars.about.com/od/chevrolet/f...ark-review.htm

My first impression of the new Spark was that it was bigger than the outgoing car, so I was shocked (Shocked!

Shocked, I tell you!) when I checked the spec sheet and realized that the length has actually shrunk by an inch and a half. It's the Spark's lower roofline that makes the car look longer. Unfortunately, it also shaves some much-needed rear-seat headroom, making the cramped back seat feel even more claustrophobic.

Trouble behind the front seats

While front seat comfort is good, the two-place back seat is cramped for adults, and with a tall driver up front, rear seat legroom virtually disappears. The 11.1 cubic foot trunk is only big enough for groceries and gym bags, no surprise in a car this small. The usual solution is to fold down the back seat, but in the Spark, that isn't so simple: The split-fold seatback won't fold flat unless the seat-bottom cushion is flipped forward, but that requires sliding the front-seat forward. I'm only 5'6", and with the back seats folded and flipped, I could barely get the seat far back enough to drive comfortably. A six-footer would be out of luck.

More power, less practicality

So basically classic example of mix bag.

While stylistically it is catchier than Mirage, Mirage would run circles around Spark in everyday use. That if you need and use rear seat and cargo space sometimes.

[debburyl]

The 2017 Mirage is sapose to have a spiced up interior. The whole car it should be a Good Seller

[davidricardo86]

I prefer and will likely buy the Mirage but competition and choices are a good thing for people shopping for these kinds of cars. I hope the Mirage's crash test ratings improve over time as from what I remember the Spark did perform very well in crash testing especially in small overlap crash test where as Honda Fit, Mitsubishi Mirage, and others did not.

[festiboi]

I had the opportunity to drive a 2016 Spark last month while we were shopping around for a Fit replacement.

This car could spell some trouble for the Mirage, although its competitive update is coming soon. I walked away really impressed. I've driven a number of 2011-2015 Sparks and Mirages as rentals, and this new Spark is really impressive.

The interior quality just trumps the Mirage. The touch points and areas where the eyes view the surfaces are a step above the Mirage. It's still minimalist, but GM did a pretty good job of making the most they could with painted surfaces and nice textures.

The rear seat is still pretty cramped, and the Mirage has the upper hand, and can still accommodate a third person in the back seat. The new Spark finally gets a spare tire, missing on the last generation.

From a showroom experience, it's probably a tie between the two.

But then there's the drive. This Opel Adam heritage on this shows. It was fun..... and not fun in the sense of the Mirage where it took some adjustment to the steering and buzziness for it to be fun. The Spark was just enjoyable from the moment I did the test drive. The shifter is very slick, and the handling is really good; linear, tossable, and communicative. Interior noise was also good with less harshness than I recall on the Mirage. It's still no rocket, but it did drive with some authority.

I walked away really impressed. I still love the Mirage and what it is and stands for. But I can see this new Spark with its refined drive, snazzy interior, competitive price (the base is still $13500), and grown-up styling swaying some people to Chevy. Like some have said, at least a few companies are trying their hand at the small car market and that's not a bad thing