The Spark is smaller than Chevy's subcompact Sonic and intended primarily to provide easy urban maneuverability and parking. But while its low price and rich feature list might be tempting for some entry-level buyers, the drawbacks can grate on your nerves in daily driving. It's painfully slow, relentlessly noisy and rides uncomfortably. It also feels Spartan and insubstantial.
You'd expect such a tiny car to deliver fabulous fuel economy, but we measured only 31 mpg overall, which is less than several larger, quicker and more substantive cars. A change to a continuously variable transmission for 2014 was intended to provide better efficiency, but the gas mileage of our car dropped slightly from the 32 mpg we measured in the previous Spark we'd tested, which had a four-speed automatic.
Forget zippy or enjoyable handling too. While secure enough, it's neither agile nor engaging, especially for such a small car.
What the Spark can do is seat four adults surprisingly comfortably for a small car, with easy access -- thanks to clever packaging and the car's ergonomic-friendly height. The hatchback design also lends it some cargo-carrying versatility. While the touchscreen has impressive features for such a basic car, it can be fussy and tedious to operate.