2016 Chevy Spark impressions

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa) 06/08/2016 at 11:44 • Filed to: review, spark

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Oh boy. This thing is here. I almost leased one of these earlier this year as a cheap and cheerful daily driver with a warranty. Here’s what I think of it.

Exterior-wize it’s far less bold than the previous generation. This isn’t a bad thing, as the previous design for all its “uniqueness” was certainly a polarizing design with its enormous headlights. The new Spark is Generic Compact Hatchback #27, but that’s not necessarily a bad way to go for a cheap economy hatch.

The interior has an updated design with the new MyLink, backup camera, bluetooth, and some other goodies. Unfortunately they went a bit more traditional in here with fewer body-colored plastic accents (booo) and got rid of the motorcycle-inspired gauge cluster (BOOOO). It’s a clean design, still slightly quirky, and not a terrible place to be. The steering wheel is enormous, though.

The engine moves the car. The automatic transmission is godawful and the whole car is soulless and slow as hell to drive. If the manual drives anything like the manual 1st-gen Spark then that’s the one to have, as it was far more responsive and fun to bang through gears.

Handling is sharp, very little body roll, but a super slow steering ratio combined with that enormous steering wheel make it very difficult to toss around corners.

Build quality is decent. The side doors close with a satisfying thunk, but feel completely hollow when opening the doors. If you’ve messed around with 90s Jeep Cherokees you know how light the doors of the Spark feel. The rear hatch opens with an electronic release but closing it is a rattling awful affair. Not sure what’s going on there, as it’s a stark contrast to the rest of the car. Plastic is everywhere but it feels far more substantial than expected, and actually feels better built than the new Cruze.

Overall, it’s a cheap car but not an awful one. A base model with windy windows and a manual transmission would be a fun runabout th

CB > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/08/2016 at 11:48

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My issue is that there are basically five spots on the front of the car where it looks like air might be able to go in, and it only goes in through one spot (middle bottom grille). Styling!

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/08/2016 at 11:52

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I just can’t support making this car look angry. The old Spark was happy and cheerful as an econobox hatch should be. That little car has no business looking as angry as a new Mustang.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 06/08/2016 at 11:54

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It’s the trend now. It’ll pass, hopefully taking “black wheels on all of the things” along with it.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > CB 06/08/2016 at 11:54

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To be fair though that’s *every* new car.

Milky > CB 06/08/2016 at 11:55

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Bring back real grills!

I remember each side opening had its own little radiator to feed, purely functional.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > CB 06/08/2016 at 11:57

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Counter point: In the winter helps keep the warm air in and make the car warm up faster.

CB > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock 06/08/2016 at 11:59

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True, but that would also be the case if the car was styled to only have that one grille.

Also, insert joke about Canadians and winter problems (as a Canadian, I understand: my girlfriend is shopping for a new car, and she only wants one that will come with heated seats and a block heater).

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > CB 06/08/2016 at 12:02

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I don’t know why block heaters are standard equipment in some parts of Canada, my car does not have on and some winter days is barely start.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/08/2016 at 12:06

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I don’t mind black wheels, especially the black chrome you see on Chrysler’s S models. My local Toyota dealership has a new Avalon this black wheels and it looks great

CB > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock 06/08/2016 at 12:09

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Right? Especially for diesels.

Milky > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 06/08/2016 at 12:19

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The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > CB 06/08/2016 at 12:19

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And old family friend from North Ontario had a 1983 Ford F350 with the 6.9L diesel, it had no block heater. One day it was -40, he built a small fire under the engine to get it to start.

Leon711 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/08/2016 at 12:20

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Sweet Vauxhall Viva/ Opel Karl bro.

Wacko > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 06/08/2016 at 12:30

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the wheels look great but not that car. this makes a 90s ford taurus look good.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Leon711 06/08/2016 at 12:48

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I really don’t get these comments. Yeah, overseas it’s known as the Opel/Vauxhall/Holden whateverthefuck, but we don’t get that here. Instead we get it as the Pontiac/Chevy/Buick whatever. Who cares?

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 06/08/2016 at 12:49

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Black chrome is kinda cool. I was mostly referring to the trend of putting black XD wheels or whatever on trucks, painting a car’s cheap stock wheels black because it “looks cooler” or whatever, etc.

MPA > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/08/2016 at 12:50

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When we bought a car for my wife a month ago, the dealer took us around the lot in his new Spark. Much nicer then I expected.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Milky 06/08/2016 at 12:52

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The Dodge Stealth/3000GT twin turbo models had side vents like that which had intercoolers stuffed in them.

Leon711 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/08/2016 at 12:52

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I can’t speak for others, but it makes folk who weren’t aware of the other versions well aware. Then you can compare. The Vauxhall looks worse and the Opel has a terrible name.

Vicente Esteve > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/08/2016 at 12:52

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I think it is a great successor. In Mexico, the old Spark sells so well they kept it alongside the new one and called it the Spark “Classic”.

Probenja > CB 06/08/2016 at 12:52

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Yeah, the original Spark didn’t have that issue:

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/08/2016 at 13:57

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Apparently this new generation is no longer available in yellow. The lime green and purple are nice, but this car would look best in yellow.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/08/2016 at 14:36

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No one has gotten anything as a Pontiac in almost a decade brah

Svart Smart, traded in his Smart > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/08/2016 at 15:42

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I’m really curious about these. Dealers in my area have 2016 LS manuals listed for around $11k, with a few sale specials for under $9k through mid-June. If they honor the deal, that seems like a lot of car for the money. You’d get four doors, five forward gears, air conditioning, almost 100 hp, a full suite of airbags/ABS, etc. My main concerns are first-year build quality and, on a related note, South Korean assembly.