Ten ways Chevy’s first mini car for North America delivers a huge driving experience

2013 Chevrolet Spark

The 2013 Chevrolet Spark mini car, Chevrolet’s first mini car for the U.S. and Canadian markets, is a sporty four-passenger, five-door hatch. It is designed to excite Corry, Erie, Warren and Jamestown first-time buyers and city dwellers with its bold styling and colors, affordability, the safety of 10 standard air bags, fuel efficiency and maneuverability.

Spark also is the only car in its segment to provide MyLink Radio – a seven-inch color touch screen radio capable of displaying smartphone-based music, videos, photos and contacts for hands-free calling. MyLink Radio comes with two embedded apps for Pandora internet radio and Stitcher Smart Radio and later, BringGo, an embedded app for full-function GPS navigation, will be available for purchase.

Though compact, Spark offers more passenger and cargo room than other mini-cars such as the Fiat 500, Smartfortwo and the Scion iQ. Equipped with the Ecotec 1.25L four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission, Spark offers competitive EPA-estimated fuel economy of 38 mpg hwy.

The Spark is already on sale globally. In the U.S. and Canada, Spark is offered in LS, 1LT and 2LT models.

“Spark is ideal for active city dwellers because it is easy to drive, easy to park and easy to own,” said John Crotty, Owner of Crotty Chevrolet Buick in Corry, PA. “For these customers, Spark is their key to the city.”

1. Design that grabs

In a segment of “cute” cars, Spark’s solid, powerful stance is designed to challenge the status quo, and its interior reflects refinement, craftsmanship and personal technologies normally associated with larger, more expensive vehicles.

While the Spark looks like a three-door hatch, designers cleverly disguised the rear doors by integrating the handles into the C-pillar area. The technique gives Spark its sporty appearance without sacrificing five-door comfort and utility. An integrated spoiler over the rear hatch door enhances Spark’s dynamic appearance while also improving the car’s aerodynamics, for fuel efficiency.

The Spark’s prominent two-tier grille and bowtie logo preserve Chevrolet’s signature global look. A wheels-out, body-in stance, stretched windshield accentuated by a single arc roofline, body-color front door handles and body sides free of cladding make the Spark appear more sleek, aggressive and upscale. Spark’s wheels-at-the-corners stance is further emphasized by standard 15-inch aluminum wheels.

Dramatically sized, elliptically shaped halogen headlamps stretch from the front fascia to the A-pillar. Their clear, polycarbonate lenses and chrome-coated headlamp bezels are sculpted into the forward corners, and accents within the housings offset the chrome bezels for a strong visual statement. Projector-type fog lamps are standard on the 2LT Spark model. 

[Read more...]