Road Test: Chevrolet Spark L

Launched just a few weeks after the final whistle at the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the new Chevrolet Spark has quickly shot to the top of the sales charts, with 1 122 units (including Spark Lite) sold in August 2010.

Available in either the ‘L’ or ‘LS’ specification, Chevrolet say the Spark was designed to “create a revolution in size and design within the overall dimensional constraints of the ‘A’ segment.” Although more evolutionary than revolutionary, the new Spark does a good job of offering practical, stylish and budget motoring.

The new Spark may be small but it’s big on styling. The front of the new Spark shrugs off any notions of being a cute and cuddly city car. The large headlight units, together with the Chevrolet split grille, give the car a cheeky and aggressive character that reminds us of one of Jurassic Park’s most feared predators, the Velociraptor.

Being the base model, the ‘L’ spec Spark goes without a number of styling highlights over its ‘LS’ counterpart, but still boasts a substantial list of features that includes: colour-coded bumpers; power steering; air conditioner; radio/CD/MP3-player with aux-in and USB connectivity; driver and passenger front airbags; alarm/immobiliser; and remote central-locking.

As one might expect, the interior is very basic, but everything you need when getting from point-A to point-B is on hand. Numerous storage trays and a set of cup holders mean there is more than enough space for personal items, although, if you’re a lady with a handbag the size of De Aar, you’ll need to use the Spark’s 170-litre boot space – expandable to 568-litres with the rear seats folded down in a 60:40 split.

With the rear door handles hidden vertically in front of the C-pillar, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Spark was a 3-door hatch at a glance, but although the Spark looks compact, there is enough head- and legroom for two adults in the rear. As an aside, the stylish rear door handles do partially obscure the view from the rear seats and we would have liked the Spark to be fitted with head restraints for rear passengers in the name of safety.

The front of the cabin features a wrap-around style dashboard – a characteristic of new Chevrolet models, first seen in the Cruze sedan. Plastics are well put together, and countering their monotone appearance are contrasting textures above and below a wave styled contour. The Spark’s motorcycle inspired instrument cluster draws mixed reactions and some may class its design as a little awkward, however, we found its layout concise and clearly legible with its electric blue back lighting. The same can be said for the radio and air conditioning controls and dials, also backlit in a cool blue. Notable cost saving measures include the lack of vanity mirror for the front passenger and no tilt/dip function for the rearview mirror. The side mirrors are manually adjustable and adjusting the windows will require some wrist action on the part of the passengers. The cloth covered seats are comfortable and provide adequate support for the Spark’s driving pace.

Designed for the leisurely pace of the city, the Spark’s 1.2-litre 16-valve, double-overhead camshaft (DOHC) engine performs well considering it size. Peer under the bonnet and your initial reaction is likely to go something like “is that it?!” With a bore and stroke of 69.7 mm and 79 mm, the undersquare engine uses multi-point fuel injection to produce a class leading 60 kW at 6 400 r/min and 108 Nm of torque at 4 800 r/min. The little 1.2-litre engine punches above its weight and propels the Spark with gusto, delivering a benchmark 0 – 100 km/h sprint in 12.1 seconds and a top speed of 176 km/h. Average fuel consumption is a claimed 5.4 l/100km, but real world driving will see that figure jump to around the 6.1 l/100km mark. Drive to the front wheels is via a 5-speed manual transmission, facilitated by a light and short-travel clutch action.

As well as being a perky performer, the Spark also drives well. The MacPherson strut-type front suspension and Torsion Beam rear axle – together with the new car’s longer wheelbase (2 375 mm) and wider front and rear tracks (1 410 mm and 1 417 mm) – provide convincing road-holding. The Spark coped surprisingly well over some very bumpy roads we traversed, staying true to steering inputs and remaining composed without upsetting its passengers. Driven hard – its a relative term considering the modest performance figures – the Spark responded predictably to Newton’s laws of motion, offering generous levels of grip before breaking traction with controllable understeer. The front disc/rear drum brake combination works well, although, without ABS, the Spark L locks its front wheels a little too easily, which could prove dangerous for the inexperienced first-time car buyer.

Chevrolet engineers have paid close attention to the Spark’s safety. With 66.5% of the body structure having been designed using high strength steel and a further 16% using ultra-high strength steel, the Spark currently boasts the stiffest body structure in its class. The B-pillar has been strengthened to protect passengers’ upper body area, while the roof has been designed to withstand four times its own weight in the event of a roll-over accident. Other safety equipment includes driver and passenger front airbags; side impact protection beams in the doors; and a collapsable steering column.

The base specification Chevrolet Spark L is a definite consideration for first-time or budget concious car buyers. It offers a good combination of style, performance, comfort, fun and, priced at R115 495, value for money. However, if you can afford the extra R10 000, then the LS-spec variant is the one we’d recommend.

Apart from the additional styling tweaks, you’ll benefit from a height adjustable driver’s seat, electrically operated front windows and side mirrors, remote boot release and alloy wheels, all of which serve to give you just that little extra ‘feel good’ factor that can be important for the budget, yet young and image consious. Another important ingredient in the winning ‘LS’ recipe, is the addition of ABS and EBD for added safety.

What we like…

• Zippy engine and fun character.
• Positive comfort and handling.
• A solid entry-level car at an entry-level price.

What we would like…

• A few more basics, like a clock and dip function for the rearview mirror.
• Four speakers for the radio/CD-player instead of just two.

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