Chevrolet Spark

With soaring petrol prices the timing of Chevrolet's frugal but fun small car couldn't be better...

What's New
This is Chevrolet's first foray into the local minicar market, but while new in the Chevy range, this small hatchback is not entirely new. GM purchased most of South Korean car manufacturer Daewoo Motor in 2001 and has developed models based on previous Daewoos since then (GM still uses the Daewoo badge on cars sold in South Korea and Vietnam).

The Spark is essentially the second major development of the Daewoo Matiz/Spark that was sold in Singapore as the d'Arts in the late 1990s, and has now benefited from GM's own engineering and design.

A flowing new body style provides a radical departure from the round bug-eyed appearance of the first generation model, and is very European in influence. The car is powered by either an 800cc 3-cylinder engine or a 1.0-litre 4-cylinder powerplant.

The oddest thing about this arrangement is that the smaller engine comes with a four-speed automatic gearbox, while the 1.0-litre version gets a five-speed manual set-up. The version driven by The Highway was the 800cc auto.

How it Performs
You'd think that a sub-1.0-litre engine would struggle with the demands that an energy-sapping torque converter from an automatic would place upon it.

Well, it says a lot for the sweet 3-cylinder engine that this isn't the case. Not only does the automatic box provide smooth upshifts, the engine characteristics match its changes perfectly so it never feels like it is straining.

It's an extremely quiet, refined unit too that puts paid to the notion that a tiny engine is only good in the city. The 0-100km/h time of 22 seconds doesn't sound too promising but the car seldom feels as lethargic in real life, and as long as you don't plan to break any land speed records, you could tour pleasantly across Malaysia in it.

The interior is constructed from good quality plastics. Situated right at the top of the central binnacle are the three gauges that count the most - the tachometer (a welcome inclusion for such a keenly priced car), speedometer and fuel gauge. All are emblazoned across a vivid blue background. They are easy to pick out at a glance and the clever ergonomics mean you don't have to peer through the steering wheel and take your eyes off the road. More cars should have this set-up.

The only gripe on otherwise clear controls would be the placement of the additional semi-circular display lights above the steering wheel. These tiny icons that include the petrol warning light, oil pressure, main beam and battery warning are very difficult to see, especially in bright sunlight.

For average sized people the Spark's interior will pose no problems in the legroom department. The seats are supportive and good for distance work. Headroom fits most sizes too, which comes as a welcome surprise for such a compact vehicle. There is however no ABS nor airbags, which some will see as a glaring omission in today's safety conscious market.

How it Stacks Up
The Spark is pitched against the likes of the ever popular Kia Picanto and offers as good, if not better build quality. At $37,388 for the faster 1.0-lire manual and $38,888 for the sweet auto, it is competitively priced in the growing small car market, which also includes the Perodua Kelisa and very cheap but less well constructed Chery QQ. In terms of quality vs value for money, the Spark scores highly. It will also be very kind to your wallet at the petrol pumps.

Technical Specifications

MODEL Chevrolet Spark 0.8 (A) ENGINE Engine: 796cc 6V in-line 3 Max Power: 52bhp at 6,000rpm Max Torque: 72Nm at 4,400rpm TRANSMISSION 4-speed automatic TOP SPEED 135km/h 0-100km/h 22s