2022 Chevrolet Spark

These days, it seems like cars are just getting bigger and bigger, with the exception of tiny city tykes like the Chevy Spark. The current BMW 3 Series is bigger than the first 5 Series was, and with the masses flocking to crossovers and SUVs, it's only natural for manufacturers to produce even bigger cars in order to keep up with the competition. However, some people still need something small, light, and easy to park, and the Spark fits the bill perfectly. It's got a 1.4-liter naturally aspirated engine that doesn't even produce 100 horsepower or 100 lb-ft of torque, instead offering up just 98 hp and 94 lb-ft; but, in a subcompact that just needs to be easily maneuverable in the city and light on gas, this is perfect. Still, it's difficult to ignore slightly bigger alternatives, especially considering their better performance. So, is the Spark a relic or does it still belong with us? There's only one way to find out.

The Chevrolet Spark is one of those cars that just looks fun. Its small footprint combined with those oversized halogen headlights makes for a comical appearance, while the hidden rear door handles save costs and add a hint of sportiness to the profile. Speaking of, 15-inch wheels are standard across the range, but the base model gets steel rims with wheel covers, while all others get proper alloys. Every model gets a roof-mounted rear spoiler though, and the Activ, a faux off-roader, has black plastic panels and a unique grille, while other trims play with chrome, body-color, and black accents. All models feature DRLs, but you only get LEDs from the 1LT and up.

As you can guess, the Spark doesn't take up a lot of space. The whole thing measures just 143.1 inches in length, while the width is 62.8 inches with the mirrors folded. The wheelbase is a scant 93.9 inches, while height is 58.4 inches. On the Activ, however, the height measures 58.8 inches. Curb weight varies depending on the trim, with the base manual version tipping the scales at just 2,246 pounds and the auto weighing in at 2,278 lbs. All other manual models weigh 2,266 lbs while autos weigh 2,312 lbs. With dimensions like these, parking is a breeze.

There are plenty of standard colors available for even the base Chevy Spark, although we doubt any look as good in photos or in reality as the available premium paints. These cost $395 each and are made up of Cayenne Orange, Mystic Blue, and the brand-new Nitro Yellow, while last year's Caribbean Blue falls away. If you don't want to spend extra, don't fret - there are seven no-cost options on offer: Silver Ice, Summit White, Mosaic Black, Nightfall Gray, and Red Hot, as well as Blue Glow and Crimson - two new colors. Fortunately, all trims have the same color choices with the same pricing. Last year's Passion Fruit and Toasted Marshmallow have fallen away for 2022.

The Chevy Spark isn't exactly an undercover racer, and as such, you won't find any 0 to 60 mph times below double digits, nor a top speed rating. However, if you're looking to be as quick as possible, get the five-speed manual as the CVT is about a second slower to 60 mph. The grunt, as minimal as it may be, comes from a 1.4-liter naturally aspirated Ecotec four-cylinder that produces 98 hp and 94 lb-ft of torque, all of which goes to the skinny front tires. Unsurprisingly, there are no other drivetrain options available, since this is nothing more than a runabout. Whichever trim you opt for, performance remains the same, but should you ever line up next to a base LS model with a manual, you'll find that you're racing the lightest, and therefore quickest, production Chevy Spark ever!

All trim variants come with the same 1.4-liter Ecotec four-banger that develops a grand total of 98 hp and 94 lb-ft of torque. Competitors offer more power from similar or smaller engines, but this one has no forced induction and that seems kinda right for a simple, pure, city slicker like this. Although you don't get the option of a bigger or more powerful engine, you can at least choose your gearbox. All trims are available with either a five-speed manual or a Continuously Variable Transmission. As we said in our 2021 review of the Chevy Spark, the manual is the better option, proving a little more motivated when it comes to accelerating away from the lights and also when exploiting the rare overtaking opportunity that the little 1.4 affords. The CVT, however, feels slow to react and is difficult to predict. If you're always confined to congested city streets, then the slightly more frugal CVT, with its more comfortable operation would be ideal, but for everyone else, we recommend the manual.

What the Chevy Spark lacks in power and torque, it makes up for with low weight and a short wheelbase. The steering is light at low speeds - which, let's be honest, is always - but well-weighted, with surprisingly high levels of feedback and communication, making it great for parking and inspiring confidence on the freeway. The brakes are also full of feel and easy to modulate and stopping power is adequate for the weight of the car. But what about ride quality? The suspension is comfortable and compliant enough, but because this is a small car with tiny tires, mid-corner bumps can unsettle it. Overall, it's comfortable enough, smooth enough, and agile enough for the city. However, at highway speeds, there's plenty of drone from the little motor. That is more down to the cost-saving, narrow, lightly insulated door panels and cabin than an overly harsh engine, but it's the only real complaint to note - it's also to be expected for a car that is more suited to city driving than high revs. Thus, if you're going to do a lot of freeway stuff, it's worth going for a test drive in this little automobile to see if you can live with the intrusive noise.

The manual Chevy Spark is remarkably impressive with its gas mileage. All but the Activ trim return the same 29/38/33 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycles. The CVT is even better, returning 30/38/33 mpg on the same cycles. The Activ scores identically, except on the highway cycle where it drops one mpg, while the manual drops one on the combined cycle. However, the gas tank is minute, storing just nine gallons of gas. This means that the Spark will return a total of around 297 miles between fillups with mixed driving practices, a figure which has been verified in numerous Spark reviews.

The Spark's interior is almost as funky as its body, and it's perfect for the type of car it is. The cabin boasts a mix of hard plastics, faux aluminum, and fabrics, although upper trims will swap cloth upholstery for a leatherette finish. There's a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment display recessed into the center of the dash, while chunky knobs in the middle of the dash control the single-zone automatic climate control system. There's a bright and useful instrument cluster too, that balances a central speedometer with flanking rev counter and driver info displays. Naturally, the overall feel is cheap and low-grade, but that's what a car that costs as little as this one will always be like. Despite these cheaper materials, the cabin looks good because the design is fresh and modern.

Although most hatchback cars and small sedans offer seating for five, the Spark is a lot more realistic in its ambitions and rather seats four. This means that rear passengers are as comfortable as can be, although taller individuals will find the cabin slightly claustrophobic no matter where they sit with only 33 inches of legroom. There is enough headroom and legroom to get by, but on longer journeys, it gets tight. In front, there are manual adjustments for the seats and a tilt-only steering wheel, but pretty much anyone can find a relaxed driving position, and visibility in all directions is excellent.

As mentioned earlier, there are plenty of hard plastics and some imitation aluminum in the cabin, with the base LS model featuring Jet Black fabric upholstery. Stepping up to the 1LT nets you Jet Black fabric with Dark Anderson Silver Metallic patterning. The Activ features the same color scheme, but this time it's finished in faux leather. This is the same sort of color scheme and material finish you'll find in the top 2LT trim. Both of these also get a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

If you own a Spark, your friends are unlikely to ask you to help them move house. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing is up to you, but the cargo area's 11.1 cubic feet of volume is minimal by any standard. Still, it's enough for your weekly shop or a couple of carry-on suitcases. If you do get roped into helping with the move, the rear seats fold in a 60/40 split to open up a space of 27.2 cubic feet.

In the cabin, the rear center seat is taken up by a plastic storage tray and a pair of cupholders. In the front, another pair of cupholders are fitted and there's a spot below the dash for your phone and keys plus a few other pocket sundries. There's also a decently-sized glovebox and door pockets on all four access points.

There aren't many things to talk about in terms of standard features for the base LS model of the new Chevy Spark, as the windows and doors are manually operated and locked/unlocked, while the front seats offer only four-way manual adjustment. At least you get a TFT driver info display, hill start assist, single-zone climate control, and the obligatory rearview camera. On the 1LT, you get heated power wing mirrors, LED daytime running lights, cruise control, a set of foldable car keys, a multifunction steering wheel, and power windows and door locks. The Activ trim steps things up with heated front seats, fog lamps (which aren't available on any other trim), and roof racks, while the 2LT does without the roof rails and rather gets keyless entry and ignition along with rear parking sensors. A sunroof is available along with forward collision alert with low-speed automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning.

Chevrolet's Infotainment 3 system is fitted to all car models in the Spark range, and we can't find much fault with it. The seven-inch touchscreen display is attractive and easy to operate and boasts Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality, along with Bluetooth audio streaming and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. Upper trims are further enhanced with SiriusXM satellite radio, but the base model does without it. However, you do get a pair of USB ports and a four-speaker sound system. On the 1LT and higher trims, that system is supplemented by an additional pair of speakers. Naturally, the audio quality isn't going to rival a Burmester setup or even come close, but in a small car like this, it's more than adequate to help drown out outside noise.

Thus far, neither the 2022 nor the 2021 versions of the Chevrolet Spark have been subject to any recalls in the US and the last time the Spark was recalled for anything was for an airbag issue on the 2019 model.

If you have any doubts about reliability based on this part of the review, the Chevrolet Spark is covered by a new vehicle bumper-to-bumper warranty for three years/36,000 miles. The powertrain is covered for five years/60,000 miles, and roadside assistance is offered for the same period, while one complimentary scheduled maintenance visit is included in the first year of ownership.

If you've ever seen any photos of a Spark crash at highway speeds, you'll understand that it really isn't geared for taking risks at high speeds; it fares better in the city where speeds are more pedestrian. The NHTSA has not yet given the Chevrolet Spark a review or rating and the IIHS review has only a partial 2021 evaluation, testing the 'moderate overlap front' test and its 'side test'. Still, it did at least get the best possible score of Good in these rankings.

While the Spark is a little low on safety features, it does at least boast a complement of ten airbags including knee airbags for both front occupants and rear-seat side airbags. You also get dual frontal, seat-mounted side-impact front and rear bags, and side curtain airbags. Naturally, all models get a rearview camera, but not much else besides that, stability control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The 2LT boasts rear parking sensors, but forward collision alert with low-speed autonomous emergency braking and lane departure warning are optional and are limited to this top trim only as part of the Driver Confidence Package - but only on the automatic model, not the manual.

Considering the Spark's pricing, it's not a bad car and does exactly what it's meant to. It's ideal for student drivers and those residing in congested cities, but for pretty much anyone else in the USA, the Spark is outclassed by most of the competition. It's possibly a little too small to be anything more than a runabout, the CVT is frustratingly annoying and indecisive, and the engine is severely underpowered. The car's low curb weight helps, but the tin-can feeling never really leaves you, especially when the car hasn't been fully rated by any local crash-test agency. Another drawback is the lack of advanced driver aids and the nonsensical decision to limit those that are available to the most expensive trim. It's not bad to drive, it looks cool, and the infotainment system is pretty good. But for anyone looking for something more than just self-propelled transportation, the Spark falls short. However, there's not much else in this segment, and considering the Mitsubishi Mirage is similarly priced, the Chevy Spark gets a rating as the best of a bad bunch.

The cheapest model in the lineup is the manual LS, which has an MSRP of $13,600 before a $995 destination charge. The next trim, the 1LT, has a base price of $15,500. The Activ retails for $16,600 while the top 2LT trim has an asking price of $17,000. Opting for the CVT over the five-speed manual adds $1,100 to any trim. Fully loaded, the most expensive Chevrolet Spark has a price of around $22,000.

There are four trims in the 2022 Chevrolet Spark model lineup: LS, 1LT, Activ, and 2LT. All models share an identical mechanical package, namely a naturally aspirated 1.4-liter engine with 98 hp and 94 lb-ft of torque that drives the front wheels through your choice of a five-speed manual or CVT automatic transmission.

The base LS trim comes as standard with 15-inch steel wheels, manually adjustable exterior mirrors with black mirror caps, halogen projector headlights, daytime running lights, and a rear spoiler. Inside, it has manually adjustable front seats, 60/40 split/folding rear seats, single-zone climate control, manually operated windows and door locks, and an infotainment system with a seven-inch screen and incorporating Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth streaming.

The 1LT adds to this 15-inch alloy wheels, powered and heated body-color exterior mirrors, LED daytime running lights, power windows and locks, cruise control, a SiriusXM satellite radio, a multifunction steering wheel, and a six-speaker audio system.

The Activ is a lifestyle-orientated model with unique rocker panels and front grille, as well as being the only model with fog lights. Its 15-inch alloys are gunmetal silver, its steering wheel is leather-trimmed, and it gets heated front seats and leatherette upholstery.

The 2LT is the flagship and adds to the 1LT's features chrome exterior accents and door handles, keyless entry and start, an enhanced driver information display, leatherette upholstery, heated front seats, and rear parking sensors. Only the automatic 2LT is eligible for the optional Driver Confidence Package.

The abovementioned Driver Confidence Package is the only addition worth considering on a car like this, and at just $295, it's certainly an easy sell. However, this package is only available on the top 2LT trim and the catch is that it can only be had in conjunction with the frustrating CVT automatic transmission. It features lane departure warning and forward collision alert with low-speed autonomous emergency braking. If you'd like aluminum sport pedals, this will cost 155 bucks while matching aluminum sill plates cost $85. Nothing else - besides the thousand-dollar power sunroof - is worth spending on.

If you're going to get a cheap car like this, you may as well maximize safety and comfort by opting for the top trim. Obviously, this requires more than just paying for the standard configuration, as the abovementioned assistance package is optional and forces you to pay an additional $1,100 for the CVT automatic transmission to get it. However, as a bonus on the 2LT, you get leatherette upholstery, proper alloy wheels, keyless entry and ignition, heated power mirrors, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an upgraded driver info display. Along with rear parking sensors, this is the best version of the Spark.

The Mitsubishi Mirage proves that you can do worse in this class. Starting at $14,295, it's more expensive than the Spark and in exchange for the price premium, it offers better fuel efficiency and a class-leading 10-year/100,000-mile drivetrain warranty. However, packing only 78 hp, progress is glacial and its lack of power and high levels of noise and vibration make it a city-only car that is unsuitable for highway use. Add to that all the cheap plastics and tinny construction and there is very little to recommend the Mirage. It matches the Spark's infotainment offering and offers a reasonable level of standard features and surprising cargo-carrying ability, but that is not enough to make up for the lackluster performance and unrefined driving experience.

It's not a hatchback, but the Nissan Versa offers surprising value for money by being much more spacious than the Spark and having a proper trunk, for not much more money. Starting at less than $15,000, the far more powerful 122-hp 1.6-liter engine is a major draw card, as are the driver-assistance features that include cruise control, forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, rear automatic braking, and high-beam assist - all standard on the base S spec. Add to that a very useful 14.7-cu-ft trunk and the Nissan adds up to a lot more car for not a lot more money. Unless you absolutely must have a pint-sized hatchback, the Versa takes this one.