Topic: Used Vehicle Review: Chevrolet Spark, 2013-2015

[Autos_Editor]

Slightly-used Spark makes a great deal on a cheap-to-run minicar.
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[Noto]

not the pricey premium gas required by the Fiat 500

It's not required, just recommended.

I quite liked the Spark, but it is not a capable highway car.  Whereas others you wish for more power, I found the Spark to actually struggle to get up to speed and really had difficulty maintaining it on any slopes despite the throttle buried.

If you live in a flat place and in the city, sure, it's a great little car.

[hemusbull]

It is wrong to put a four door hatch against two doors ones like Fiat 500 and Scion, but is absolutely inappropriate to compare it with Smart...The car is against Micra or even Note, as well Fit and Yaris. The problem although is overall what you get for the money. This car is the worse made of all and this is what GM never fixed in both compact and subcompact class. Their small cars are still Daewoo rate but the corporate policy of GM keeps on respirators the vehicles like this one here.

[tooscoops]

it does make me wonder if there has ever been a bad final say on the used car reviews... i guess any car is a good buy at the right price (and i do actually agree 100% on that)... but it almost needs to be a bit more harsh on some cars...

if possible (sorry to add more work to the writers), but if you already know the competition... a little glimpse at a similar package, kms, and year of those would be awesome. nothing in depth, but like, "a quick look shows two year old models being the lowest price among the competition by a significant margin" or something... and at that point, if the Fit or something was the same prices, you could say that the honda might be a better buy...

again, just throwing it out there... probably too difficult to make work in a formulaic way for these reviews though...

as for the car... for a car that doesn't go anywhere, like for my grandparents who drive 4000kms/yr... this would be fine. cheap, easy to drive, no need for speed... but for anyone who actually needs to get somewhere... just why?

[Solstice2006]

^ I agree.  Sometimes with the Test Drives the authors opinion really comes through, like the recent Volvo S60 Cross Country.  It does get harder nowadays as cars are more reliable, and try to match each in equipment.  But at the same time if there was a used review for the current generation Ford Escape.  Decent vehicle, and as usual the article would mention quite a few things to check for, and the several recalls.  But the article could mention if your on a tight budget and find one for a good price then ok.  But if not, maybe a Honda CRV would be a better bet. 

As for the Spark article, when looking at used prices on Auto Trader, I found them pretty close to the Sonic (avg within $1000).  So it could be mentioned, might as well get a Sonic..

[me_2]

Not all slightly used Spark have been created equal 
Do your own search with the right keyword!

[Solstice2006]

Not all slightly used Spark have been created equal 
Do your own search with the right keyword!

manual?

[me_2]

not exactly, try a nationwide search on autrader.ca http://shops.autos.ca with " electric " fuel type filtrer 

[Solstice2006]

not exactly, try a nationwide search on autrader.ca http://shops.autos.ca with " electric " fuel type filtrer 

Yeah I was being sarcastic.  Besides I would rather pay $24k on a used Volt, then $20k on a used electric Spark...

[me_2]

I'm a former Volt owner and I must say, I miss her some days for the comfort of her seats or when I have to travel in a no man's land of DCFC (L3) or no time for EVSE (L2) charging stations to feed in electrons my little Spark.

I would consider in a heartbeat to buy a used Volt (some days I'm still considering it) if I was into the second hand market to replace my irrational & sentimental, never seen winter before last year 2001 Saturn SW2...

My preferred Chevy dealer won 2 years in a row the Plug'in Hybrid dealer award in Canada http://tinyurl.com/p3qwcgv but I'm still undecided at this moment, what would be my next EV.

I must say, my 2012 Volt was definitively the spark that bring to me the "daily" electric driven pleasure for personal mode of transportation...

[philmcneal]

yeah if i were to get a spark, the manual would be the only saving grace. A mazda 2 is a better buy imo

[Bubba]

not exactly, try a nationwide search on autrader.ca http://shops.autos.ca with " electric " fuel type filtrer 

Yeah I was being sarcastic.  Besides I would rather pay $24k on a used Volt, then $20k on a used electric Spark...

So, you're buying two cars?  Oh, you meant THAN.

[me_2]

Found that video, the guy daily commutes over 80mi (129km) on back road, not highway behind the wheel on his Spark EV, rated EPA 82mi (131km).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aTA1f-cidY

105kW nominal, 120kW peak & up to 60kW regen

Edit
Specs http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/chevrolet/vehicles/spark-ev/2014.tab1.html

[Zoo]

How timely that this car was just reviewed. I just spent a weekend with old friends who came up to the G.T.A. from Ottawa. The car they came in? A 2014 Spark. I took it out for a drive last night and I thought it made an interesting alternative to our Yaris. I do like the exterior styling and some of the paint colors are "fun". It will be interesting to see how the next generation of Spark does. At least GM seems to have decent entries in the Sub-compact and Compact markets. Much better than the old Cavalier days.

[Solstice2006]

These are smaller than the Cavaliers.  The early 90s Z24 with the V6 was great fun.

The Spark is closer to the Chevette...

[me_2]

These are smaller than the Cavaliers.  The early 90s Z24 with the V6 was great fun.

The Spark is closer to the Chevette...

They have nothing in common except the bow tie.

[Zoo]

These are smaller than the Cavaliers.  The early 90s Z24 with the V6 was great fun.

The Spark is closer to the Chevette...

If the Sonic is a Subcompact (and the Cruze would be a Compact) then how does one classify the Spark?

[Solstice2006]

These are smaller than the Cavaliers.  The early 90s Z24 with the V6 was great fun.

The Spark is closer to the Chevette...

If the Sonic is a Subcompact (and the Cruze would be a Compact) then how does one classify the Spark?

You got me... That's why I thought it would be closer to the Chevette.  Since they both had really small displacement engines, 1.4L.  And similar wheelbases...

[MR2Pritch]

it does make me wonder if there has ever been a bad final say on the used car reviews... i guess any car is a good buy at the right price (and i do actually agree 100% on that)... but it almost needs to be a bit more harsh on some cars...

if possible (sorry to add more work to the writers), but if you already know the competition... a little glimpse at a similar package, kms, and year of those would be awesome. nothing in depth, but like, "a quick look shows two year old models being the lowest price among the competition by a significant margin" or something... and at that point, if the Fit or something was the same prices, you could say that the honda might be a better buy...

again, just throwing it out there... probably too difficult to make work in a formulaic way for these reviews though...

as for the car... for a car that doesn't go anywhere, like for my grandparents who drive 4000kms/yr... this would be fine. cheap, easy to drive, no need for speed... but for anyone who actually needs to get somewhere... just why?

I see your point, but the point of these articles is to gather information as a shopping tool. Which used car is better than a Spark? Or worse? And why? This is all a matter of opinion, and preferences, and not something I can quantify in 1000 words with a solid answer.

FACT: this is what owners like, and dont like
FACT: these are the features and specs you might find
FACT: these are the things owners sometimes report having problems with, and how you can look at fixing them, or checking for them.

This stuff is the point of the article. Alternatives, better or worse, would be a matter of opinion, and unlikely to cover every possible scenario, shopper, etc.


FACT: