2013 Chevrolet Spark
Mini cars, while still a niche market, they are proving their worth in a world of ever rising gas prices. And recent entries, like the Scion iQ and Fiat 500 are seeing some moderate success here in the states. Yet with no major domestic brand testing the waters, it’s hard to gauge their true potential. Well Chevrolet aims to change that with the all new Spark. So let’s see if it can spark the attention of American buyers.
The mini-car, those smaller than a subcompact, has never gained meaningful traction in America. Whether it’s a lack of power, aesthetic appeal, or versatility, buyers here expect style and substance for their hard-earned dollars. But, it only took a short time with the 2013 Chevrolet Spark, for us to conclude that there is plenty of both in this ultra-compact cruiser.
The hatchback Spark fits near the middle of its tiny, city-car class. With an overall length of 144.7 inches it’s about a half foot longer than the Fiat 500, yet dwarves the Scion iQ and Smart ForTwo. Covering so little ground makes it easy to park, although we thought its turning diameter would be smaller than 32.5 feet curb-to-curb.
Our top level Spark 2LT certainly scored style points with us. Its narrow, yet tall two-box shape is complete with trendy details like a chrome-trimmed low slung grille, and expressive headlights. Character lines sweep over standard 15 inch alloy wheels that are pushed to the corners. Rear door handles hidden in the C-pillars give the 5-door Spark the appearance of a sportier 3-door. The slightly-bulged tail end drops off quickly from our car’s hatch top spoiler. Big tail light clusters spill into the bumper, with a integrated chrome exhaust tip completing a look that adds more than a flicker of modern style to this city car.
Inside that flare becomes a flame, as its trendy motorcycle inspired cockpit really shines with a host of “can-do’s”, including plenty of long distance room for two up front, and enough to squeeze two consenting adults in the back. Rear leg room is tight but bearable.
Under the hatch there’s more seat-up luggage room than any other mini car. And, once you figure out how to fold the split seats down correctly…it even took us a while…Spark accommodates 31.2 cubic feet of cargo, also the most in its class.
2LT seat upholstery is two-toned leatherette, and feels comfortable enough. Door and dash get the hard plastic treatment with body color accents. There’s a no-nonsense approach to climate, and heated seats are available. The stripped down gauge cluster augments an analog speedometer with a digital tach and trip computer screen.
We found Chevy’s MyLink touch screen audio system impressively easy to use. Standard on all but the base car, MyLink allows the use of popular apps like Pandora through your smartphone. With more apps coming, visual Navigation maps come courtesy of Bring-Go for a one time fee of only $50. All models include spoken navigation through OnStar.
Under the tiny hood sits a tiny Ecotec 1.2-liter I4. Rated at a meager 84 horsepower and 83 lb-ft of torque, the emphasis for Spark is efficiency. And indeed, Government Fuel Economy ratings place our five speed manual Spark at 32 city and 38 highway, for a combined 34 mpg. The front drive four-speed automatic has a combined of 32. We actually beat the ratings at 39.8 mpg. An Energy Impact Score of 9.7 barrels of annual oil consumption is on par with mini-car rivals. As are annual CO2 emissions of a low 4.3 tons.
Not surprisingly, the Spark didn’t exactly light up our test track, and clocked a zero to sixty time of 11.3 seconds. The quarter mile came in at an “are we there yet?” 18.2 seconds, at 80 miles per hour. And that’s with the five speed manual.
Any shortcomings are easily forgiven with a base price of just $12,995. Even with all the niceties, like MyLink, sport trim, and heated seats, our 2LT Spark rang up to only $15,795.
So is the Spark going to set the car world ablaze? Well it’s hard to say… But at the very least, it shows a domestic brand is finally getting serious about very small cars. And we hope that’s one fire that doesn’t get snuffed out anytime soon.
Specifications
- Engine: Ecotec 1.2-liter I4
- Horsepower: 84
- Torque: 83 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 11.3 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 18.2 seconds,@ 80 mph
- EPA: 32 mpg city/38 mpg highway
- Energy Impact: 9.7 barrels of oil/yr
- CO2 Emissions: 4.3 tons/yr
2024 Polestar 2
More Range And More Power For The Polestar 2
Volvo is well on their way to making the transition to an all-electric brand, but their sister-brand Polestar is already there. Now, we’ve spent lots of time in their all-wheel drive, five-door Polestar 2, having tested it in 2021, and a year later when a two-wheel drive version arrived. But, EV updates are coming quickly. So, let us be your guide for all that’s new with the Polestar 2.
While we are driving more EVs than ever, we’ve also been spending a lot of time recently circling back to ones we’ve previously tested. As in this new era of electrified vehicles, significant updates are arriving quickly, with R&D investments increasing and retrofitting them easier than ever. This is often done through software updates that can even be accomplished over the air. For 2024, the Polestar 2 has indeed gotten some software updates, but some physical ones as well.
Clearly aimed directly at Tesla’s Model 3 when it arrived; the Polestar 2’s build quality was vastly better, but range definitely came up short. So, addressing that was priority No. 1; and for ’24 the Polestar can travel up to 20% farther than before while consuming 9% less energy, and when it comes time to charge it back up, it can do that 34% faster too.
Range in the Single Motor version increases from a max of 270 to 320 miles thanks to a larger 82-kWh battery pack, and that solitary motor now powers the rear wheels, not the front wheels. It’s also bigger, coming in at 220 kW compared to the previous 170 kW front-wheel drive version, going from 231 to 299 horsepower.
Dual Motors keep the same 78-kWh battery, but still sees a boost from 260 to 276 miles and takes advantage of the larger rear motor for a new combined 310-kW output with 421 horsepower. Our test car has the added Performance Pack, which uses an additional 35 kW to deliver 455 horsepower and 546 lb-ft of torque, though max range drops to just 247 miles.
The new battery in rear-drive 2s will also charge faster, now accepting up to 205 kW for an 80% charge in 20 minutes; max for dual-motors stays at 155 kW, which puts an 80% charge at 34 minutes. Using 32 kWh of electricity per 100 miles, the Dual Motor earns a good efficiency rating.
The [Polestar] 2 has always been one of the most enjoyable EVs to drive, even more so now with that additional power coming from the rear motor.
Unfortunately, extremely cold temperatures kept us from seeing that increased range, as we were only on pace for about 194 miles in our test.
The 2 has always been one of the most enjoyable EVs to drive, even more so now with that additional power coming from the rear motor. And especially when equipped with the Performance Pack as it not only includes more power, but adds 20-inch forged wheels, upgraded brakes, and adjustable Ohlins Dual Flow Valve performance dampers. It greatly improves handling prowess without affecting ride quality, and is easily worth the $5,500 charge if you at all enjoy driving.
Even on a 20-degree track day there was plenty of grip through our handling course. No understeer or oversteer, and lots of feedback through the wheel. There was a nice, strong launch off the line that properly planted us firmly in the seat, and rocketed us to 60 in 4.5 seconds. Power delivery stayed pretty intense up until about 80 mph when there was a definite tapering off. Still, it was a 13.4-second quarter-mile at 102 mph; smooth, quiet, and stable the whole way.
When this car debuted, its Google-based infotainment setup was a novelty, but since then, more and more manufacturers are just “Googling it” so it doesn’t seem out of place at all. The wireless phone charger is easy to access, and there’s a great Harmon/Kardon sound system and panoramic sunroof to enhance the in-cabin experience. Exteriors have also been enhanced with a smooth grille insert and new wheel choices.
Hatchback practicality means 14.3 cu-ft of easy to access cargo space with split-folding seatbacks for longer items and expanding the space to 38.7 cu-ft. Plus, there’s even a sizeable storage bin up front under the hood.
Single Motor Polestar 2 pricing now starts at $51,300, with Dual Motors starting at $56,700; topping out at $64,400.
For a car manufacturer that hasn’t even been around for a decade yet, Polestar has kept itself busy, totally transforming their latest model in just a few years, making the 2024 Polestar 2 even more appealing. They are certainly off to a good start, and with a host of Polestars just over the horizon, including some all-important utility vehicles, this star will be shining even brighter.
Specifications
As Tested
- Motor Setup: Dual Motor
- Horsepower: 455
- 0-60 mph: 4.5 seconds
- EPA Range: 247 miles
- Efficiency : 32 kWh / 100 miles
- Battery Size: 78-kWh
- Torque: 546 lb-ft
- 1/4 Mile: 13.4 seconds at 102 mph
- MW Test Loop: ~ 194 miles
- Peak Charging Rate: 155 kW