The 2014 Chevrolet Spark is a 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 84 horsepower and 83 lbs-feet of torque. It also has an all new, continuously variable transmission (CVT) in place of its antiquated four-speed automatic transmission. Yay. There’s a five-speed manual transmission option which is highly recommended for anyone who wants to have even a little bit of fun.
Outside of the few minutes The Fast Lane Car had to drive the Chevrolet Spark – we’ve had very little exposure of the little roller.
The 2014 Chevrolet Spark competes with the small FIAT 500, tiny Scion IQ any even the Smart Car. Only four people can fit, thanks to a center section’s cup holder (Chevy wants the larger Sonic to have enough room for five – not the Spark), and the seat cushions are on the small side, but its a pretty comfy ride. The long haul from Vegas to Los Angeles was impressively smooth compared with the competitors and the Spark tracked straight and true the entire way. Wind and large trucks were felt, but it was not as prevalent as expected.
So far, so good then… or is it?
The CVT is okay off the line, but it does not like to power-up to pass. On the highway, it was happy to go the speed-limit, but not much more. It averaged just under 37 mpg – which was mostly high-speed highway rolling. Not too shabby.
With a base price of $12,170, the Chevrolet Spark is one of the cheapest new cars in its class and, as long as you don’t need seating for five, it’s a nice little runabout.
The 2014 Chevrolet Spark is now in California for some testing as it left the hotties in Vegas wanting. Hopefully, it will win some love in Cali.
Speaking of efficient vehicles….
