Drew Dowdell

Chevy’s first entry into the micro car market is the 2013 Spark. During the IMPA test days, I got to take a spin in a cheeky Spark 2LT with the standard 5-speed manual transmission; a 4-speed automatic is optional. Ingress and egress of the tiny car is easy due to the upright seating position and tall doors. Headroom for such a small car is excellent. Despite being a very low price entry model, every Chevrolet Spark comes with air conditioning, power windows and a full 10 airbags. Rear seat access is just as easy as in the front with a surprising amount of legroom. I doubt I would want to spend 5 hours riding back there, but most spins around town would be fine. The 1LT and 2LT trim levels come with Chevy’s new MyLink infotainment system that includes a 7” color touch-screen. I didn’t play with it during this test drive, but expect it to operate the same as the MyLink in the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco we reviewed previously. The interior is mostly hard plastic as would be expected, but feels very well put together. In fact, my only quibble with the interior would be the rather clunky looking and feeling manual shifter that Chevy borrowed from your Grandpap’s 1987 Chevy S-10. The Spark is powered by a 1.25 liter 4-cylinder with 84 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 83 ft-lbs of torque at 4200 rpm. Routed through the 5-speed manual, this is the little engine that could, and with some effort, does. What power you do have comes on quickly and the Spark actually feels peppy to drive. Gearing is such that you can be in 5th gear by 35 mph and as long as you’re not in any hurry, accelerate up to highway speeds. I recognize the Spark is a cost conscious micro car, but it does feel like it needs a 6th gear. This is borne out in two ways: First, at 55 mph, the engine is turning at about 2500 rpm, and while the engine is impressively smooth for such an entry level car, the buzz from the engine does make it into the cabin at these higher RPMs. I wasn’t in a position to take the car faster, but I would probably find the noise from the engine at 70 to be bothersome. The second reason the Spark needs a 6th gear is shown in the fuel economy numbers. The Spark is EPA rated at 32 mpg city and 38 mpg highway. Both the larger Chevy Sonic and Cruze with 6-speed manuals can beat that highway number soundly. Even if Chevy didn’t make a 6-speed manual standard, the ability to option into one at extra cost would be nice. The Spark won’t be winning road rallies any time soon, but in the ride and handling department, the car felt a class above and was actually fun to drive and throw around.The mini-car market is very small in the U.S., and dominated mostly by the SMART Four-Two and more recently the Scion iQ. Seeing what Chevy has done with the Spark makes me think they are about to make a huge splash in the tiny tiny-car market. The full gallery of pictures from the IMPA Test days is located here and will continue to be built as quick drive reviews are added: Year: 2013 Make: Chevrolet Model: Spark Trim: 2LT Engine: 1.25 Liter 4-cylinder Driveline: Front wheel drive, 5-speed manual Horsepower @ RPM: 84 @ 6400 Torque @ RPM: 83 lb-ft @ 4200 Fuel Economy: City/Highway: 32/38 Location of Manufacture: Bupyeong, South Korea Base Price: $12,245 Est. As Tested Price: $15,795 Drew Dowdell is Managing Editor of CheersandGears.com and can be reached at [email protected] or on twitter as @cheersngears

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 4, 2012 – Ford Motor Company’s U.S. total sales increased 13 percent in August compared with last year – and 19 percent for retail sales – with gains in cars, utilities and trucks. “As fuel prices rose again during August, we saw growing numbers of people gravitate toward our fuel-efficient vehicles – cars, utilities and trucks,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “Customers increasingly value savings at the pump, and Ford is answering the call with a full family of vehicles with leading fuel efficiency and the power to choose which vehicle best meets their needs.” Ford also added a third crew at the Louisville Assembly Plant in August to support demand for the new Escape small utility – the fastest-turning vehicle in Ford’s U.S. lineup. Escape posted its best August sales results ever, with a 37 percent gain versus last year, with 28,188 vehicles sold. Explorer posted its best August sales results since 2006, with 13,168 vehicles sold. Ford passenger car sales were up 7 percent in August, including 35 percent in retail sales. Fusion posted a sixth consecutive monthly sales record, with best-ever August sales totaling 21,690 vehicles – a 21 percent increase over last year. Focus sales totaled 19,073 vehicles, a 35 percent increase versus last year. Mustang posted a 12 percent increase, with 6,387 vehicles sold. Sales of Ford trucks increased 6 percent in August. America’s best-selling vehicle, the Ford F-Series, reported sales of 58,201 vehicles – 19 percent increase year-over-year – for its 13th straight month of sales increases and its best sales month of 2012. EcoBoost-equipped F-150s surpassed the 200,000 sales threshold in August. In addition, Ford is announcing its fourth-quarter North American production plan. The company plans to build 725,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter, up 7 percent (50,000 vehicles) from the fourth quarter of 2011. The company also said it will be slightly below its previous third quarter 2012 North American production guidance of 690,000 vehicles, with one month of production left in the quarter.