2013 Chevrolet Spark EPA-Rated at 38 MPG
The 2013 Chevrolet Spark gets an EPA-estimated 32/38 mpg city/highway when equipped with a five-speed manual transmission, according to the automaker. When equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission, the Spark gets 28/37 mpg.
At first glance, these numbers look disappointing compared to a Chevrolet Cruze Eco (42 mpg highway) or the Chevrolet Sonic (40-37 mpg), but the Spark competes in a strange category of small city cars. Let's see how it does compared to those tiny cars.
The Spark is built in South Korea and competes against other smaller models like the Fiat 500, Smart ForTwo and Scion iQ. Compared against those small city cars — Fiat 500 (34 mpg), Scion iQ (37 mpg), Smart ForTwo (38 mpg) — the Spark stacks up favorably. However, compare the Spark's mileage to the equally affordable and similarly small 2013 Nissan Versa sedan, which gets up to 31/40 mpg with an continuously variable automatic transmission, and the Spark doesn't look so great.
We've noticed a trend of the tiniest cars getting just OK gas mileage, which mainly is a result of poor aerodynamics.
The Chevrolet Spark is already on sale with an attractive initial starting price of $12,995, including a $750 destination fee.
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Chevrolet Spark is out to attracts young buyers.
2 words: City Mileage
Compare city and avg mpg among all the compacts you listed.
done yet? The spark wins.
Respectfully, someone who doesn't like Chevy's, but can still do math.
City mileage of the auto Spark sucks. Nissan Altima almost gets the same mileage.
Please report the gas mileage correctly.
The fiat 500 has:
27 City / 30 combined / 34 highway
equipped with the standard 1.4L multiAir engine.
If you consider the 900cc twinAir (engine of the year 2011) not yet sold in the us you will get much better mileage. (48 mpg in the city)
this is better than expected, but most of the credit goes directly to the ancient 4-speed auto. really GM?
Why does the media compare the mileage of this to the Cruze and Sonic? Because anyone interested in a Spark is really going to cross-shop it with the Cruze and Sonic?
Really impressive accomplishment GM....not.
2013 Nissan Altima
27city/38hwy
3114 lbs.
182hp/189tq
2013 Chev Spark
28city/37hwy
2337 lbs.
84hp/83tq
Seems like the Spark should get way more MPG than does.
Which Altima can you get for $13,000?
I'll buy a 2011 Altima for $13k over a brand new Spark. At least you have a normal sized car.
LOL, not to mention that there are diminishing returns when it comes to shrinking cars. City cars are not aerodynamic and usually dont have the latest powertrain tech due to their low prices. They are about compact size and low prices of entry, not getting 40mpg on the highway. What Altima can fit in the same parking spot as the Spark?
Diminishing returns about says it all!
If you can get a brand new 2011 Altima for $13,000 then more power to you.
Pre-owned...I would buy used before a new Spark. The same goes with other slightly used sedans.
That's one ugly car.
You said the Versa is similarly small compared with the Spark. No, the Versa is a lot of bad things, but the one thing it has really going for it is its abundance of interior space.
What Altima can fit in the same parking spot as the Spark?
-Good one Shet - Probably all of them. Unless parking spots are now made only to fit the exact dimensions of the spark.
How many people believe this will get its rated mileage, not too many.
And goodness is this car hideous. This is close to Aztec territory.
When GM had the voting out for the look of the small car, who voted for this? Why?! Why couldn't they have voted for the one that resembled the PT cruiser? That would have looked so much better.
What a piece of CRAP! Only 28/37MPG with the automatic transmission.
The Chevy Spark only has a 84HP engine, yet doesn't get any better MPG than say a 150HP Honda Civic or 140HP Chevy Cruze..
So the Spark will be slow and an unimpressive driving experience. It simply doesn't make sense to buy a boring car when there is no advantage in the 'boring' factor.
This is a common trend with tiny cars, they are less aerodynamic than regular sized cars, and they have tiny engines to try and make up for it, but fail. Their city MPG isn't good either.
Other cars that share these characteristics; Tiny unimpressive engines with tiny cars and unimpressive MPG is the Scion iQ and the SMART car.
To a point, also the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Ford Fiesta follow the characteristics even though they are larger than the tiny cars above. their aerodynamics still aren't as good as regular cars, so don't buy them for fuel efficiency!
Buy a Prius.