2011 Chevrolet Spark + 1.0 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Sporty looks, cheap to buy, and costs peanuts to run

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

I have just taken delivery of a brand new Chevy Spark 1.0+ in white, for just under £7000, and £30 a year to tax, and group 2 insurance and 45 to 65mpg. I'm laughing all the way to the bank, and it includes a full 5 year's warranty.

I've just driven this car back from the dealers, and I must say it is very pleasant to drive. The brakes are very responsive the steering is light and controlled, and the gear change is slick with a nice light clutch. All the controls are in easy reach, and the ride is brilliant for such a small car. I like the funky instruments and blue lighting, and the whole car has sporty air about it. It also seems very well built, with no rattles or squeaks!!

For a 1000cc 4 cylinder twin cam engine, it's a little screamer, and so far it seems excellent on fuel. I must also say the grip in the little car is amazing, and it's also very good on the motorway. On my way back home, it was staying at a steady 70mph, and there was loads more oomph for overtaking slowcoaches.

I will keep you updated as things progress!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th July, 2011

5th Sep 2011, 07:48

Update from the original post, I have had no troubles at all from this little white gem. I've clocked up 2700 miles, and even done a 500 mile round trip to the North of Wales and back, easily done, and very supportive seats and plenty of room for such a small car. I have enjoyed owning the Spark so far, and I smile a lot when I drive it. It does have a quirkiness and friendly appeal about it, yet I never see many around, which is shame as they are very good little cars!!

In reply to 5th Sep 2011, 07:48

5th Dec 2011, 04:18

2nd update, it has been nearly six months of motoring, and I’ve clocked up 5000 miles so far. This little Spark has not missed a beat, it’s been utterly reliable and is still returning nearly 60 mpg on my motorway runs, and backwards and forwards to work!

The best bit about this car is the money I’ve saved on fuel, which is over £100 per month, and when it comes to service time in a further 5000 miles time, I know it's all free, because I took out the 3 year service plan for £300 when I purchased the Spark!!!

In reply to 5th Dec 2011, 04:18

6th Dec 2013, 14:01

GM has just decided to pull Chevrolet from UK markets sadly - what that means now is you have a good car that the manufacturer has just killed on the UK 2nd hand market - hope you are in for a long term relationship with it mate, as you've no hope of getting a decent price when you sell. Thanks GM - customer orientated to the very end ha ha ha.

2011 Chevrolet Spark LT 1.2 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Nice looking small car

Faults:

Paint of the metal inside the car is not protected and scratches easily... I was polishing the scratches out and realised that the paint just rubs off! Going to get the dealer to sort it out.

When I collected the car, there was a small stain on the passenger seat, which the dealer agreed to clean, and the wheels were not balanced. I took the car back to the dealer, however they failed to clean the stain, and also the steering wheel still vibrates. Dealer agreed to have another look, and will provide a courtesy car while my car is getting looked at.

Apart from those problems, nothing has gone wrong... Wheel balance and stain on the seat is probably the dealer's fault, as the car was supposed to go through pre-delivery inspection before I was given the keys. But the paint problem in the boot is a Chevrolet fault. I will look into getting this resolved.

General Comments:

The car is comfortable, and performance is quite reasonable out of such a small engine. I mainly drive it on motorways, and it drives pretty well with plenty of power for overtaking; I rarely have to shift down. I think it's actually slightly quicker than my old car.

It is taller than my old car, and you can definitely feel the wind when overtaking big trucks or buses. The seats are quite good... It took me a while to get used to the super light clutch.

Mine is the LT model, so has all the extras and blue interior trim, which looks pretty cool. I had a look at lower spec models, and they are not as nice. If you are looking into buying one of those, I suggest to go for the LT as it has the sporty bumpers and alloy wheels, and better interior, plus all the extra toys for not a lot more. I managed to get more than £2000 off the list price by negotiating with the salesman.

Official average MPG should be 55, mine does is only 45-47 at the moment, but hopefully this will improve in the future.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st June, 2011

1st Jun 2011, 17:21

I've got two mates who work for Vauxhall dealers also selling Chevrolets, and they both say these things are a bit naff, which from what I've read in the motoring press is a bit harsh, but not far off the mark.

You should've got a Hyundai i10, or to be honest bought used and got a bigger, more luxurious car.

My 07 plate new shape Mondeo TDCi 140 cost me £4600, currently averages 45.8 mpg (overtaking most things in sight), even though it's probably 75% heavier than your car, probably doesn't cost much more to tax and would annihilate a Spark 1.2 for performance. It doesn't wobble when overtaking, and I'm sure may run over your car in a head on impact!

I did this buy a new but small car thing a short while ago with a Fiat Panda and a Mitsubishi Colt, but let's face it, city cars are a bit crap, just buy a bigger used one instead.

I thought I'd struggle with parking, but to be honest you just have to use a bit more skill and judgment.

Ps -- even running costs aren't all they're cracked up to be -- 20k service on a Panda Multijet £165, 24k service on Mondeo TDCi 140 Zetec £150 at a Ford garage.

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