Chevrolet Spark: All we love about the American hatch

There is a lot of competition in the hatchback segment in the country right now with a number of good options available at very competitive prices. Each of them is special and better than the others in some way or the other. So, it’s up to you to decide which one to pick depending on your priority and requirements.

If you’re looking for a hatchback that provides a big-car-like presentation, then you should definitely check out the Chevrolet Spark. Chevrolet Spark has completed many years in the Philippines and is in its fourth generation now. It’s the best Spark that we have seen so far and there are various things we love about this American hatch. In this story, we are going to share a few of them with you.

Design and styling

What makes the Chevrolet Spark stand out from the rest of the competition is its big-car-like look. Its front is quite massive for a car of its size. This is mostly because of how Chevrolet has designed the headlights. These projector units are nice & large and take up a good amount of space at the front. These lights are connected together by a horizontal chrome strip that subtly flushes into them. Also, the large secondary blacked-out grille is another reason behind Spark’s prominent road presence. Chevrolet has also added LED daytime running lights near the fog lamps. As a whole, the front view of the Spark is sporty and stylish.

That big-car-like feeling diminishes as you move towards the side of the Spark. But that doesn’t mean it look any less pleasing. There are a couple of character lines on the doors which keep the boredom at bay. And we also have the sporty 15-inch wheels for that added bit of styling. The rear end of the Spark is also good looking thanks to the angular tail lights and rear bumper with a crease. We also like the roof-mounted rear spoiler which looks great and adds a sporty character to the car.

Interior features and space

Chevrolet Spark offers a generous amount of interior space for a hatchback. The seats are supportive & comfortable and there is enough room for everyone. However, fitting three full-size adults in the back might be a bit of a struggle and annoying as there is a storage tray along with a cup holder located in the middle. As far as the cargo space is concerned, it is decent and you can, of course, increase it to 195-litres by folding down the back row thanks to the 60:40 split-folding rear seats.

In terms of build quality, Chevrolet has used good quality materials. The fit and finish are very well done. The all-black theme makes the car feel sportier than it actually is and the gloss black finish at the centre console feels quite premium. Talking about the centre console, it accommodates a large seven-inch touch screen infotainment system that supports AUX, Bluetooth, USB connectivity, and offers smartphone integration via the Chevrolet MyLink system. You can also use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay to connect your smartphone. Kudos to Chevrolet for providing these options as standard across all the three variants of the Spark.

Powertrain

Getting down to the major Chevrolet Spark specs, it is powered by a 1.4-litre engine which has been tuned to produce 97 hp at 6,200 rpm and 128 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm. The engine comes mated to either a 5-speed manual or a CVT unit. If you want to have the manual, you will have to go for the base model, whereas the other two variants come with CVT. The engine feels powerful enough for a hatchback and is also quite refined.

Safety features

Considering the fact that the Spark is a hatchback, we kind of approve of the safety features that Chevrolet has provided, which are driver and front passenger SRS airbags, ABS, traction control system, electronic stability control, and hill start assist. These aren’t many but they are more than what many other competitors feature. And, of course, we always appreciate having as many useful safety features as possible.

These were some of the reasons why we love the Chevrolet Spark, the American hatch. It is one of the best options available in the segment and with Chevrolet’s 5-year or 100,000 km warranty, you can have the peace of mind. The Chevrolet Spark price starts at Php 694,888 for the base model and goes up to Php 859,888 for the range-topping model. All of them are available in seven different colors - Switchblade Silver, Caribbean Blue, Black Meet Kettle, Pull Me Over Red, Son Of A Gun Gray Metallic, Burning Hot Metallic, and Merry Berry Me Metallic.

Do you like the Chevrolet Spark? Which features are your favourite?