Chevrolet Spark Pricing Will Undercut Sonic
Chevrolet’s Spark minicar will go on sale in July starting at a price point below the Sonic’s $14,600 (destination included). The Korean-built minicar competes in the “A-segment”, alongside the Fiat 500, Smart Fortwo and Scion iQ.
While the Spark is about 5 inches longer than a Fiat 500, it is over a foot shorter than the Sonic hatchback. Distinctive styling and an uprated 1.2L 4-cylinder engine will be hallmarks of the North American Spark, as will a 7-inch touch screen that can be integrated with the driver’s smartphone. Rather than offering expensive options like navigation, the screen will allow for phone-based navigation to be used.
The real question is how many Chevrolet can sell, and the company is non-committal with regards to sales prospects. One Chevrolet rep told Automotive News that the company hasn’t set a hard target, and one can easily read between the lines to get a real sense of how apprehensive Chevrolet is regarding the Spark. Oh ya – it comes in pink, too.
More by Derek Kreindler
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Does anyone have the damned MPG figures on this 1.2 wonder? I need to know if it's a replacement for my '97 Geo metro (1.3, 4 door, 5 spd.).
Has anyone else visited Los Angeles recently? I parked at the end of a dead end street in a friend's tiny driveway and later had to back out my Prius half a block before I could turn around. If I and everyone else had A segment cars parking would have been easier in LA. I don't know (and neither do BMW/Mini, Fiat/500, Chevy/Spark, Toyota/iQ, or any of you) if the US is ready for A segment cars but I am sure that the manufactures want to be prepared.
This car will sell to the parents of the "25-year-old-living-at-home-waiting-for-that-$100k-job-offer-that-needs-a-car-child." It's a good fit for a crowded driveway, and will get them to job interviews while keeping the rain off.
The Spark could do well in major metropolis where mini cars are popular and Chevy could use some market share gains in places like NYC, LA, SF, Boston and Seattle. At an estimated 46 MPG highway this would be the most fuel efficient non-hybrid on the market. If the Sonic's sales success is any indication, the Spark would do just fine. Only wish the styling was a little better if not hip. Looks too much like a Fit with uglier headlamps. Since GM is a part owner of Peugeot now, I wish they brought the Citroen DS3 stateside. Now that would be a Mini and Fiat killer. http://www.blogcdn.com/www.luxist.com/media/2010/02/01-citroen-ds3-racing.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rbhkMbHRqdE/TdcNzF2rfAI/AAAAAAAABmM/xMaeQk5Opf8/s1600/dst-01.jpg