Are you looking for a car that is spunky, fun, compact, functional, and highly efficient? Like, really highly efficient? If you are, then I have three words for you: 2022 Chevy Spark. This little cruiser is the most fun and young-oriented vehicle the brand has on the market and probably one of the most fun and young-oriented vehicles on the market in general. Its fun color schemes and compact architecture give it a strong personality, with a vintage-yet-modern style that can be made to pop or to blend right in, depending on your personality.
While the Spark is not designed to be a performance vehicle, so to speak, it certainly is a highly-performing vehicle in its own right. With four different trim levels, the Spark can be adapted to your personal tendencies to provide you with the features you need. If you’re young and single and need a cruiser to get you around in style, then the Spark is perfect for you. Let’s take a closer look at why this is so. While there are a number of angles we could take, we will look at three components of the 2022 Spark: Efficiency, Design, and Safety.
Efficiency
Efficiency is the Spark’s strong suit. In all areas of the vehicle, it strives to achieve maximum efficiency. With a fuel efficiency of 30 miles per gallon in the city and 38 miles per gallon on the highway, the Spark is indeed something to write home about. Now since nothing is quite as efficient as saving money, you may be surprised to know that the increase in fuel efficiency will not cost you because the 2022 Spark has a starting MSRP of $13,600, which is by far Chevy’s lowest MSRP and one of the lowest you will find in a new vehicle from a top-rated brand anywhere.
The standard 1.4-liter ECOTEC 4-cylinder engine gives the vehicle a lightweight foundation and effective airflow, which, aside from its efficiency, will provide you with an active and boosted driving experience. You will likely be surprised at how much power this little one can reach with its 5-speed manual transmission. Speaking of which, driving manual will keep you more engaged and connected with the driving and with the vehicle itself, making driving just that much more fun. However, if you prefer automatic, there is the option for a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
This two-door cruiser, which seats four, uses its compact space quite efficiently. Able to seat four, the Spark provides you room to host friends and guests while also offering you a maximum cargo volume of 27.2 cubic feet. While this is a vehicle designed for those who will likely not have tons of passengers or cargo, it certainly provides you with the space necessary should you decide to hit the road for the weekend with your friends. With a maximum passenger volume of 83 cubic feet, everyone should be quite comfortable, too.
Design
The 2022 Spark breaks the mold of small car design by leaning into its own compactness while maintaining a vintage charm with sharply defined accents and features. The vehicle’s halogen projector headlamps give the Spark its Spark by providing personality while also helping you maintain the battery with the ability to turn on and off automatically. With different 15-inch wheel options across the four trims – including steel, silver-plated with aluminum, black-painted machined-finish aluminum, and gunmetal – your Spark will have the foundation it needs to keep your driving sharp and dynamic while also giving the car the look you desire, whether that look is edgy or spunky.
If you tend towards athleticism, then the ACTIV trim will certainly be appealing to you, with the addition of a roof-mounted luggage rack. So, on top of the 27.2 cubic feet of interior storage space, you can also load up the roof to hit the camping site, beach, hiking trail, or anywhere else the open road may take you.
If you want to take the Spark to an even higher design level, then the Spark Special Edition is ready to accommodate. With a two-tone painted roof, a black-painted grille (plus black bowties in both the front and the rear), accent color mirror caps, and accent-color daytime running lamp bezels, your Spark will be more stylish than ever with the Special Edition.
The interior of the Spark has a dark and comfortable complexion with jet blacks features complemented by sparks of metallic silver. Just like the exterior, the interior keeps it simple yet functional, fun, and inviting. A 7-inch diagonal infotainment screen will have you well-connected with the addition of Google Built-In (not by way of a mobile device, but literally built-in to the vehicle), in-vehicle apps, and services such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Safety
A common objection that is raised to small cars is that of safety. With a car this compact, what happens in the case of a collision? Well, the good news is that the Spark is working overtime to prevent that case from even being an issue. Chevrolet is a true leader in safety technology with various packages such as Chevy Safety Assist and Chevy Teen Driver, so know that the Spark has been crafted by experts in automotive safety technology. As such, the Spark provides a whole host of active safety features to ensure that you remain safe while enjoying the vehicle. Among these is Forward Collision Alert with Automatic Emergency Braking. This feature, self-explanatory in its name, is able to detect the possibility of a front-end collision to make sure that you are able to take action in time to prevent the possibility from becoming a reality. With its camera technology, the vehicle will even take action and apply the brakes for you or assist you, depending upon the nature of the situation.
While the 2022 Spark offers other collision-prevention technology, including Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, and a Following Distance Indicator, it also provides even more cutting-edge safety technology. First is the Adaptive Cruise Control; while you are likely familiar with cruise control technology, the word “adaptive” is added because this technology is able to maintain a set gap time from the vehicle you are following while you steer, keeping you from needing to apply the brakes frequently.
Next is High-Definition Surround Vision, which utilizes several cameras to display a digital overhead view of your vehicle and its surroundings; while this feature is not intended for high-speed freeway driving, it is sure to be very helpful when it comes to parking and other low-speed maneuvers. One last extra piece of safety technology worth noting is the Safety Alert Seat. This seat provides seat vibration pulses on the left, right, or both sides, enabling you to identify the direction of a possible collision. While the seat vibration pulses can be switched to beeping alerts, the benefit of the vibration pulses is that it creates a more visceral and involved experience.
Put a Spark in Your Ride
Driving is fun. Sometimes we get used to it and even think of it as an inconvenience, but those of you who rushed to the DMV first thing on the morning of your driving-age birthday remember the initial thrill, excitement, and fun that came with driving. While we won’t always experience this, the Spark is a vehicle that strives to provide drivers with just a little taste of that thrill again. Its manual transmission or CVT will keep you engaged in a dynamic ride while enjoying premium design features and world-class safety technology. So, if what you need is a spunky and efficient compact vehicle with functionality at its core, then the Spark just may be the vehicle you are looking for.
