Spark Doing Quite Well According To NY Times

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Kal-El

Yeah, I never understood why automakers relate small affordable cars with playful "young" themes. As if children are buying the cars. Small economy cars should be as maturely designed as any other segment. It's a fact that a majority of these cars designed for young people are actually bought by older people.



Remember the PT Cruiser had body colored dash panels. Although it stopped there. None on the doors like the Spark.

I was wrong re only one with that styling cue inside with a loud color. I went to the Barnes and Noble at The Woodlands Mall last night and I parked next to a bright Yellow Fiat 500....same 'paint color inside' styling cue. I actually think it looks better with more color...at least on the Fiat.....kind of reminds me of an old VW Beetle before they were first discontinued in the U.S.

[Shroomster]

Volkswagen new beetle hadinterior color keyed trim panels on doors and dash.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Shroomster

Volkswagen new beetle hadinterior color keyed trim panels on doors and dash.

[malibuguy]

Ummm power windows and a/c come standard...I should know my wife has a pink spark base model and we absolutely love it. I often contemplate trading the Yaris in on one.

Btw my Yaris has crank windows...but I wanted that. The dealer gave me a strange look when I demanded crank windows

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by malibuguy

Btw my Yaris has crank windows...but I wanted that.

[nookandcrannycar]

I was reading a consumer review of the Spark, and the only negative this particular owner found was that the AC blew warm air instead of cool air whenever he was stopped at a traffic light. Once the light turned green and he accelerated, the air coming into the cabin was cool again. The dealer says there is nothing wrong with the car, but can't explain this. Malibuguy, has your wife found this to be the case?

[malibuguy]

We lucked out our ac works pretty good. Every once in a while it doesnt blow cold...more like cool for a brief moment. But there is several other owners having straight warm air blowing out. That is really the only issue with these cars.

We have almost 9000miles on ours and its just great.

[NEexpat]

I had an opportunity to drive my friends New 2013 Spark today and here are my impressions;

First off I slid the seat all the way back on the rails and it felt like more legroom than my Yari. I'm 6'2". Very comfortable.

The rear view mirror is tiny, very tiny, at least to me.

This car was an automatic, 1.2 ltr. Ecotec 84hp. Shifted smoothly, brakes were even and firm. This car has OnStar, no CD player. Not sure about all the other, AUX, BT, etc.

Power windows, door locks, manual side view mirrors.

Tilted the steering column all the way up, and from my vantage point it cut off about an inch of visibility on the speedometer top. No cruise control.

Look, it is what is purports to be, small, economical commuter/city car. Not enough data on reliability. I believe it is made in S. Korea.

Interior is clean simple, feels like open space in the front dash/console area. The control console/arm rest DS, curves downward and is narrow, I like the Yari controls, up and facing more towards me.

Drove about in town, not on highway so can't speak to "pep". I kinda liked it.

If I were a Chevy guy and needed a gas sipper I would give it a look, and at $14K and change ........................

[Kal-El]

Inconsistent cold air out of the A/C is expected with a tiny engine. Remember the A/C uses engine power. Even with the Yaris, I'm sure many of us notice the difference in how cold the air is when you're on the highway with the engine revving vs. when stopped at a light at idle. It's significantly cooler on the highway.

[kimona]

Originally Posted by NEexpat

...
Look, it is what is purports to be, small, economical commuter/city car. Not enough data on reliability. I believe it is made in S. Korea.

...

It's a rebadged Daewoo Matiz... and it's been around since 1998. The current Chevy Spark is third generation.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by malibuguy

We lucked out our ac works pretty good. Every once in a while it doesnt blow cold...more like cool for a brief moment. But there is several other owners having straight warm air blowing out. That is really the only issue with these cars.

We have almost 9000miles on ours and its just great.

Thanks for the info! (and to everyone else for the informative posts that followed).