First Drive: 2016 Chevrolet Spark
When the 2015 Nissan Micra went on sale in Canada, it was welcomed by many.
With a base price of just $9,998, Nissan's smallest entry in the Canadian market undercut its rivals by a landslide, coming in at $1,900 less than the Chevrolet Spark, and $2,500 less than the Mitsubishi Mirage.
Its tiny price tag gave first-time buyers a viable new-car option, and its tiny proportions made it a blast to drive.
Fast-forward less than two years and Chevrolet has thrown a serious counter-punch by way of the all-new 2016 Spark.
With a base price of just $9,995, $1,903 less than the previous Spark, this car is downright affordable by any measuring stick.
It becomes even more so when you consider the standard equipment: Backup camera; seven-inch colour touchscreen; and smartphone integration through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
In a segment that's dominated by the Micra—data provided by General Motors gave it a 59 per cent share last year—the Spark is raising the bar to heights never seen before.
Before you get too excited, bear in mind the Spark is still an entry-level subcompact that, in base trim, gets manual windows, locks and mirrors, optional air conditioning, and steel wheels with plastic hub caps.
It also comes standard with a five-speed manual gearbox, with the optional continuously-variable transmission adding nearly $4,000 to the sticker price.
Chevrolet says early buyers of the base model are doing their best to #savethemanuals, with 90 per cent opting to work through the gears themselves—and rightfully so.
Shifts are smooth and easy, and the hill-start assist and shift light will make life easier for even the most inexperienced manual users.
Under the Spark's hood is an all-new 1.4-litre four-cylinder that makes 98 horsepower and 94 lb.-ft. of torque, both of which are less than the power made by the Micra's larger 1.6-litre but more than the Mirage's 1.2-litre three-cylinder.
Power delivery is smooth and responsive with the five-speed between the seats, while passing slower-moving vehicles happens without the car coming undone.
What the 2016 Spark lacks in power it more than makes up for at the pumps, delivering fuel economy numbers of 7.8 L/100 km in the city and 5.8 L/100 km on the highway with the manual gearbox.
Both numbers are close to 1 L/100 km better than the manual-equipped Micra.
It's also fun to drive, proving light and nimble around town, and stopping and turning on a dime.
For those not fond of the previous-generation Spark's styling, the 2016 version is decidedly more handsome, with a look that more closely mirrors the rest of Chevrolet's lineup.
Inside, the car is clean and well laid out, with easy-to-use buttons and knobs for climate and audio controls, and a seven-inch touchscreen running Chevy's MyLink infotainment interface.
Chevrolet dubbed the 2016 Spark "the ultimate mobile device" in early marketing, and with good reason, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto projecting connected smartphones through the touchscreen and 4G LTE with built-in WiFi hotspot hosting as many as seven wireless devices.
The Spark does lack a CD player, but with smartphone connectivity and Bluetooth wireless audio streaming, it's a feature that likely won't be missed by many.
With limited time behind the wheel it was tough to make a judgement on long-term seat comfort, though they did prove cozy after a handful of hours.
Headroom was the more notable luxury in the Spark, with the car boasting numbers on par with those of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu both front and back.
Likewise, the legroom was close to that offered by the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, and impressive feat considering the Spark is more than 40 inches shorter than the upcoming sedan.
About the only area the Spark falls behind nearly everything else is when it comes to cargo room.
Chevrolet is campaigning the car's 771 litres of space with the rear seats folded, but the reality remains that its 313 litres of space behind the rear seats is among the lowest in the segment.
Pricing can also run away in a relative hurry, with the top-of-the-line 2LT trim and its power-everything and safety features galore costing $8,200 more than the manual-everything base LS model.
Regardless, it's hard to argue with the value proposition of a new car that's priced like a used one.
And with the features the 2016 Spark boasts, the Micra may not stay atop the segment for long.
Base price: $9,995
As tested: $11,595 (freight included)
