On Wednesday, the 2013 Chevrolet Spark will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The small hatchback has been tweaked for the North American market, and the hope is that the Spark takes off like wildfire with buyers. Chevrolet thinks the Spark will find favor with buyers living in cities, as well as first-time purchasers.
To that end, the entry-level Spark has been designed carefully. Obvious forethought went into the packaging of the virtually hidden rear passenger doors (not unlike its larger cousin, the five-door Sonic), and color choices with names like Salsa, Jalapeno, Denim, Lemonade, and Techno Pink are clearly aimed at a customer looking for something imaginative. Unique to our Spark will be a redesigned front fascia with distinct foglamp housings and airdam. The grille stretches further down the nose, too, and out back there are taillamps and bumper designs specific to the United States and Canadian markets.
Beyond the aesthetic alterations, important Spark details include a 1.2-liter dual-overhead cam four cylinder that spins 15-inch alloy wheels with 85 hp through a standard five-speed manual transmission or optional four-speed automatic. Chevrolet MyLink is available in the Spark with a seven-inch touchscreen. Mylink features Bluetooth phone integration, and Pandora or Stitcher can be piped through your smartphone and directly into Mylink. Standard air conditioning and power windows, along with a motorcycle-inspired gauge cluster (there’s that Sonic influence again) and color coordinated interior serve to spiff things up. It seems the message has sunk in that small cars don’t have to be brutally decontented.
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