Spark…Bang!

I recently said that Chevrolet got it spot on when they named their latest four door sedan the Cruze, because it does just that, very well.

And after my tiny revelation, I thought maybe, in the future, you could judge a Chev by its name. But then they went and botched my new system by introducing the next generation Spark. You see, it isn’t really a Spark, but more of a Bang!

The thing about small cars is they generally aren’t things that dreams are made of. They’re somewhat like toothbrushes. They fill a need, not a desire. But occasionally you might find one that is different, a little mental, and breaks the conventional mould. The new Spark is a prime example…

The previous generation Spark was a fun little car, and still is. It lives on in the form of the Spark Lite, but that story can wait for another day. The thing about the old Spark is it always looked really small in comparison to its competitors. The upside was always, and still is that the old Spark remains very good value for money. The new one however is a whole lot bigger, and in every single way.

Let us start with the exterior styling. It is odd, but in a cute way. The front lights and grille are huge in comparison to the rest of the body, giving the little car a take-me-seriously look. From the side, it looks a little more ‘normal’, except for an interesting little feature. The rear door handles are incorporated into the frame of the door, which my sister described as ‘cool’.

That however is only where the ‘cool’ starts. The inside is where everything becomes really grown up. The dash has the same ‘v’ feel as the Cruze, which is nice. But it’s the stuff that’s splashed all over the dash that makes you wonder if you really are in a budget vehicle. The LS model has driver and passenger airbags, a CD player that is USB and MP3 compatible, front electric windows, a brilliant air-con, and such an upmarket feel. The instrument cluster is also an interesting bit of kit because it is made up of a round analogue dial for the Speedo, and a little digital readout for the fuel gauge, rev-counter, trip computer and clock. It’s odd, but works well with the funky feel of the car.

Then you stick the key in the ignition and fire up the all new engine. The new Spark has a 1.2 litre, four cylinder engine which manages to produce 60kW and 108Nm. What I really love about the Spark is it has a very throaty engine note which makes it sound incredibly zesty.

When it comes to stopping power, there is ABS with EBD and brake assist, and I can honestly say they work very well. They don’t feel dead. You can jump onto the breaks and feel very confident that the little car will come to a stop. The clutch pedal is incredibly light, but I reckon that will just add to the appeal when it comes to ‘dainty’ drivers. Driving, the Spark is great; it feels nimble and light on its feet.

The Spark really isn’t just a spark, but rather a small, big bang that could possibly reshape and dominate the small car market. It is a solid, well built car, and spec for spec brilliant value for money. From around the R 115 000 mark, I honestly can’t think why you wouldn’t look at it?