Test Drive: The New Chevrolet Spark

I never reviewed a car before, but when Chevrolet offered to lend me a Spark for a week that comes with free gas, how can I refuse? What came in front of my doorstep a few days later was a blue Chevy Spark LS, an automatic transmission 1.0L engine with a challenge… Drive around with the Spark for a week and check if it can support my active lifestyle. So was it good enough for me? Read on.

The Looks
By default the Spark comes in with a sporty exterior look that’s packed in 5-door compact hatchback frame. You can notice the headlights extend from the sides of the hood towards the windshield. The car also has an option for a standard roof-rail to carry additional cargo like your surfboard or bike and a rear spoiler that enhanced the Spark’s sporty look.

For the interior, the company was creative in re-designing the dashboard, from a traditional built-in design; the Spark features an extended dashboard connected from the three-spoke steering wheel. It felt a bit weird at first since the dashboard is now closer to the driver, but eventually you’ll get used to this new design.

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The Space
I normally drive by myself around the city and my daily activities involves going to meetings, meeting up with friends, going to the gym, swimming, biking or running.
So I try to pack my training equipment for the day so I can do my trainings whenever and wherever I go. The challenge was to pack my laptop, workout clothes, gym bag, running shoes, swimming gears, and my bike in into the Spark.

With the same tricks I learned from driving a sedan for a few years now, I was able to fit everything perfectly into this compact car, with a few more space left for groceries.

If you don’t need a bike, but needs additional space for cargo or luggage, the rear seats of the Spark can be conveniently tucked in to reveal a bigger rear cargo room for whatever you feel like throwing in the back.

 
The Engine
The Spark is equipped with a 16-valve DOHC 1.0L engine, with decent acceleration for city driving, so I decided to give the Spark another challenge and drove it up to Tanay Rizal that weekend for the Brooks Run Happy 3 Cross-Country Challenge race I was joining together with Ria my teammate.

The time we hit the hills of Marcos Hi-way was when the challenge began, coming from driving a 1.5L engine, you can immediately notice the power difference, on very steep roads you really have to shift to a lower gear to continue the climb.

Nonetheless the Spark was able to drive us to our destination, and we’re able to race just in time! Here are some photos of how beautiful the trails of Tanay, Rizal are.

The Verdict
After a week with the Chevy Spark, I understood that the car was created with balance and the youth in mind. With the proper combination of style, space and performance, the Spark has proven itself to be the perfect urban companion that packs enough power to get you to a nice out-of-town location.

The Chevrolet Spark has 3 variants. What I tested was the 4-speed AT Chevrolet Spark LS which costs Php598,888, the 5-speed MT version is at Php548,888 while 1.2-liter MT Spark LT is also at Php598,888.

Time to Spark-up your Day!
Here are some simple workout and warm-up challenges you can use to Spark-up your day!

Spark #1 – Spark up your day and do 1,000 Jump Ropes in 10 minutes.
Spark #2 – Spark up your day with 5 mins easy run then do a 4 x (100m sprint + 100m walk)
Spark #3 – Spark up your day on a bike with 5 mins easy spin then do a 4 x (1 min heavy gear + 1 min easy spin in between)

That should be enough to give your body a Spark to jumpstart your day or training. Don’t forget to hydrate often and stretch after every workout!

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