Photo: Chevrolet
As if the market wasn’t already chock-full of crossovers, SUVs, and allroaders, Chevrolet decided to make things that little bit more complicated. Dubbed the Spark Activ, this little bugger here is a rougher, more lifestyle-oriented take on the Spark city car. Slated to go on sale in the first quarter of 2017, pricing for the Chevrolet Spark Activ starts from $16,945 including destination charge.
Let me repeat that. $16,945 for a manual-equipped FWD city car that poses as an offroader. If you want the automatic, i.e. a continuously variable tranny, that’ll be $18,045. Sorry, Chevy but that’s Hyundai Elantra money. Be that as it may, the Spark Activ certainly looks much nicer than the model on which it’s based. Also, this pocket-sized car is pretty well equipped from the get-go.
Check out all that black plastic cladding! The front and rear skid plates aren’t too shabby either. What I’m not too fond of about the Spark Activ, however, is the rear bumper. Dear Chevrolet, a black plastic bumper is synonymous with cheapness, not off-road ethos. Sincerely, everybody who hasn’t forgotten that entry-level pickups also come with black plastic bumpers.
In other news, the suspension has been raised by 0.4 inches (10 millimeters), a change that surely translates in more pitch and roll during cornering. As far as the cabin is concerned, standard goodies include black leatherette front seats with heating, leather on the steering wheel, MyLink touch-based infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, parking camera, cruise control, air con, and 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. A lot of kit for a small car, alright.
Unlike most of its competitors, the 2017 Chevrolet Spark Activ also happens to boast a lot of standard safety equipment. The highlight, of course, comes in the form of 10 airbags. For what it’s worth, fitting 10 friggin’ airbags in a car with a wheelbase of 93.9 inches (238 cm) is a feat in its own right.
“The new Spark Activ is all about adventurous fun and style,” explains Steve Majoros, Chevrolet director of Car and Crossover Marketing. “It has an attitude, while still offering the sophisticated, efficient and connected driving experience customers have come to love.”
Check out all that black plastic cladding! The front and rear skid plates aren’t too shabby either. What I’m not too fond of about the Spark Activ, however, is the rear bumper. Dear Chevrolet, a black plastic bumper is synonymous with cheapness, not off-road ethos. Sincerely, everybody who hasn’t forgotten that entry-level pickups also come with black plastic bumpers.
In other news, the suspension has been raised by 0.4 inches (10 millimeters), a change that surely translates in more pitch and roll during cornering. As far as the cabin is concerned, standard goodies include black leatherette front seats with heating, leather on the steering wheel, MyLink touch-based infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, parking camera, cruise control, air con, and 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. A lot of kit for a small car, alright.
Unlike most of its competitors, the 2017 Chevrolet Spark Activ also happens to boast a lot of standard safety equipment. The highlight, of course, comes in the form of 10 airbags. For what it’s worth, fitting 10 friggin’ airbags in a car with a wheelbase of 93.9 inches (238 cm) is a feat in its own right.
“The new Spark Activ is all about adventurous fun and style,” explains Steve Majoros, Chevrolet director of Car and Crossover Marketing. “It has an attitude, while still offering the sophisticated, efficient and connected driving experience customers have come to love.”
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