So I finally got the Spark. Leased it for 3 years so we shall see how it goes.
I traded in my Fiat 500 Sport. I took a little bit of a hit on it but all things said and done given the fuel mileage advantage and rebate, I come out about $80/month ahead.
So here are my thoughts and please keep in mind the car I was driving prior.
Styling:
From some angles the Spark EV looks pretty good. 3/4 rear, etc are nice as are 3/4 front. Styling-wise, the Fiat has it licked hands down. That car really had oodles of character and charm. It was in the details from the instrument cluster to the door handles, colour matching interior/exterior, stylish rims, great lighting, etc.
The proportions of the car are not quite right compared to the Fiat IMO.
Driving Experience:
It's still new to say but it's definitely a weird experience. It will take some getting used to to be honest.
Positive Things:
- very good acceleration
- pretty comfortable ride
- quiet
Negative Things:
- Rather characterless feel
- Steering feels very artificial and doesn't have any real feel; tough to keep the car's line during cornering.
- Ride is a bit too floaty - it feels like a Cadillac of small cars. The Fiat had a real "European" feeling ride to it...well damped but stiff.
- Darts around a bit too much
- Brakes are truly awful in feel - very artificial and during creep it takes considerable effort to stop the car on an incline.
- Creep is far too aggressive - takes a lot of effort to keep the car from moving
Quality/Interior:
The overall quality seems OK if not a bit chinsy. The Fiat felt more substantial...particularly the doors. They closed with a certain heaviness that the Spark's doors do not have...they almost feel cheap and "thin" in comparison.
The stereo is God-awful. It really has bargain-basement sound. I don't know why Chevy did this given this car is all about electronics. Shame. Fiat's Bose system was very good with deep base and clarity. However, there was a lot of rattling going on in the Fiat's door panels.
Seats are somewhat flat and don't offer much support. But they are OK.
Rear legroom is quite good with my driving position.
Overall the cabin feels a little bit bigger than my Fiat's but that's because it has no moonroof like the Fiat did and I think it's a slightly bigger car overall.
Time will tell if rattles start anywhere but so far all is quiet.
CONCLUSION
My new Spark EV replaced my Fiat because I wanted a car that was electric. Have I regretted it? Well...no not really but I will admit I will miss my Fiat's style and charm. That car really put a smile on my face whereas this car feels more like an appliance compared to the Fiat. The Fiat was an event...the Spark is a car. It delivers linear acceleration efficiently and smoothly. But it misses the feel of a regular car.
I suppose it's too be expected given it's an electric car. It's going to take some getting used to that's for sure. I really hope I don't feel regret down the road but we shall see. I'm glad I don't need to use fuel to go here and there anymore. It's a perfect city car or small hop-around vehicle. So that part really does feel great. But it's not a car that evokes much emotion. I just think that is the nature of electric cars.....and highly efficient systems.
Fire away.
I traded in my Fiat 500 Sport. I took a little bit of a hit on it but all things said and done given the fuel mileage advantage and rebate, I come out about $80/month ahead.
So here are my thoughts and please keep in mind the car I was driving prior.
Styling:
From some angles the Spark EV looks pretty good. 3/4 rear, etc are nice as are 3/4 front. Styling-wise, the Fiat has it licked hands down. That car really had oodles of character and charm. It was in the details from the instrument cluster to the door handles, colour matching interior/exterior, stylish rims, great lighting, etc.
The proportions of the car are not quite right compared to the Fiat IMO.
Driving Experience:
It's still new to say but it's definitely a weird experience. It will take some getting used to to be honest.
Positive Things:
- very good acceleration
- pretty comfortable ride
- quiet
Negative Things:
- Rather characterless feel
- Steering feels very artificial and doesn't have any real feel; tough to keep the car's line during cornering.
- Ride is a bit too floaty - it feels like a Cadillac of small cars. The Fiat had a real "European" feeling ride to it...well damped but stiff.
- Darts around a bit too much
- Brakes are truly awful in feel - very artificial and during creep it takes considerable effort to stop the car on an incline.
- Creep is far too aggressive - takes a lot of effort to keep the car from moving
Quality/Interior:
The overall quality seems OK if not a bit chinsy. The Fiat felt more substantial...particularly the doors. They closed with a certain heaviness that the Spark's doors do not have...they almost feel cheap and "thin" in comparison.
The stereo is God-awful. It really has bargain-basement sound. I don't know why Chevy did this given this car is all about electronics. Shame. Fiat's Bose system was very good with deep base and clarity. However, there was a lot of rattling going on in the Fiat's door panels.
Seats are somewhat flat and don't offer much support. But they are OK.
Rear legroom is quite good with my driving position.
Overall the cabin feels a little bit bigger than my Fiat's but that's because it has no moonroof like the Fiat did and I think it's a slightly bigger car overall.
Time will tell if rattles start anywhere but so far all is quiet.
CONCLUSION
My new Spark EV replaced my Fiat because I wanted a car that was electric. Have I regretted it? Well...no not really but I will admit I will miss my Fiat's style and charm. That car really put a smile on my face whereas this car feels more like an appliance compared to the Fiat. The Fiat was an event...the Spark is a car. It delivers linear acceleration efficiently and smoothly. But it misses the feel of a regular car.
I suppose it's too be expected given it's an electric car. It's going to take some getting used to that's for sure. I really hope I don't feel regret down the road but we shall see. I'm glad I don't need to use fuel to go here and there anymore. It's a perfect city car or small hop-around vehicle. So that part really does feel great. But it's not a car that evokes much emotion. I just think that is the nature of electric cars.....and highly efficient systems.
Fire away.
in cars with such short wheelbases, as they pitched over freeway truck-ripples. My '69 Datsun 2000 Roadster (89 inch wheelbase?) certainly did. Handled like a go-cart, though. I think Renault got it right with the 5 aka LeCar, although the typical French lack of rebound stiffness and no anti-roll bars resulted in the stereotypical 'cornering on their door handles'.