A little Spark-le for not a lot of cash

It’s not lost on anyone that cars these days are becoming quite expensive. If you’re going for a compact, the cost of entry will set you back at least 650k, before insurance and all those other costs… and we haven’t even factored in the cost of gas, either. If you’re going smaller, even the cheapest Honda City is a pretty P572k, with the rival Toyota Vios starting at P553k (according to their respective websites).

But now from an American brand by way of South Korea comes a cheaper, and slightly smaller alternative: the Chevrolet Spark LS. 1.5-meters tall, 3.5-meters long, and 1.5-meters wide, it’s even more compact than Chevrolet’s own Aveo which, by the way, is also now available with a 1.2-liter engine.

In the Spark’s case, "cuteness" is the overriding description, from the cozy cabin to its pert curves to its tidy spec sheet. Walk around it — this won’t take more than ten seconds, it’s that small, and you can’t help but think how creative the designers were. This is, after all, a cheap car, and the challenge was to make it appealing nonetheless.

For a mere P490,000, or less than what you’d spend in a decade for your daily dose of frapuccino, you get a brand new car that’ll putt-putt along smartly courtesy of a 66 PS 1.0-liter SOHC engine. You will not get a standard automatic transmission or even the option of having one, because the only available transmission is a 5-speed stick shift. You will not get alloy wheels (but those snazzy wheel covers look cute, though). You will not get a stereo system that will bring down the house. You will not get airbags or ABS or the respect of those self-important politicos in their gas-guzzling Suburbans.

Guys, you might not even get the girl with this car. What you will get, however, is a well-made, brand new car with space for you and three of your friends, a claimed 18-20 kilometers per liter of fuel economy, and all the convenience you would ever need if all you need is a set of wheels to take you places in the metro.

Outside, the Giorgetto Giugario-designed body says "stylish" rather than "cheap", and inside, there’s actually more space than you might expect from a car that’s a only a little bigger than your girlfriend’s handbag. In fact, my girlfriend remarked how roomy it was in front while having seats close enough together that we could hold hands comfortably for once. Awww...

Transferring to the back, I noticed the high hip point, which translated to a better use of the available space. At 5’8", my knees almost touch the back of the front seat, but the tall seating position makes it a much more livable posture unlike those incredibly cramped "people’s cars" of long ago. And behind that bench, there’s just enough space for a duffel bag, a laptop, and maybe a few grocery bags, but definitely not a week’s worth of luggage. Hey, you can’t get everything for 490k.

Perusing the brochure, one immediately notes that that amount of cash still merits some modern-day conveniences such as an airconditioner, cupholders, a split-collapsible rear bench, a seat undertray for the front passenger, even front power windows. And if you look closely at the fit and finish, it’s not bad at all. The plastics aren’t too shiny, the seats are swathed in fabric instead of bargain basement vinyl, and overall, it strikes one as a very viable option for the cost-conscious buyer. Ladies, you will be glad to know that it comes in 4 color options, 3 of which can look fab with your chosen outfit-for-the-day: "Apple Green", "Peach Orange", and "Super Red".

So, no, it’s not the car of your dreams, but if your budget has you shopping at the half-million mark, this latest runabout just might be all you need to keep you smiling while you work your way up to even better things.