500 km review. Review on Chevrolet Spark

Here is my take on the after Spark 500 km. Note: The only cars I have driven for more than 100 km are a Maruti 800 (5-speed) and the "old" Zen. So my comparisons are limited to these two.

I am also a guy, who believes that the greatest vehicle on land runs on rails - so cars should also be driven like that (no no, I don't mean the "right of way" but that passengers should not be able to make out when the gears are changed, even from 1 to 2).

Outside

The Spark isn't mean or muscular like the i10's and the A-Stars, but it has its own charm. Something like the Dev Anand of the 60's standing beside the 6-pack Khans of today.

What I really like are the circular tail lamps, though that is the exact thing some people hate the most in this car.

The reverse lights are kept low, which complements the low front fog lamps (in the LS model at least). However, the reverse lamp assembly inside, being positioned just above the mud flap, is bound to get sprayed by mud and water from the rear wheel.

A peek on this assembly from rear wheel, which shows a couple of wires hanging out at the connector end, is not exactly confidence-inspiring. I live in a state where it rains 9 months a year (Kerala), and, though a combination of bureaucratic negligence (or indulgance) and forest/mining "mafia" is working hard so that it rains lesser, I would match rather have GM work on the problem at the "car-side".

Inside

The doors close reassuringly solid; no, not Palio class, but you feel safe anyway. The leather seat, is a GM-approved accessory (bought from the dealer itself); but with the GM symbol stamped on it, many people did assume that this came along with the vehicle itself. It looks really neat and classy.

One thing I couldn't help noticing was the space wasted on the passenger side of the dash. It is airbag-area for the high end version, but I still feel GM could have come up with a much better design for the dash.

One interesting point which I found in the owner's manual is GM's warning not to use liquefied fragrances in the dash. Not sure whether GM is making a statement on the strength of chemicals in today's fragrances or the strength of the plastic used in the dash.

Driving.

The driver seat gives a good view of things around, though not as good as the old Zen. Indeed, the old Zen offered such good view all around, like the view of the guy who pops out on top of military tanks. Which is well as good, since Indian roads are virtually a warfare area. The Spark loses to Zen not because it is bad, but because the Zen is the best.

The car has a good ground clearance, again which is needed considering the "trenches" in our warfare area. And the most annoying problem - the lack of enough under thigh support. Forget the Zen, even my ever-faithful Maruti 800 fared better here. On long drives, you really need a break ever hour or so.

There seems to be something amiss with the position of the steering wheel, you need to stretch out your arms to hold it ( I am 5'11"). Which means your arms tire after some time. Wait, even my no-power-steering M800 never had this problem, even on long highway drives. And this thing tires in a few minutes of drive. Of course, you can rest in the door rest; but there is some ergonomic problem here.

But these nuances whither away when you experience the quality of the ride offered. You would never expect such a smooth ride in such a compact car.

I also find the day/night rear view mirror very practical. The gear shifts are smooth and precise. The only irritant is you cannot reverse on "half-clutch" alone, if you have turned the wheels fully; you need to slightly press the accelerator. Maybe, it is because of the low turning radius, which makes parking much easier.

While the analog central consoles are very easy to read, the digital clock and odometer are too dark to be read while driving. It's only at night that they make themselves readable without needing to be peeped into.

The engine is neat and quiet. I wouldn't be surprised if I crank it on even while it is actually on - it is so quiet. Guess I would have to keep an eye on the indicator lamps always before starting the engine.

The engine seems to be a low torque one, very useful in city - you can keep running without always changing gears; but you shall be punished in highways, unable to overtake at high speeds.

The rear passenger has surprisingly good legspace, which I presume is at the cost of my nagging thigh. Enjoy.And the mileage I got on highways is 17 kmpl, which is reasonable. Haven't checked the city mileage, but I guess it should only be 2-3 km lower.

And...

So while the 6-pack Khans thrash the villains and hang around with the damsels, Dev Anand will carry on forward, smiling and with a whistle for, as they say in their ad, a special journey called life.