Used 2016 Chevrolet Spark EV Consumer Reviews
Chevy Spark EV a Best buy new and used
Jim Stack, 03/27/2019
1LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
19 of 19 people found this review helpful
This is a great Electric Vehicle. Be sure to get the DC Fast Charge port. I call my Chevy Spark EV a Tesla Nano. It does everything a Tesla can do at 1/5 th the cost. It can go over 100 miles on a charge. Chevy replaced it in 2017 with the Chevy Bolt that can go 238 miles on a charge at double the cost. But how often do you need that much range day to day. Almost all new cars don't have a spare tire so I got one and keep it in the garage in case I need it or one of my Spark friends needs to borrow it. a friend and I just won the 8th annual 100 Electric mile EVent in Phoenix. My Spark EV made it 100 miles and still showed 33 mile more on the guess o meter. We were almost the exact 100 miles, answered all the quiz questions and were the most efficient at 133 Wh /mile or 7.1 miles per kWh of power. My meter shows 120 mile range since I drive ECO and Hyper mile. I even get over 6 miles per kWh on the highways. It's a great car for older friends or people with injuries since the seat at not real low. There is also a GRAB handle inside each door opening on the roof to help people get in and out. The rear hact is bigger than a Tesla model 3 and each rear seat folds down for lot of storage space. The battery has liquid cooling so it will last for the life of the cat extimated on most cars at 10-15 years.
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Shocking Value
Michael G., 07/02/2016
2LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
30 of 31 people found this review helpful
We have all seen them, those little electric cars buzzing around undetected, almost stealth like.... When I saw 129 a month lease I became intrigued. My wife has a Honda Pilot, at just 16 miles to the gallon on a good day. Her commute is just 7 miles each way and the usual errands. What a great buy this has been! no gas put in the Pilot in 5 weeks... The EV has been going to over 90 miles with our normal driving. We love this car. My wife is getting used to the hands free, Bluetooth, and the on-star. It is a bit on the small size, but we have gone to Costco and grocery store with no issues. We have yet to fill up on the fly, preferring to use the home charger. We decided on the purchase over lease, as they took 9K off list, and had zero interest for 6 years. The added 7500 Tax credit lowered the price even more. Update 18 months later: Love it more now than when purchased. Never going to the gas station or for oil changes is incredible. Occasionally have some range anxiety but with a touch of planning it works out. Winter is the challenge. You lose about 20% range using the heater.
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Spark EV a great around-town vehicle
Davems, 12/05/2018
2LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
My F150 is getting rusty and old, and gets lousy fuel economy, and new trucks are really, really expensive. My own personal calculus was to get a Spark EV for an everyday driver and try and keep the truck for 5 more years rather than 1 or 2, just for truck stuff when we need it. The Spark EV is no good for hauling deer carcasses, but it does get about the best possible fuel economy, ~5 mi/kwh. That means I roll for about $0.02/mi just for fuel, rather than $0.15-0.20/mi in the truck. This car is small and meek looking, so other drivers think they can try and push you around. They are wrong and they will fail. Up to ~75 mph there isn't much out there on four wheels that is quicker. I've shut down just about everything out there, because it's so quick, handles like on rails (50/50 weight distribution down low batteries), and because it's such a sleeper. Range when new was ~88-92 mi, dropped to ~80-84 mi. after 2 years. Winter range is lower at 70-75 mi, and appears to be a matter of programming and not simply a matter of temperature or climate control. Using the heat affects range more than air conditioning. Defrost with heat affects range more, with economy being ~3 mi/kwh rather than 5. Bigger on the inside than it looks, but it looks really, really small. Headroom is very good. Back seats have minimal leg room. Front seats are close together, but there is enough leg room at 6'1". Stereo system is terrible, but aftermarket speakers upgrade it to lousy. You wouldn't want to drive across the country in this, even if it magically had the range and a good stereo system. But does this matter around town?
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Great little car
Steve, 05/05/2016
2LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
23 of 25 people found this review helpful
Update: lease is over and she was returned without issue. Summer range at end of lease was 65-ish, winter 60. if U have a short commute, it's hard to beat this car, bang-for-the-buck-wise, and in fun to drive terms. ==== 2017 original review ==== Like all EVs of this class, range is limited. I got betw. 82 and 84 mi estimated range at full charge now when the car is new. I ran into someone with a 3-year old Spark EV and he mentioned and average of 70mi. When temperatures were near freezing it dropped to about 60 and in its 2nd summer, ~80, with a max of 91. Lease deal was great - $2900 down, $68/mo for a 2LT with the DC charging port (green exterior/grey interior). When one factors in the California $2500 State rebate, it's $90/mo for 36 mo, which is slightly less than what I pay in gas for my 96 Accord Wagon. Lease is 10kmi/year mileage limit without paying $0.25/mi, which is very limiting. So it's scary quick acceleration, esp. at low speeds. Instantaneous. Acceleration is downright impressive. It would go off left or right if you let it at very low speeds - sudden flooring while cornering is a bad idea. I like how there's no center console or arm rest in the car - nothing to the right of you. I never seem to be comfortable in cars with big center areas - my right arm doesn't seem to find the right home. I'm getting about 4 mi/hr at 115V, 8A and a little higher at 12A. 230V charging at work and home is getting me 10+ though charging near full is slower. I put in the Bosch charger advertised on the card that comes with the car, which gets you a rebate of $500 on the charger. I'm 6'3" and could wish for about 2" more legroom. Headroom is great. I could wear a hat if I wanted to. Mylink is bloody annoying. Constantly wants to go to XM or FM, but I pretty much use BT from phone. Our other cars default to whatever was last used. There was a recall regarding the firmware for the seat belt tensioners and airbags which I had done. Took longer than one would expect. No charge. Pleasant waiting room. They vacuumed out the car. Another recall on the software that estimates available range. Not sure I notice a difference. It's "mileage" is pretty good - I get 4.3 mi/kWh. I can't type any units into the MPG field below.
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Fun little ride that's priced right
Randy B., 10/20/2019
1LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
Answer me a question. Where can you buy a car under $9000 that has 13,650 miles and is 3 years old? You can get 82 miles and not have to stop at a gas station. If you drive a short distance to work or run errands, this is the car for you. I drive eight miles round trip and I can go over a week and not charge it. Today, a Mustang GT and a corvette, got a little taste of electric torque. Who would look at this "grocery getter" and laugh at it at the light. That's what those two did. You aren't going to take them really far but it's nice to get their attention. So in conclusion, check out all the car websites. They are out there and the 2016's are coming off of their leases. If you need a third car for the family and money is short. Check this car out. No oil changes. Battery has a 8yr/ 100,000 warranty. It cost me approximately $.02/mile to run. No brainer.
Guilt free fun
Cybertrooth, 08/11/2020
2LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Almost leased one of these back in 16 but ended up with a Volt instead. When we downsized our SUV for better gas mileage, we went with the Spark as cost was about half the buyout on the Volt. Loving it. Solidly built, all the features I would want, including remote start and heated seats. And fun to drive? Whoopee! Think of it as the offspring of a union between a Tesla and a go-kart. When the light goes green, the driver of the BMW beside me wonders "What the heck is that litfle thing" as he shrinks in my mirror.
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