Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year per car on the road, against this model's usual year.
2013CAREFULSerious complaints 1.7× usual, mostly engine and power train
103 serious complaints of 146, the most about engine (35) and power train (34); per car on the road, 1.7× this model's usual year. 5 recalls.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2013 chevrolet spark. While driving at approximately 5 mph and shifting into first gear, the vehicle started to shutter and attempted to stall. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the engine, Feb 2015
“The contact owns a 2013 chevrolet spark. While driving at approximately 5 mph and shifting into first gear, the vehicle started to shutter and attempted to stall. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the power train, Feb 2015
Fixes and extended coverage
- Repair program This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a Diagnostic Trouble Code B101D stored in Telematics Communication Interface Control Module. (PIT5236F, Aug 2015)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
146 owner complaints · 5 recalls (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 31–34 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2013 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. Cars on the road from New York State registrations. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 1.2L 4-cyl · Drive: FWD
2013 Spark trims
| 1LT | 2LT | LS |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Chevrolet reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Chevrolet aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 32–33 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 3 | Structure (1) | Yes |
| 2021 | 1.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 32–33 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 6 | Air bags (2) | Yes |
| 2020 | 1.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 32–33 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 19 | Air bags (7) | Yes |
| 2019 | 1.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 32–33 mpg | Not rated | 1 | 14 | Air bags (7) | Yes |
| 2018 | 1.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 32–33 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 9 | Vehicle speed control (3) | Yes |
| 2017 | 1.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 32–33 mpg | Not rated | 1 | 29 | Power train (9) | Yes |
| 2016 | 1.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 33–34 mpg | Not rated | 1 | 42 | Service brakes (20) | Yes |
| 2015 | 1.2L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 33–34 mpg | 4 of 5 | 5 | 83 | Power train (26) | No |
| 2014 | 1.2L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 33–34 mpg | 4 of 5 | 6 | 176 | Engine (51) | No |
| 2013 | 1.2L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 31–34 mpg | Not rated | 5 | 146 | Engine (35) | No |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Apple lists CarPlay for: Spark 2016–2022 (Apple).
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Chevrolet Spark 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 0 | 3 |
| 2021 | Chevrolet Spark 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 0 | 6 |
| 2020 | Chevrolet Spark 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 0 | 19 |
| 2019 | Chevrolet Spark 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 1 | 14 |
| 2018 | Chevrolet Spark 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 0 | 9 |
| 2017 | Chevrolet Spark 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 1 | 29 |
| 2016 | Chevrolet Spark 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 3 | 42 |
| 2015 | Chevrolet Spark 5 HB FWD | 4 | No | No | 7 | 83 |
| 2014 | Chevrolet Spark 5 HB FWD | 4 | No | No | 8 | 176 |
| 2013 | Chevrolet Spark 5 DR FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 5 | 146 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Spark | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
33 |
| 2022 | Spark ACTIV | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
32–33 |
| 2021 | Spark | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
33 |
| 2021 | Spark ACTIV | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
32–33 |
| 2020 | Spark | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
33 |
| 2020 | Spark ACTIV | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
32–33 |
| 2019 | Spark | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
33 |
| 2019 | Spark ACTIV | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
32–33 |
| 2018 | Spark | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
33 |
| 2018 | Spark ACTIV | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
32–33 |
| 2017 | Spark | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
33 |
| 2017 | Spark ACTIV | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
32–33 |
| 2016 | Spark | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L |
33–34 |
| 2015 | Spark | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.2 L Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.2 L |
33–34 |
| 2014 | Spark | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.2 L Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.2 L |
33–34 |
| 2013 | Spark | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.2 L Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 1.2 L |
31–34 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.