SPARK or SONIC?

[milesvinson]

Its about time to purchase a new car for the wife. She drives 130 miles/day. I've been pondering whether a new Chevy Spark @ $12,000 & 39mpg or a new Chevy Sonic LS @ $16,000. What does everybody think? The Spark gets better mpg & costs less but is smaller while the Sonic has more power and a little more room. Any insight about ease of working on a Spark vs. a Sonic? What about longevity? I get her 2007 Aveo5 w/212,000 miles when she gets a new car.

[Daox]

130 miles a day! I'd seriously look at a Mitsubishi Mirage. Its a little bigger than a Spark, and gets WAY better mileage. They are both priced very similarly.

Using the highway epa ratings for the two cars, the Mirage would save you about $350 in gas a year over the Spark with gas at $3.50/gal. Thats like one free car payment. And, that is only counting commuting to work and back for your wife. Any additional use would increase that number, and more city driving would also increase that number.

For more info on the Mirage you can check out: Home - Mitsubishi Mirage / Space Star Forum - MirageForum.com
MetroMPG and I also run that forum. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

[PoisonIvy]

I've found (at least in Canada) that the Chevy Cruze was priced pretty close to the Sonic after rebates. Personally, I find it to be a little more refined then the Sonic.

Make sure your wife gets those micro compacts on the roads similar to what she drives. Hills, winds, etc she may find them a handfull.

[MetroMPG]

I agree with poison Ivy - she should test drive on the route & at speeds she normally drives.

Happy wife = happy life. Let her decide.

[Pontiac1976]

I had a chance to drive 2014 Chevy Cruze it was nice I really did care for the Digital display that much, to bad it was not the tubro. You have to keep the foot light as much a you can or it can suck the gas very easy. I had it 4 days

[milesvinson]

Daox,

What about stick shift?. We do not want an automatic. Here in the mountians the autos suck down the power on the hills (not the larger engines like V8s).

Plus I looked at the Mitsubishi already. They are 3 cylinder engines and the automatic is the "latest, greatest" CVT (not a very good track record for CVTs so far). The dealer only had Mitsubishis w/autos in stock and the stickers were around $18,500! I wish they would of had a manual shift to test out.


PS - we get additional GM retiree discount through my mother.

[milesvinson]

Poison Ivy & MetroMPG,

My wife has been driving her 2007 Chevy Aveo5 w/ a 5speed along this route every since we moved here in 2008. She has had no problems with the car concerning speed / weather. 65 to 80+ mph and has averaged 34 mpg. We bought the car new and it now has 212,000+miles on it. Other than my 1999 Dodge Dakota 4x4 w/ 270,000 miles on it, the Aveo5 has been the best vehicle we have ever owned.

Here in the moutains, the highway mpg ratings a usually far from accurate. My dad always wants to go by the highway mpg ratings, then when he is here visiting he doesn't understand why he has to fill up so soon. Regardless of the sticker ratings, I have yet to find anyone here w/ a Cruze that gets the mpg of the Aveo, Sonic, or Spark.

[milesvinson]

A little concerned about trunk space in the Spark.

Also been considering the Mazda2, Hyundai Accent, Honda Fit, Kia Rondo.

Anybody have any first hand knowledge about these cars or the Mitsubishi Mirage, Chevy Spark? Preferably stick shift experience.

[milesvinson]

PS -
The wife loves a stick shift and her "little boy"/car. This was her first manual and now that is all she wants to drive. Whenever we look at vehicles she alway asks, "Does it come in a stick?" LOL

[MetroMPG]

I've driven the Mirage, both stick & CVT. The CVT in that car has been in production (used in other vehicles) for 3+ years, so it's not "brand new, untested". And there's a 10 year 100k mi. warranty on it. Despite that, I'd get the stick anyway, personally.

I believe you'll find that pushing 80 mph in either the Mirage or Spark won't be a relaxing drive. Try before you buy.

Also note: despite the drivetrain differences between Spark (82 hp 4-cylinder) & Mirage (74 hp 3-cylinder), they have the same power to weight ratio. Not surprisingly, the Mirage gets better mileage.