The Chevrolet Spark Activ, which was added to Chevy’s U.S. lineup for the 2017 model year, is a more rugged-looking version of the subcompact hatchback. The Spark Activ, with its outdoorsy, go-anywhere attitude, seems like it’d be the perfect addition to the Chevrolet lineup in cold and snowy Canada, but oddly, the model variant was never offered north of the border.
GM Authority reached out to General Motors to ask why the Chevrolet Spark Activ was never offered to our Canadian friends and we received a fairly reasonable explanation as to why. Since Canada doesn’t have the population density of the United States, it generally costs more to produce and sell a greater number of trim levels of a vehicle, so the decision was made not to offer the Spark Activ there. Additionally, a whopping 85% of all Chevrolet Spark sales are for the 1LT trim-level with the automatic transmission. That means Canadian consumers are already responding well to one specific Chevrolet Spark variant, so there’s no need to complicate the lineup with another new one that may not succeed in attracting any additional buyers.
In the United States, the Chevrolet Spark Activ slots in between the mid-level 1LT and range-topping 2LT in the hatchback’s trim level lineup. The Chevrolet Spark Activ is denoted by its unique black plastic front and rear bumpers, black plastic rocker moldings, black roof rails and model-specific 15-inch Gunmetal wheels. Like the regular Spark, the Spark Active comes standard with a 1.4L LV7 four-cylinder engine producing 98 horsepower and 94 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, while a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is available for $1,100 extra.
In addition to the exterior styling changes, Spark Activ models also offer additional standard equipment over the Spark 1LT trim level, including heated Black leatherette driver and passenger’s seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
“The new Spark Activ is all about adventurous fun and style,” Chevrolet marketing director Steve Majoros was quoted as saying ahead of the Spark Activ’s launch in the first quarter of 2017. “It has an attitude, while still offering the sophisticated, efficient and connected driving experience customers have come to love.”
GM sold 31,281 Chevrolet Spark units in the U.S. in 2019, up sharply from 23,602 units in 2018. U.S. Spark sales reached their peak in 2014, when Chevy managed to move 39,159 examples of the subcompact hatch. Canadian Spark sales actually reached their highest point in the car’s six-year history last year, with Chevrolet selling 7,582 examples – up from 4,937 in 2018.
The Chevrolet Spark is assembled by GM Korea at the GM Changwon factory in Changwon, South Korea.
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Comments
I think the Spark Activ is great looking.. looks like a small cross over. for what it is.. I like it.. definitely getting it in stick over CVT transmission.. as long as I have power windows and AC its all good.
Really dumb. Would have done really well in Canada.
I’d say BS on GM’s reason. The trim is already being made for us. The car is assembled in South Korea and shipped here. It’s not like we are talking Australia or something. Canada is part of north America. Hmmm.
On a different note, I really liked the Avtiv the most and kept looking at them to buy instead of the 1LT SE that I ended up with. The only reason I didn’t go with the Activ? Rear bumper. I hate the way it looks. The front bumper looks good with paint on top and the plastic around the bottom. I like the lower side panels too. I like the rims and roof rails. It’s just when you get to the rear bumper that is 100% black plastic, it just looks strange like they ran out of paint and decided to just toss the unpainted bumper on. I then thought maybe just get it and have someone paint the rear upper part of the bumper, but decided it may be too difficult due to the rough texture. So it was the 1LT Special edition for me.
Big ASSUMPTION by GM that won’t sell in Canada. Never know till it is actually offered. GM once said hatchbacks don’t sell in U.S. GM should have made the Cruze in this trim option. Could have competed with Crosstrek.
You would have thought GM Oshawa Plant could assemble that 85% along with 4 other GM built cars to just save shipping?
Nothing new here we never got the Holden GTO, the Chevy SS from Australia !
I wanted the Spark Activ Manual but the chance of finding that anywhere in the US is close to nil. Ordering such an inexpensive car makes it far too expensive to be worth it. Shame the Spark will soon disappear.
@Jscott1000: Can you expand on the comment that the Spark will soon disappear? Have you seen something that others have not? I’m just asking because it sounds like the Spark is one of the safest (to not get cut) cars GM is selling.
It always seems the upper management in GM sees things a bit different than the consumers here in Canada, I know here in Montreal that model would have sold like hot cakes, it has a sporty appeal and Wow GM Fog Lights actually come in the nacels in the bumper for them!! This offered in AWD would be a huge hit for snowy areas!!