GM ceased production of the Chevy Spark earlier this year, putting to bed the least-expensive new Chevy vehicle on sale in the U.S. and Canada. Now, with the Spark’s departure, it looks as though its only real rival, the Mitsubishi Mirage, may be on the chopping block as well.
Per a report from Autoblog, Mitsubishi has updated its Japanese website with a note that states “Since the production of the Mirage has been discontinued, we may not be able to meet the customer’s request for body color, options, etc. Please ask our sales staff.”
Mitsubishi Mirage
Notably, the automaker’s U.S. website does not mention the discontinuation of the Mitsubishi Mirage. What’s more, Autoblog states that prototypes of the new Mirage have yet to be spotted out and about undergoing testing. As such, it remains uncertain what Mitsubishi will do with the nameplate going forward, although a company spokesperson has stated that “The Mirage remains an integral part of our U.S. lineup at this time.”
In terms of U.S. sales, the Chevy Spark has typically outsold the Mitsubishi Mirage. During the 2021 calendar year, for example, the Chevy Spark outsold the Mitsubishi Mirage with 24,459 units sold to the Mirage’s 22,741 units, while during the 2020 model year, the Chevy Spark outsold the Mirage with 33,478 units sold to the Mirage’s 19,136 units.
Sales Numbers - Mainstream City Cars - 2021 - USA
| MODEL | YTD 21 / YTD 20 | YTD 21 | YTD 20 | YTD 21 SHARE | YTD 20 SHARE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHEVROLET SPARK | -26.94% | 24,459 | 33,478 | 52% | 63% |
| MITSUBISHI MIRAGE | +18.84% | 22,741 | 19,136 | 48% | 36% |
| FIAT 500 | -92.43% | 51 | 674 | 0% | 1% |
| TOTAL | -11.33% | 47,251 | 53,288 |
That said, this isn’t always the case. During the first three quarters of the 2022 calendar year, the Mirage has actually outsold the Chevy Spark, with 12,736 units sold to the Spark’s 10,426 units.
Sales Numbers - Mainstream City Cars - Jan - Sep 2022 - USA
| MODEL | YTD 22 / YTD 21 | YTD 22 | YTD 21 | YTD 22 SHARE | YTD 21 SHARE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MITSUBISHI MIRAGE | -31.34% | 12,763 | 18,589 | 55% | 45% |
| CHEVROLET SPARK | -54.68% | 10,426 | 23,007 | 45% | 55% |
| FIAT 500 | -55.56% | 8 | 18 | 0% | 0% |
| TOTAL | -44.26% | 23,197 | 41,614 |
To note, the Chevy Spark first rolled off the line in 1998, with four generations coming and going over the years. With regard to Chevy’s U.S. lineup, the Spark was indirectly replaced by the next-generation 2024 Chevy Trax. The final 2022 Chevy Spark featured the atmospheric 1.4L I4 LV7 gasoline engine, and was based on the GM Gamma 2 platform. Production took place at the GM Changwon plant in South Korea.
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Comments
Not a great car, but a useful size in cities.
Lurch: “Not a great car….” Why?
I’ve owned exactly 4 of them over the years and found every one to be quite good, great MPG and well put together. For the price, it is/was a great car.
You mean the Mirage? If you mean the Spark, I agree.
Loved the car forever red was and is my favorite color.
Looking for the same type of model as the Spark
This segment in the industry is totally underserved and the Spark and Mirage both have been outdated for years. But why are we comparing 2021/2022 numbers to the FIAT 500? The 500 stopped production in 2019 but at it’s peak in 2012 sold more than 43,000 units. 😉
The sales figures must include leftovers.
Hi I Own ChevySpark! 2022🚙 I Have 22thousnd On it! I Love it! Dont Get Rid of Them! Awesone Vehicles!
I love everything about my Chevy spark..great on gas it’s a perfect size. performs well ..I’m very happy with mine
I had a 2016 Chevy Spark and owned it for 5 years, and it was one of the most reliable Chevys I have ever owned.
Huge, Huge, Mistake for dropping this little car.
I own a 2021 Red Hot. Awesome car. Even put a K&N filter on it and it goes better. Many times my wife takes it downtown instead of her Tahoe in order to find a parking spot easier.
GMA, I believe that the statement that the Spark rides on the Gamma 2 platform is incorrect.
Internally in GM the Gamma family was composed of the Sonic, Trax, Mokka, Holden Trax, and Encore (G1SC/JC, G1UC, G1UO, G1UH & G1UB), where the G1 meant 1st generation of the new gamma; this was intended to be the new nomenclature of architectures to be followed worldwide. Then it was time to go to the Gamma 2 or Gamma second generation and all the successors of these name plates were planned but eventually changed and the only vehicle that came to be an original Gamma 2 was the Chevy Bolt (G2KCZ). The rest were codenamed 9BXX ie 9BUB for the Encore GX and 9BYC for the Trailblazer and the “never to be the new Sonic” came to be the Onix but placed in the GEM (Global Emerging Market) architecture and codenamed JBSC and JBJC (sedan and hatch) together with the Tracker (JBUC). GM changed the nomenclature rule here by differentiating the “mature market” with the “emerging market” with a 9 and a J, while using the B next to it as identifier of all these vehicles being within the B segment. The new Montana is a cousin to all of them, for example.
Now for the Spark, it rode on the M2XX architecture which is basically an A segment or Mini Platform that evolved from the difunct Daewoo Matiz 1st generation codenamed M100, then M200 then the M300 (former Spark) and then the current as M2XX. It only had three variants: M2JO that came first as the Opel Karl, then the M2JC as the Chevy Spark and then the M2JV as the Vinfast HB5, made in Vietnam, which combines the front end of the Karl with the rear end of the Spark and still made there.
The only common thing between the G2XX architecture and the M2XX architecture is the radio, the instrument cluster, the headlight switch and the twilight sentinel sensor (for the auto lights).
For the 2015 Chevy Spark last year December 2021 the car last me for 6 months the transmission the gear shift alternator and the battery died at the same time I parked the car and left it and I know for a fact the dealer New that the car was a lemon I thought the brakes were preventing the car to excel but all the time it was the transmission I only own the car for 6 months and it died what a horrible experience and now I’m going to be left to pay off the debt that’s ridiculous you want to be ashamed of themselves and I bought the car from instant auto credit Mart
I’m guessing carmakers are getting nice big kickbacks from Big Oil to quit producing fuel-efficient cars to compensate for money they lost because of electric cars. I had three Chevy compact hatchback models in a row (Spectrum, Metro, Spark) that had great mileage and ran just fine. Between the three, they have lasted more than 30 years so far (the Metro alone lasted over 18 and was in the shop a total of two times). I will never buy another Chevy once my 2018 Spark bites the dust if this is how they reward loyalty. Looks like I won’t bother with Mitsubishi either. Maybe speaking with our dollars will give the automakers a clue that not all people need huge trucks or SUVs for anything more than compensation for, um, other things…
I have had 3 sparks. Great cars I wish they would keep making them and make a hybred.that would give 60mpg. They would sell like hotcakes.
Isn’t Kia Rio (hatchback version) also a competitor to Mitsubishi Mirage? I’m sure there are other car manufacturers that can continue stepping up to the plate for affordable hatchbacks for consumers to buy on.
I’m surprised that you still have a Kia rio , I want a car, but I avoid buying anything of a Kia product,since they get easily broken in and stolen.so the worst of all this is that most insurance companies won’t insure hynudai/ Kia cars,so own it at your own risk.
The TikTok challenge only works on older model Hyundais and Kias, not the new ones.
I’ve owned my Chevy Spark for 11 years, no issues whatsoever. I have only had to replace the battery and 2 flat tires other than that this car has been so reliable. I almost traded it in thinking Chevy was going to continue making them, so glad I held onto mine. I’ve got 90k on it and it’s Jalapeno Green, gonna drive it til the wheels come off.
I love my Spark and am really disappointed to learn Chevy is not manufacturing them anymore.