Used Chevrolet Spark (2013-2022): Buyer's Guide

The 2013 Chevrolet Spark logged 146 complaints in NHTSA's database. The 2022 logged three. Same nameplate, same basic city car, wildly different ownership experience. In the middle of that decade-long run, GM swapped the entire engine, and that swap is the single most important fact for anyone shopping this car used.

This is the only Spark generation Americans ever got. GM sold a Daewoo Matiz-based Spark overseas for years before this one, but the version that landed in US showrooms in 2013 was a clean-sheet car built on GM's Global Small Vehicle platform. It ran through the 2022 model year, when GM killed it off as part of the broader shift away from small cars toward crossovers. If you're looking at a used Spark today, you're choosing between two distinct cars wearing the same badge.

This Generation at a Glance

The US-market Spark ran 2013-2022, built at GM's plant in Changwon, South Korea. There's no prior US-market Spark to compare it to, so there's no "which generation" question here, just a "which half of this generation" question.

The 2016 model year marked a real mid-cycle break, not a cosmetic one. GM gave the Spark new sheetmetal, a redesigned interior, and the MyLink infotainment system (7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, and eventually Apple CarPlay and Android Auto). It also added an optional camera-based safety suite (lane-departure warning, blind-spot alert, forward-collision alert) and GM's Teen Driver monitoring system. But the change that actually matters mechanically is the one nobody puts in the headline: the 1.2L four-cylinder that powered 2013-2015 Sparks was replaced by a different, larger 1.4L four-cylinder for 2016 and every year after. CarScout's own EPA fuel economy records confirm the swap directly: every 2013-2015 record lists a "1.2L 4-cyl" engine, and every 2016-2022 record lists a "1.4L 4-cyl." These aren't the same engine with a software tweak. It's a different architecture, and it lines up with the sharp drop in complaint volume starting in 2016.

Chevy also sold a battery-electric Spark EV for 2014-2016, initially only in California and Oregon, with Maryland added for 2015. It's a completely different powertrain from the gas car and gets its own section below. The Activ trim, a raised-ride-height version with skid plates and roof rails, arrived for the 2017 model year and rode on the same 1.4L drivetrain as everything else.

Current pricing and inventory: Chevrolet Spark market data, with per-year pages for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Powertrain & Trim Breakdown

The 1.2L, 2013-2015: the engine that made this car's reputation

The 84-horsepower 1.2L four-cylinder is the reason "Chevy Spark reliability" pulls up warnings before it pulls up praise. The core problem is a Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve that wears out earlier than it should, and once it does, the engine starts consuming oil faster than normal. Consumed oil can foul a spark plug and cause a misfire, and in a meaningful number of cases owners describe the car stalling or throwing a check-engine light well before 60,000 miles. GM ran a dealer service action to replace the PCV valve on affected 2013-2014 cars, but that fix didn't end the story for every engine: a follow-up GM technical bulletin acknowledges that stuck oil control rings can cause the same misfire and oil-consumption symptoms even after the PCV valve and spark plugs have already been replaced. That's a genuinely mechanical problem, not just a worn part, and it means "the recall was done" is not the same as "the oil consumption is fixed." Ask directly whether a PCV replacement resolved the issue or whether oil consumption came back afterward.

Separately, some 2013-2014 Sparks have been reported with an intermittent no-crank, no-start, or stalling complaint tied to the security system, distinct from the oil-consumption story above. Don't assume every stalling complaint on an early Spark is the same root cause; a proper diagnostic scan matters more than owner folklore here.

None of this means every early Spark is a bad car. Plenty of 1.2L owners report no oil-consumption problem at all, and the ones that dodge it tend to be genuinely cheap to run: fuel economy in the low-to-mid 30s combined, oil changes in the $60-90 range, and a curb weight light enough that brakes and tires last a long time too. The point isn't to avoid this era outright, it's to verify the specific car in front of you rather than trust the odometer and a clean-looking engine bay.

CarScout's own NHTSA complaint data confirms the shape of this problem without needing outside sourcing: 2013 logged 13 engine-specific complaints and 19 power-train complaints; 2014, the worst year overall with 175 total complaints, logged 19 engine complaints and 25 power-train complaints. By 2016, those categories drop to one engine complaint and two power-train complaints for the entire model year.

Transmission choice matters a lot in this era. 2013 offered a 4-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual; GM swapped the automatic for a CVT starting in 2014. Owners and independent mechanics consistently describe the 5-speed manual as the more durable choice through this whole generation, while the early CVT draws recurring complaints about shudder, surge, or a loss of smooth power delivery, with failures reported anywhere from the 50,000-mile range on up. GM's own technical bulletins on the CVT point to fluid degradation changing the friction characteristics inside the transmission over time, which is a real, documented failure mode, not just internet noise. If you're looking at a 2014 or 2015 CVT car, ask for transmission fluid service records; CVT fluid needs more frequent attention than a conventional automatic's.

The 1.4L, 2016-2022: the fix that actually looks like a fix

The 98-horsepower 1.4L four-cylinder that arrived for 2016 is a different engine, not a revised version of the 1.2L, and the reliability data backs up the "problem solved" narrative better than most manufacturer refreshes do. NHTSA complaint totals in CarScout's data fall from 175 in 2014 to 42 in 2016, then keep dropping: 29 in 2017, 9 in 2018, 14 in 2019, 19 in 2020, 6 in 2021, and 3 in 2022. That's not a car limping to the finish line. Owners in this era describe the 1.4L as a genuinely low-drama engine, and it doesn't carry the same oil-consumption reputation as its predecessor.

The CVT is still available alongside the manual on 1.4L cars, and it's a mature version of the same transmission family. It's a milder concern here than on 2014-2015 cars, but a manual transmission is still the safer bet if you want the lowest-maintenance option, and it remains the pick multiple owners describe running well past 150,000 miles with nothing more than regular fluid changes.

One recall worth knowing about by year: 2016-2017 Sparks were recalled (NHTSA campaign 17V307000) because the front passenger airbag could injure an improperly seated, unbelted young child in a crash. It's a software-and-labeling style fix, not a structural defect, and GM's remedy was a free dealer visit.

This is also the era where the Spark's actual case for existing gets easiest to see. Owners repeatedly cite the same handful of things: a wheelbase short enough to make parallel parking and tight city garages a non-issue, standard smartphone integration once MyLink matured, and a level of mechanical simplicity that held up even as competitors piled on complexity. It's not a car that impresses on paper, but it's a car people keep for a long time without dreading the maintenance bill.

Spark EV, 2014-2016: the powertrain nobody else's guide covers

GM only sold the Spark EV for three model years, and only in California and Oregon at first, adding Maryland for 2015. That makes it rare on the used market, but real forum discussion (mychevysparkev.com, gm-volt.com, insideevsforum.com) consistently describes the electric drivetrain itself, the motor and the traction battery, as the more reliable half of this car compared to the gas engine it replaced. The recurring weak point isn't the high-voltage system at all: it's the ordinary 12-volt battery that the car needs to be healthy enough to engage the charging contactors and allow the car to start. Owners in these threads describe 12V batteries going flat over a period of storage even while the car sits plugged in, and replacing that battery with the correct AGM unit periodically (some owners describe roughly every two to three years) as routine Spark EV ownership. If a used Spark EV won't wake up or charge, check the 12V before assuming the traction pack has failed.

The traction battery itself carries GM's 8-year/100,000-mile warranty, and owners commonly recommend checking the remaining warranty from the in-service date printed on the vehicle, not from the date you'd be buying it. Battery capacity changed across the three model years GM sold this car (21.3 kWh for 2014, stepping down for 2015-2016 alongside a motor output change from roughly 140 hp to roughly 130 hp), while EPA range held steady at 82 miles for all three years, which suggests GM found real efficiency gains rather than simply accepting less range. Given the small sample size of Spark EVs on the road, treat any specific degradation percentage you read online as anecdotal rather than a guarantee, and instead do a simple gut-check: compare the car's current indicated range at full charge against that 82-mile original EPA rating.

Because this was a compliance car sold in three states for three years, national inventory is thin and uneven. Don't expect to shop one the way you'd shop a gas Spark; expect to wait, and expect most examples to be concentrated in California.

Running one costs less day-to-day than either gas engine in this generation. There's no oil to change, no transmission fluid to service, and electricity at typical residential rates runs well below what a comparable gas commute costs. The tradeoff is range: 82 miles was competitive for a 2014-2016 compliance EV, but it puts a hard ceiling on how this car fits into your life. If you already know it'll live as a second car or a short commuter, the Spark EV's ownership costs and reliability reputation make a stronger case than the gas Spark of the same era. If you need a car that can also handle a highway trip without planning around a charger, it isn't the right tool.

Trim Levels

There's no LTZ trim on this generation, unlike most other Chevrolet nameplates from the same era. If a listing calls a Spark an "LTZ," that's a labeling error, not a real factory trim.

Trim spread on this car is narrow compared to most modern vehicles, which cuts both ways. The upside is that a base LS from either engine era gets you the same fundamental car as a loaded 2LT, since none of the mechanical differences that matter (engine, transmission) are trim-gated. The downside is that if you want the Activ's raised ride height or unique styling, you're locked into a 2017-or-newer car regardless of how the rest of your priorities shake out. For most buyers, 1LT is the trim to target: it adds the equipment people actually miss on a base LS (air conditioning, power locks and windows) without paying a premium for wheels or infotainment upgrades you may not care about.

Which Model Years to Target Within This Gen

The 2016 model year is the real inflection point in this generation, not a marketing refresh. If your budget allows it, buying model year 2016 or newer sidesteps the 1.2L's documented oil-consumption problem entirely. Within the 1.4L era, 2021 and 2022 combine the lowest complaint counts with the most remaining useful life, though supply thins out fast since this was the Spark's final two years on sale.

Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

If you're looking at a 2013-2015 car (1.2L engine):

• Check the oil level and its color/smell before you even start the car. Low oil on a car that was "just topped off" is a red flag for the PCV/oil-consumption issue.
• Start the engine cold and watch the exhaust for blue smoke, a sign of oil being burned rather than just consumed slowly.
• Ask for service records showing whether the PCV valve was replaced, and if it was, whether any oil-consumption or misfire symptoms returned afterward.
• On automatic or CVT cars, feel for shudder or surge between roughly 2,000 and 3,000 rpm during a test drive, and ask when the transmission fluid was last serviced.
• Ask if the radio recall (campaign 15V416000, software lockup that can silence the seatbelt and key-in-ignition warning chimes) or the suspension recall (campaign 14V440000, front lower control arm bolts) were completed, if the car falls in the affected build window.

If you're looking at a 2016+ car (1.4L engine):

• This engine doesn't carry the same oil-consumption reputation, but check the oil level and condition anyway as routine due diligence.
• Confirm the airbag recall (campaign 17V307000, 2016-2017 model years) was completed if applicable.
• A manual transmission remains the lower-maintenance choice; if the car has a CVT, ask about fluid service history the same way you would on an earlier car.

If you're looking at a Spark EV (2014-2016):

• Check the remaining battery warranty from the in-service date, not from today.
• Do a full charge and compare the indicated range against the original EPA rating (82 miles for all three years) as a rough degradation check.
• If the car won't start or charge, don't assume the traction battery has failed. Check the 12V battery's health and age first; it's the more common point of failure.
• Confirm the hood latch recall (campaign 22V640000, covers 2014-2015 Spark EV) was completed.

Run every VIN through a recall check regardless of which era you're shopping. It takes a minute and it's free.

Running Costs

The Spark's small footprint and light weight mean routine parts (tires, brakes, filters) are inexpensive across the board, and the timing chain used on both gas engines isn't a scheduled maintenance item under normal oil-change intervals. The real cost variable in this generation isn't routine upkeep, it's whether you land on a 1.2L car with an oil-consumption problem or a clean one.

FAQ

Is the Chevrolet Spark reliable? It depends heavily on the model year. 2013-2015 cars with the 1.2L engine carry a documented oil-consumption issue tied to the PCV valve. 2016-2022 cars with the 1.4L engine show a sharp drop in NHTSA complaints and a better reputation overall. Year matters more than nameplate here.

What year Chevrolet Spark should I avoid? 2013 and 2014 carry the highest complaint counts in the generation and the earliest, least-resolved version of the 1.2L engine's oil-consumption problem. If you're set on the older body style, at least confirm the PCV valve situation directly with the seller.

Is the Spark's CVT transmission reliable? The CVT introduced in 2014 draws more complaints than the 5-speed manual across this whole generation, with failures reported from around 50,000 miles onward in some cases. A manual transmission is the lower-risk choice if you want to minimize transmission concerns, on either the 1.2L or 1.4L engine.

Is the Chevrolet Spark EV a good used buy? The electric drivetrain has a strong reliability reputation among owners, but it was only sold 2014-2016 in a handful of states, so used inventory is thin. Check the 12V battery's condition first if a used one won't start or charge; it fails more often than the traction battery does.

How many miles does a Chevrolet Spark last? Well-maintained 1.4L Sparks with a manual transmission are commonly reported running well past 150,000 miles. The 1.2L era's longevity depends heavily on whether that individual engine's oil-consumption issue was ever fully resolved.

Bottom Line

Buy by engine year, not by trim level. A 2016-2022 Spark with the 1.4L engine sidesteps this generation's defining problem; a 2013-2015 car can still be a fine buy, but only after you've confirmed its oil-consumption history directly. Within the 1.4L era, a manual-transmission 2021 or 2022 combines the lowest complaint counts in the whole generation with the most life left in the car, if you can find one before supply dries up further. Run every VIN through a recall check before you commit. If you're hunting a specific year and trim combination, CarScout checks the market daily and emails you what's new at usecarscout.com.

Data sourced from NHTSA recalls and complaint data, EPA fuel economy records, and real owner discussion from sparktalk.com, mychevysparkev.com, chevysparkforum.com, gm-volt.com, and insideevsforum.com. See the full Chevrolet Spark market data for current pricing and inventory.