The Chevrolet Spark is the smallest offering in the Chevy lineup. This subcompact is joined by the Malibu and the electric Bolt in Chevrolet’s compact car segment.
If you’re on the hunt for a compact car with “The Heartbeat of America” built in, you’ve come to the right place. Chevrolet has a trio of well-built compacts on the market, along with two small SUVs to bolster its offerings.
Jerry
, the car insurance
super app, has everything you need to know about Chevrolet’s compact car lineup. We’ll take a close look at its compact offerings, as well as give you some information on Chevy’s small SUVs as well. Of course, we’ll give you tips to save on Chevrolet car insurance costs
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2023 Chevrolet compact and subcompact car models
At the moment, Chevrolet offers one subcompact, the Spark, a compact sedan, the Malibu, and a compact electric hatchback, the Bolt.
2023 Chevrolet Spark ($14,595 MSRP)
The Chevrolet Spark
is easily Chevy’s most affordable vehicle, with this pint-sized subcompact hatchback featuring a starting price of under $15,000. Car and Driver Magazine gives the Spark a 7/10 score, which is decent, but it’s probably hard to give the Spark a better rating considering its size and low price point. That said, the Spark is a useful little hatch that is fun to drive in the city, has a nicer interior than you’d expect for a sub-$15,000 car, comes with decent handling, and is offered with a manual transmission on every trim.
Highlights of the Spark include:
Standard 5-speed manual transmission—if you want to learn how to drive stick, this is a good car to do it on
31/41 EPA estimated mpg (city/highway)
Intuitive, easy-to-use infotainment system
Nimble handling, good in city traffic
Solid interior that doesn’t feel cheap
Leather interior trimmings, heated front available on top 2LT
trim
Car and Driver describes Spark’s 4-cylinder engine as feeble
Passing or merging on highways can be an unnerving experience
Rear passenger is cramped
Trunk provides just 11 cubic feet of cargo space
2023 Chevrolet Malibu ($24,495 MSRP)
The Chevrolet Malibu is a perfectly capable—if sedate—compact sedan. Given an anemic 6/10 score from Car and Driver Magazine, the Malibu supplies a perfectly acceptable drive, with a comfortable and spacious interior. It also boasts a big trunk, which is very handy if you choose a Malibu as your rental car.
If you’re looking for anything resembling driving thrills, the Malibu will not leave you satisfied. Its standard turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine supplies 163 horsepower but not much in the way of fun. The top Premier trim offers a bolder turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, but any extra gumption isn’t very evident.
Highlights of the Malibu include:
A smooth driving demeanor
29/36 EPA-tested mpg (city/highway)
Comfortable, spacious interior
Big trunk (16 cubic feet)
Easy-to-use infotainment system
Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, WiFi hotspot are standard
Competition, such as the Honda Accord
and Kia K5
, are better equipped and have sharper style Interior has a cheap look and feel
Driver-assist technology is available, but not standard
Infotainment system lags behind competitors
2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV ($26,595 MSRP)
The all-electric Chevrolet Bolt is definitely the highlight of Chevy’s subcompact and compact offerings. Car and Driver Magazine gives it a very good 8/10 score and praises the Bolt as an affordable and fun entrant to the electric car market.
Sure, the Bolt won’t win any races with its single 200-horsepower motor with 266-pound-feet of torque, but that’s still plenty to ensure your drive is peppy and composed both in the city and on the highway. The Bolt can be charged with any Level 1, 2, or 3 connections, and its battery provides a solid range.
On the inside, the Bolt is roomy and offers plenty of rear passenger space and cargo space. However, you’ll have to upgrade to the 2LT trim if you want heated leather seats, a heated steering wheel, 360-degree camera, and extra safety features.
Highlights of the BoltEV include:
An affordable and capable electric vehicle
259 miles of range on a single charge
Capable of Level 1 (120 volt) and Level 2 (240 volt) outlets for at-home charging
Also has Level 3 DC Fast Charging capability—can add up to 100 miles of range with a 30-minute charge
Forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, all standard
127 MPGe combined fuel economy
Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless charging pad are standard
Amazon Alexa and Spotify apps built-in
Weaknesses of the Bolt EV:
Feels less exciting than other entry-level EVs
All-wheel drive is not available
Adaptive cruise control only available as an extra
Interior can feel low-cost
Other small Chevrolet models
The three aforementioned Chevy models are the only ones considered subcompact or compact. That said, Chevrolet does have a few other smaller offerings that might fit what you’re after:
2023Chevrolet Bolt EUV ($28,195): That’s right, the Bolt comes in a slightly-larger electric utility vehicle form, with a peppy electric motor and lots of tech, including GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving mode
2023 Chevrolet Blazer ($23,295): Fetching looks, plenty of tech features, and a spacious cabin are the best parts about this compact SUV
2024 Chevrolet Trax ($21,495): You’ll have to wait a bit for the new Trax, but this pint-sized SUV will come with a snazzy new design, more interior space, a spritely 3-cylinder engine, and improved safety technology
What is Chevrolet’s smallest car?
Surprise, surprise—the Chevrolet Spark is the smallest car on offer from Chevy, in all but one category of measurement:
Wheelbase: Chevrolet Spark,93.9 inches
Length: Chevrolet Spark, 143.1 inches
Width: Chevrolet Spark, 62.8 inches
Height: Chevrolet Malibu, 57.6 inches
Cargo volume: Chevrolet Spark, 11 cubic feet
Passenger volume: Chevrolet Spark, 83 cubic feet
What is Chevrolet’s cheapest car?
Again, that honor goes to the Spark, with an MSRP of just $14,595.
How to save on Chevrolet insurance
If you’re under the impression that a small car automatically gets a smaller insurance premium, well, that’s not exactly true. Sometimes a smaller car can have a higher premium due to the higher risk of damage from a possible collision.
That said, no matter how small your car is, use Jerry
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