The Chevrolet Spark will leave the Canadian market in 2022
Small city cars and subcompacts have deserted the Canadian automotive landscape in recent years. While a few stalwarts continue to be offered, such as the Mitsubishi Mirage or the Kia Rio, the category is about to lose another protagonist in the coming months. Chevy confirmed that the small Sparkwhich represents the only car below the Malibu mid-size for the marque, will be phased out beginning in August 2022.
It is from August 2022 that the production of the Chevrolet Spark 2022 North American will stop at the plant in Changwon, South Korea. Gradually, from this date, the copies will be sold and the car will be withdrawn from the manufacturer’s range, with no apparent result. Chevrolet Canada, which RPM contacted, did not provide further details.
This decision does not surprise anyone, given the fact that several manufacturers have chosen not to renew their offer in the small car segment (city or subcompact) or to eliminate the model altogether, even in the middle of a generation. This is particularly the case of Hyundai, which eliminated the Accent only three years after the arrival of the new generation, or Toyota, which did not give the Yaris hatchback, based on the Mazda 2, a chance in eliminating him less than 12 months of life after his arrival.
Despite this decision, it must be said that sales of the Chevrolet Spark were not in such bad shape in the country. In Canada in 2021, 6,145 were sold, almost the same number as in 2020 (6,290). By comparison, its closest competitor, the Mitsubishi Mirage, won only 911 buyers in 2021, or the equivalent of 14.8% of Spark sales.
In the upper category, that of subcompacts, Nissan sold 2,897 Versas during the same period and Kia, 5,323 Rios. Sales of the Malibu, Chevrolet’s only other mainstream car, reached 1,615 units in 2021 in Canada.
No direct replacement
As the manufacturer’s strategy has been clear for a few years, when almost all cars have been removed from the manufacturer’s offer, there will probably be no direct replacement for the Spark when it leaves. Buyers who want an entry-level vehicle from this brand will have to fall back at this time on the Chevrolet Trax, a subcompact SUV still offered in the same form since 2013 and which will take over the hat of the least expensive vehicle. Still, its entry-level price of $24,348 is, so to speak, twice as much as the Spark, which started at $12,548.
The Chevrolet Spark will therefore remain offered for a good part of 2022.
