Designed to appeal to younger customers, the Spark has sharp edges and trendy front and rear lights. Although every model is a five-door hatchback, because its rear door handles are neatly integrated into the C-pillar, it has the styling of a three-door. However, the basic LS model isn’t as smart as the more expensive models, because it comes with black door handles, mirrors and rear spoiler. Further up the range, these are body-coloured, while the grille surround is chrome, but you need to go for the most expensive LTZ model to get standard alloy wheels.

There’s a good feeling of space in the front of the Spark – partly thanks to the abundance of headroom – but it’s not so generous in the back, where adults will feel cramped on anything more than a short journey. The boot, too, is tiny, and its 170-litre capacity is less than you’ll find many of its rivals. Fold down the rear seats – 60/40 split on every model – and you have 568 litres to play with, but that’s still less than in many city car rivals.

The Chevrolet Spark has a reasonably firm ride, but it won’t send every bump through to the cabin. There is some body roll through corners, but the car finds good grip and feels relatively nimble – partly thanks to the fact that it’s relatively lightweight. However, there’s no getting away from the fact that other city cars provide a better balance of abilities.