Chevrolet Spark vs Volkswagen Golf

The Spark costs less to run, by the official figures: about $620 a year less in New Zealand, $510 in Australia, £380 in the UK and $480 in the US.

Chevrolet SparkVolkswagen Golf

Side by side

Specs are for each car's newest version. The better figure is in green.

Chevrolet SparkVolkswagen Golf

A typical year's fuel

New Zealand
$2,306 (better)
$2,927
Australia
$1,907 (better)
$2,421
United Kingdom
£1,401 (better)
£1,778
United States
$1,781 (better)
$2,261

Official figures

Uses
7.1 L/100km (better)
9.1 L/100km
UK
40 mpg (better)
31 mpg
US
33 mpg (better)
26 mpg
On a full tank
491 km
552 km (better)

Space

Seats
5
5
Boot
–
374 L
Towing, braked
–
1,400 kg
Length
3,635 mm
4,284 mm
Weight
–
1,300 kg

Engine

Engine
1.4 L 4-cylinder petrol
1.4 L 4-cylinder turbo petrol
Power
73 kW
110 kW (better)
Torque
127 Nm
250 Nm (better)
Gearbox
CVT
8-speed automatic
Drive
FWD
FWD

Safety

ANCAP
–
★★★★★
Euro NCAP
–
★★★★★
Airbags
–
8

A typical year: New Zealand 11,000 km (Ministry of Transport's average for a light vehicle); Australia 11,100 km (ABS Survey of Motor Vehicle Use average); United Kingdom 11,265 km (DfT National Travel Survey average of about 7,000 miles); United States 21,726 km (FHWA average of about 13,500 miles). Real costs depend on how and where you drive. Work out a particular trip.

Spark or Golf?

Which is cheaper to run, the Chevrolet Spark or the Volkswagen Golf?

The Chevrolet Spark: about $620 a year less in New Zealand, $510 in Australia, £380 in the UK and $480 in the US than the Volkswagen Golf at today's average prices and a typical year's driving.

Which uses less fuel, the Chevrolet Spark or the Volkswagen Golf?

The Chevrolet Spark, at 7.1 L/100km (40 mpg UK, 33 mpg US) to the Volkswagen Golf's 9.1 L/100km (31 mpg UK, 26 mpg US), by their latest official figures.

Each on its own

Other comparisons

What will the drive cost?

Roadtrip works out the fuel or charging cost of any drive for your exact car, finds the cheapest stations on the way, and splits it between everyone in the car.

Rated 4.7 by drivers · 700,000 downloads

The Roadtrip app showing a drive into London that costs £4.81 each, with fuel prices along the way