As global automakers scramble to fight the incoming horde of Chinese EVs, some are finding their self-developed EV offerings a bit too expensive for new buyers in emerging markets—especially American brands, with their tank-like three-ton electric SUVs.
So what’s an American to do? Well, if you’re General Motors, you take an EV co-developed in China and rebrand it for a global audience.
Say hello to the Baojun Yep Plus—aka the Chevrolet Spark eUV.
Styling
Yes, this is a Baojun with a Chevy badge, but as GM owns 44% of Wuling Motors and Baojun, they can call it whatever the hell they want. They really ought to call it the Trax, as that was GM’s previous subcompact crossover. But the new Trax is bigger than the smaller new Trailblazer. The Captiva EV is bigger still, but only has five seats. If you want seven, you need to buy the smaller Captiva ICE, which, thanks to discounts, now costs as little as the subcompact Tracker and Groove. And yes, if you’re counting, that’s seven crossovers on one ticket. Yowzah.
The Spark, however, stands apart from the chaotic Chinese-Korean Chevrolet Crossover Continuum. A boxy little thing dressed up like a mini off-roader with big-radiused corners, punched-out fender flares framing sporty split-spoke 16-inch wheels, straight body lines, classic double-stacked Trailblazer lights, and plastic bits and bobs masquerading as bullbars and panniers. You can attach actual utility boxes and ladders to those D-pillar panels—Wuling sells them in China. With or without accessories, the white safari roof and tiny rear utility box complete the quasi-Defender look nicely.
It’s all for show, however, as the low 140mm ride height and low-hanging optional stepboards give you less clearance than some sedans. I have fewer quibbles with the black and yellow decal package. They’re cute, and the high-vis yellow stripes on the door mirrors help keep passing motorcyclists from banging into them.
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Interior
The interior is refreshingly modern minimalist, in stark contrast to the interiors of most Korean- and Chinese-sourced Chevy products. Square-ish forms fill the cabin, and the pared-back dashboard and door panels give you lots of space. Quality is a mixed bag. Some details feel cheap—the flimsy A/C vents and the glossy fake carbon, in particular—but there’s nice stitched leatherette on the dash and doors and even around the frenched-in center cupholders.
Lots of random storage here: those cupholders sitting where the shifter should be and a floor-level shelf for plugged-in phones and other odds and ends. There’s a tiny center console box and even an actual glove box, which we weren’t expecting, given that many small EVs skip this feature.
The seats themselves are thin but comfortable, though I couldn’t find an ideal leg angle in the driver’s seat given the limited electric adjustment range and the lack of telescopic adjustment on the steering wheel. The seats are oddly low to the floor—because this is basically a Wuling Bingo Plus hatchback reskinned as an SUV. This means a near sedan-level seat point, and crazy-high ceilings and headroom.
You really feel this space surplus in the rear seat, which feels like sitting in a cave. Unfortunately, while there’s room enough for three, the Spark has no center seatbelt or Isofix mount. An odd oversight in a family-focused market, but perhaps this is to do with the low 355kg load capacity—or roughly four healthy motoring journalists. An official five-seat option does seem to be on the way, with a higher load capacity and an extra seatbelt.
On the bright side, the trunk is huge, with 549 liters of cargo space behind the side-opening rear hatch, bolstered by extra shelving space over the inner fenders and inside the hatch. Fold down the rear seats and you get a huge 1,493 liters of space. There’s no spare tire, but there’s a depression in the floor big enough for one, if you feel like buying an extra. A lockable rear box provides extra storage for a portable charger and a tire sealant kit, as well as whatever extra tools you feel you might need to carry.
Powertrain
Under the tiny hood, you find a tiny engine bay shrink-wrapped around a tiny 101hp motor and controller. DIYers will be pleased to find all fluid bottles, electricals, and electronics clearly visible and within easy reach. The motor underneath powers the front wheels, getting you from zero to 100kph in just 10.5sec. Not electrifying, and the motor’s 180Nm of torque isn’t nearly enough to worry the front tires. But that’s pretty good for this level of power. Top speed is limited to 150kph, not that you want to drive this brick that fast, anyway—energy efficiency drops drastically as you go faster.
At a more sedate 80kph, we got 11-12km/kWh on the highway. Mixed driving returned around 7-8km/kWh. Pretty good compared to larger electric crossovers like the BYD Atto 3. Sadly, the instrument readouts are rather simple, so we had to back-calculate efficiency from range estimates, which was annoying.
There are Normal, Eco and Sport modes—accessible via the touchscreen—that control how aggressive acceleration is, as well as Brake Regeneration settings that allow you to dial in how aggressively the car harvests energy under braking. The Spark can recover up to 75kW under heavy regenerative braking, extending your range by quite a bit!
Chevrolet claims up to 360km range out of the 42kWh battery, depending on how aggressively you drive and how much A/C you are using. You can recharge at up to 50kW via the standard CCS-2 port behind the grille. While that’s not very fast, it’s good enough for a car of this size and power.
Ride and handling
You don’t expect the Spark to be fantastic to drive, and really, it isn’t. That said, it drives better than expected. The suspension is soft, with some body roll and jiggling through turns and over bumps. But a low ride height and center of gravity make it settle down relatively quickly, with a neutral feel through quick turns. The brakes are strong, and the steering never sets you a foot wrong. The 205/60 R16 Linglong Crosswind HP tires don’t really feel all that ‘High Performance,’ not with their soft sidewalls, but they’re surefooted at high speed on the highway, which is all you need, really, in a car like this.
Around town, the Spark is a perfectly delightful commuter. The narrow beam and torquey motor make it a joy to point and squirt through traffic. Those low step boards do tend to scrape over high humps, but the generous front and rear clearance angles make steep ramps and high curbs a non-issue when navigating parking lots.
While visibility is generally good, the view out back is limited by the thick rear pillars and the heavy black framing around the itty bitty rear window. Thankfully, you do have 360-degree cameras and parking sensors, which, along with the Spark’s compact size and tall tires, make parking a breeze, even in the tightest of spaces.
Extra features
You also get a full ADAS suite, including adaptive cruise and lane keeping, so you’re fully covered here, though the algorithm for the adaptive cruise can get a bit jumpy at night. The Spark even has adaptive headlights, which automatically switch to high beams when there is no incoming traffic. Very helpful on dark provincial roads, and that system always worked flawlessly.
Like many Chinese-sourced EVs, the Spark allows you full walk-up-and-drive convenience. Stick the big diamond-shaped key fob in your pocket and you can walk up to the vehicle, get in, buckle up, and go. No need to fumble for door locks or ignition switches. An added safety bonus is that the car won’t move if your door is open or your seatbelt undone.
Other safety bits include Isofix, side curtain airbags, tire pressure monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. On the entertainment side, you get a big 10.1-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The six-speaker sound system has surprisingly robust bass, but is otherwise rather average. You get 12V, USB-A, and USB-C charging options, but sadly no wireless. But that’s a minor gripe given what else you get here.
Verdict
P1.5 million might seem a lot for a boxy little crossover, but the Spark literally punches above its weight, providing compact-crossover levels of comfort and convenience in a subcompact package. It provides much more space and range than the Vinfast VF5, and actually trumps cars like the Atto 3, the MG4, and the Jaecoo EJ6 in terms of useful cargo capacity—though obviously not elbow room!
That said, while quite practical and more frugal than more powerful competitors, it’s still a small crossover competing in a crowded class. It has its charms, but it has its work cut out for it to prove to buyers that sometimes less is indeed more.
SPECS: 2027 Chevrolet Spark eUV
Price: P1,547,000
Powertrain: electric motor + 42kWh battery
Power: 101hp
Torque: 180Nm
Transmission: single-speed
Layout: FWD
Seating: 4
Score: 7.5/10
More photos of the 2027 Chevrolet Spark eUV:
