New 2013 Chevrolet Spark attracts young buyers with a small price under 13K

Chevrolet is out to attract young buyers with the new Chevy Spark. With paint colors like Salsa, Jalapeno, Lemonade, and Silver Ice, Chevrolet Spark buyers will be millennials who came of age with the Internet. The automaker hired consultants from MTV Scratch, who charts markets to understand the behavioral patterns of up-and-coming car buyers.

Todays youth are six times less likely to own a driver’s license, and carmakes can’t afford to make mistakes marketing to this new generation of buyers. Chevrolet has certainly done their homework and is looking to attract these younger buyers to a new subcompact, the Spark, with technology combined with a low price. The new Spark comes in three trim levels and GM just announced a starting price under $13,000 including destination.

The new Spark, a five-door hatch micro car, which goes on sale this summer in the U.S., will begin at $12,995 for the LS model with a standard five-speed manual, according to the automaker. It's also available in 1LT and 2LT trim levels beginning at $14,495 and $15,795, respectively.

The LS Spark comes standard with features such as air conditioning and power windows. The 1LT model also includes LS model features and adds others such as a 7-inch color touch radio with a Chevy MyLink infotainment package featuring Bluetooth connectivity and audio controls on the steering wheel. The 2LT includes 1LT features plus extras such as fog lamps, exterior enhancements and heated front seats. And Spark offers more passenger and cargo room than other mini cars such as the Fiat 500, Smartfortwo and Scion IQ.

The new Chevrolet Spark comes with a 1.2-liter Ecotec engine and a five-speed manual transmission. Fuel economy ratings should be better than 30 mpg in the city, 40 on the highway, and the nine-gallon tank will provide plenty of range. A four-speed automatic transmission is available for $925 extra on all models. The only other available options include an engine block heater for $75 and Black Granite paint for $195.

Chevrolet will help young buyers stay connected with an optional embedded app called GogoLink that lets the driver's smartphone work through the car's infotainment system and 7-inch, high-resolution touchscreen to deliver cloud-based navigation and live traffic updates.

About 90 percent of Spark buyers own smartphones, said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet marketing director for small cars, in a statement. "This technology is typically found on cars costing far more, but next-gen customers are accustomed to being connected. By using a smartphone app, Chevrolet found a smart and safe way to provide navigation."

Safety on the new Chevrolet Spark is addressed with high-strength steels, electronic safety aids and 10 airbags. OnStar is standard. The low priced Spark is the only car in its segment to provide the added value of a five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Because millennials are eco-conscious, Chevrolet has already announced that testing has begun on the electric-only variant of the Spark, which is due out in 2013. The new EV Spark is reported to be about 65% through the engineering phase and still has some bugs to work out. Pricing for the EV Spark has not been announced yet.

Consumers can check out the new 2013 Spark at a special kiosk in the Chevrolet exhibit at the 2012 New York Auto Show this week.