Meet Sparky, the Cute-Ute EV You Can’t Buy: 2026 Chevrolet Spark EUV Quick Spin
Key Points
- The Chevrolet Spark EUV electric SUV is based on the Chinese-market Baojun Yep Plus.
- The Spark EUV is sold in Mexico for the equivalent of around $25,000, but it’s not available in the U.S.
- Unexpected upscale features and decent backseat space are highlights, but the Spark EUV has modest power and range.
What does a $14,000 electric vehicle look like? Sure, a salvage title Tesla Model 3 with a flood line up to the door sill and crawdads in the glove box — but as far as new EVs, this is what it could look like: the 2026 Chevrolet Spark EUV, which I recently drove in California as a juror for the 2026 World Car Awards. Never has the Spark been more appropriately named than now, with its all-electric powertrain, but the kicker is that the Spark EUV isn’t available in the U.S., nor will it be anytime soon for $14,000.
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A Chinese EV in Disguise
The Spark EUV originates in China, where it’s sold under GM’s Baojun brand as the Yep Plus. Converting the Baojun Yep Plus’ base price to U.S. dollars translates to mid-teens pricing (103,800 Chinese yuan is roughly $14,603 U.S. dollars); however, that cheap price disappears when it becomes a Chevrolet for other markets like Mexico, where it starts around $25,000 USD at the exchange rate as of this writing.
Even at $25,000, driving the Spark EUV was an eye-opening experience; let’s dig in.
Boxy Shape = Roomy Interior
The Spark EUV is intriguing because it represents something that doesn’t exist stateside: a sub-$30,000 EV with the SUV shape people want. The Spark EUV’s size is perfectly passable as an everyday, usable vehicle; its boxy shape affords plenty of headroom and cargo room, though its upright seating position and short overall length don’t leave much legroom for an almost 6-foot-tall dude like myself. The backseat, however, is a different story: I have plenty of room, with the space comparable to almost any of the larger subcompact SUVs sold in the U.S., including the Hyundai Kona, Kia Seltos or Subaru Crosstrek.
How It Drives: Questionably
The Spark EUV is honestly pretty sketchy at highway speeds, as it’s easily pushed around by wind and has handling dynamics more similar to a golf cart than other affordable EVs in our market, like the 2026 Nissan Leaf. I don’t think that would stop many people from being enthused to own one because I could for sure call this cute-ute Sparky and give it a personality based on how fun it looks. And if I’ve learned anything over the years when recommending cars, shoppers are keen to overlook pragmatic qualities when something elicits an emotional reaction, kind of like seeing an excited little puppy dog you want to take home.
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Range and Battery Size
Regarding those pragmatic qualities, the sacrifices it makes affect driving range and performance. Its electric innards are modest with a small 42-kilowatt-hour battery (most trim levels of the 2026 Leaf have a 75-kWh battery), and I observed only 157 miles of range with the battery at 100% — far below the 250 miles of range or more that we normally see in the U.S. market. Those familiar with U.S.-market EVs would also note a power deficiency in the Spark EUV, with its 101-horsepower output feeling modest at best.
Features of a More Expensive Car
On the plus side, the Spark EUV I drove was loaded with features I didn’t expect to see, including a vibrant screen with 360-degree camera view, lane-centering steering, drive modes, automatic high-beam headlights, Apple CarPlay, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and more.
Should Chevrolet Sell the Spark EUV Here?
In its current state, the Chinese-made Chevrolet Spark EUV wouldn’t have mass appeal in the U.S. because its greatest strength — affordability — erodes with U.S. tariffs on Chinese vehicles. A post-tariff price would likely rival Chevrolet’s Equinox EV, which for 2026 offers an affordable starting price of $36,495 (including destination) and 319 miles of range. For those who have the opportunity to buy a Spark EUV at a lower price, however, I left my drive enthusiastic about the spritely little car. But I don’t think 150-ish miles of range and questionable highway driving manners would be especially appealing to most U.S. car buyers — unless it was $14,000.
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