Chevrolet Spark Stacks up to 1973 Full-Size Sedan – Infographic
Ask anyone older than 55 how cars have changes since the ’70s and they’ll probably mention, among many other things, that they’ve shrunk considerably.
In those days, cars like the Chevrolet Impala with its massive hood and trunk seemed normal. While there’s an undeniable romanticism associated with those cars, even today, the fact remains that driving one is impractical in most places.
With 39 years come and gone since the days of four-seat convertibles and gurgling V8s enjoyed their peak of popularity, Chevrolet is taking a glance back at what it used to build and how it compares to products rolling off the line today.
The company could have chosen an easy apples-to-apples comparison between its full-size sedan then and the newly refreshed 2013 Impala, but that wouldn’t be any fun. Instead, the automaker stacked the Spark, it’s smallest car to date, against the dimensions of a 1973 full-size sedan.
How did it stack up? The Spark is about half as big as a 1973 Chevrolet full-size sedan, it has more headroom and roughly the same size wheels: 15 inches. Take a guess at how interior space stacked up, or just scroll down to see the full graphic.
Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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Ultimately, the utility and efficiency of the mini-car is limited to DINKS and singles, or as a commuter car on the side from your other vehicles that can actually serve a family's needs. The mini-van is a poor replacement for the family sedan or wagon. Once automakers switch over to carbon-fiber bodies, I would like to see a return to the bigger cars. As it is now, riding in a minicar is like putting wheels in a can of sardines, and about as comfortable.
Except it's UGLY!! I cannot STAND the styling. The 2013 Sonic, on the other hand, that's actually nice-looking.