All the Best Chevrolet Compact Cars

The Chevrolet Spark is the smallest Chevy on the market right now, but there are a few other small options from this Made-In-America brand.
Written by Jason Tushinski
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
background
The Chevrolet Spark is the smallest offering in the Chevy lineup. This subcompact is joined by the Malibu and the electric Bolt in Chevrolet’s compact car segment.
If you’re on the hunt for a compact car with “The Heartbeat of America” built in, you’ve come to the right place. Chevrolet has a trio of well-built compacts on the market, along with two small SUVs to bolster its offerings.
Jerry
, the
car insurance
super app, has everything you need to know about Chevrolet’s compact car lineup. We’ll take a close look at its compact offerings, as well as give you some information on Chevy’s small SUVs as well. Of course, we’ll give you tips to save on
Chevrolet car insurance costs
as well.
RECOMMENDED
Compare auto insurance policies
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
Find insurance savings

2023 Chevrolet compact and subcompact car models

At the moment, Chevrolet offers one subcompact, the Spark, a compact sedan, the Malibu, and a compact electric hatchback, the Bolt. 

2023 Chevrolet Spark ($14,595 MSRP)

The
Chevrolet Spark
is easily Chevy’s most affordable vehicle, with this pint-sized subcompact hatchback featuring a starting price of under $15,000.
Car and Driver Magazine gives the Spark a 7/10 score, which is decent, but it’s probably hard to give the Spark a better rating considering its size and low price point. That said, the Spark is a useful little hatch that is fun to drive in the city, has a nicer interior than you’d expect for a sub-$15,000 car, comes with decent handling, and is offered with a manual transmission on every trim.
Highlights of the Spark include: 
  • Standard 5-speed manual transmission—if you want to learn how to drive stick, this is a good car to do it on
  • 31/41 EPA estimated mpg (city/highway)
  • Intuitive, easy-to-use infotainment system
  • Nimble handling, good in city traffic
  • Solid interior that doesn’t feel cheap
  • Leather interior trimmings, heated front available on top
    2LT
    trim
Weaknesses include: 
  • Car and Driver describes Spark’s 4-cylinder engine as feeble
  • Passing or merging on highways can be an unnerving experience
  • Rear passenger is cramped
  • Trunk provides just 11 cubic feet of cargo space

2023 Chevrolet Malibu ($24,495 MSRP)

The Chevrolet Malibu is a perfectly capable—if sedate—compact sedan. Given an anemic 6/10 score from Car and Driver Magazine, the Malibu supplies a perfectly acceptable drive, with a comfortable and spacious interior. It also boasts a big trunk, which is very handy if you choose a Malibu as your rental car. 
If you’re looking for anything resembling driving thrills, the Malibu will not leave you satisfied. Its standard turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine supplies 163 horsepower but not much in the way of fun. The top Premier trim offers a bolder turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, but any extra gumption isn’t very evident.
Highlights of the Malibu include: 
  • A smooth driving demeanor
  • 29/36 EPA-tested mpg (city/highway)
  • Comfortable, spacious interior
  • Big trunk (16 cubic feet)
  • Easy-to-use infotainment system
  • Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, WiFi hotspot are standard
Weaknesses include: 
  • Competition, such as the
    Honda Accord
    and
    Kia K5
    , are better equipped and have sharper style
  • Interior has a cheap look and feel
  • No all-wheel drive
  • Driver-assist technology is available, but not standard
  • Infotainment system lags behind competitors

2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV ($26,595 MSRP)

The all-electric Chevrolet Bolt is definitely the highlight of Chevy’s subcompact and compact offerings. Car and Driver Magazine gives it a very good 8/10 score and praises the Bolt as an affordable and fun entrant to the electric car market.
Sure, the Bolt won’t win any races with its single 200-horsepower motor with 266-pound-feet of torque, but that’s still plenty to ensure your drive is peppy and composed both in the city and on the highway. The Bolt can be charged with any Level 1, 2, or 3 connections, and its battery provides a solid range.
On the inside, the Bolt is roomy and offers plenty of rear passenger space and cargo space. However, you’ll have to upgrade to the 2LT trim if you want heated leather seats, a heated steering wheel, 360-degree camera, and extra safety features.
Highlights of the BoltEV include: 
  • An affordable and capable electric vehicle
  • Unique exterior design
  • 259 miles of range on a single charge
  • Capable of Level 1 (120 volt) and Level 2 (240 volt) outlets for  at-home charging
  • Also has Level 3 DC Fast Charging capability—can add up to 100 miles of range with a 30-minute charge
  • Forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, all standard
  • 127 MPGe combined fuel economy
  • Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless charging pad are standard
  • Amazon Alexa and Spotify apps built-in
Weaknesses of the Bolt EV:
  • Feels less exciting than other entry-level EVs
  • All-wheel drive is not available
  • Adaptive cruise control only available as an extra
  • Interior can feel low-cost

Other small Chevrolet models

The three aforementioned Chevy models are the only ones considered subcompact or compact. That said, Chevrolet does have a few other smaller offerings that might fit what you’re after:
  • 2023Chevrolet Bolt EUV ($28,195): That’s right, the Bolt comes in a slightly-larger electric utility vehicle form, with a peppy electric motor and lots of tech, including GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving mode
  • 2023 Chevrolet Blazer ($23,295): Fetching looks, plenty of tech features, and a spacious cabin are the best parts about this compact SUV
  • 2024 Chevrolet Trax ($21,495): You’ll have to wait a bit for the new Trax, but this pint-sized SUV will come with a snazzy new design, more interior space, a spritely 3-cylinder engine, and improved safety technology

What is Chevrolet’s smallest car? 

Surprise, surprise—the Chevrolet Spark is the smallest car on offer from Chevy, in all but one category of measurement:
  • Wheelbase: Chevrolet Spark,93.9 inches
  • Length: Chevrolet Spark, 143.1 inches
  • Width: Chevrolet Spark, 62.8 inches
  • Height: Chevrolet Malibu, 57.6 inches
  • Cargo volume: Chevrolet Spark, 11 cubic feet
  • Passenger volume: Chevrolet Spark, 83 cubic feet

What is Chevrolet’s cheapest car?

Again, that honor goes to the Spark, with an MSRP of just $14,595.

How to save on Chevrolet insurance

If you’re under the impression that a small car automatically gets a smaller insurance premium, well, that’s not exactly true. Sometimes a smaller car can have a higher premium due to the higher risk of damage from a possible collision.
That said, no matter how small your car is, use
Jerry
to find a robust and affordable
car insurance
policy to protect it. Sign-up with Jerry takes just under a minute, and the web’s most
trustworthy car super app
gets to work, comparing quotes from more than 50 top insurers to ensure you get the best policy at a price you want to pay. Once you pick a new policy, Jerry signs you up and cancels your old policy for you.
Best of all? The average Jerry user saves more than $800 per year on car insurance! That is no small amount. Sorry, we had to.
“I signed up for a new policy with
Jerry’s
help. I ended up saving $236 a month after my switch. Thank you Jerry!” —Adelaide C.
Find out if you can reduce your monthly car payments in minutes
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Check your rate
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Reduce your monthly car payments in minutes?
Find out if Jerry can reduce your payments by an average of $150/month
Check your rate!

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings