Repair-It

Those quibbles aside, the Spark EV offers the same excellent outward visibility as the standard model with a high seating position and tons of glass. The climate control works particularly well, with rapid warm-up and an air conditioner that felt capable of cooling a Chevy Suburban. Granted, both sap some of your range, but if comfort is a priority the Spark EV will happily deliver.

The regenerative brakes are also very easy to get used to, but the steering is less so. It's not a function of the electric Spark (ha!), but rather this car's tiny shell, high profile and low rolling-resistance tires. It squirms a lot at highway speeds, and the driver needs to keep both hands on the wheel and really pay attention to what he or she is doing. Sounds like a no-brainer, but here in America that requirement will likely disqualify 98 percent of the driving-age population.