“Look at the volume in that segment.”
The microcar segment has been shrinking at a steady pace for some time, though that hasn’t stopped carmakers from offering contenders in that small space. While Kia might be enjoying the thunderous response it’s received from the buying public towards its small Picanto, the same can’t be said of Holden and its Spark, which launched in 2016 to set “new benchmarks” in the segment.
Looking back on the Spark’s introduction, it had what it took to actually do just that. It had things like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a suspension and steering tune developed specifically for our market. Not much else is needed in that segment to make a splash really, and yet a splash it didn’t make.
Our friends at CarAdvice spoke to Holden’s product communications head Mark Flintoft, who confirmed the axing of the Spark, and said that the company would now put greater emphasis on its Astra hatch instead.
While the Kia Picanto might have a whopping 72.6% marketshare in the microcar segment, the overall segment is pretty small. Less than 700 microcars were sold last month, with just 67 Sparks contributing to that number. In comparison, Kia managed to shift just short of 500 cars in the same period.
Adieu, Spark.
For more information on Holden, check out our Showroom.
