Earlier this month, we told you that the diminutive 2013 Chevrolet Spark with manual 5-speed transmission had received official EPA ratings of 32 mpg city, 38 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined. 

Now Chevrolet has received the ratings for the 2013 Spark with automatic 4-speed gearbox: 28 mpg city, 37 mpg highway, and 32 mpg combined. 

Fitted with the same 1.2-liter inline-4 cylinder engine as the manual Spark, it offers the same 85 horsepower. 

That equates to gas mileage figures only 1 mpg better than the much larger 2012 Sonic Sedan with automatic 6-speed gearbox, while the manual 6-speed Sonic Sedan actually beats the manual Spark in highway efficiency.

2013 Chevrolet Spark

2013 Chevrolet Spark

Starting at $13,920, the automatic Spark is slightly less fuel efficient than its manual-box sibling, but if you're looking for a five-door minicar with automatic transmission, the Spark is your only choice. 

At $12,995 for the 2013 Spark LS with manual transmission, the Spark is Chevrolet’s cheapest car -- and the smallest it has ever sold in the U.S. 

But with the much larger 2012 Sonic Sedan LS with manual transmission starting at $14,660 -- and the Sonic Sedan LS with automatic starting at $15,730, the tiny Spark may be in for some tough competition from its bigger, more powerful brother, especially among those who want to do a fair amount of highway driving. 

+++++++++++

Follow GreenCarReports on Facebook and Twitter.