That paddle is either on or off, a bit like how early gaming consoles wouldn't allow you to ease in or out of the throttle or brakes. Oh yeah, there's an engine under the hood. Yes, the Chevy Volt is a good car. Not bad numbers, but more than you'd like from a car of the future. Performance: In electric mode the Volt has enough torque off the line to rarely feel underpowered. Sure, the Volt's driving range has grown, but so have our expectations. What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get? If I had to give one car the Most Improved award, the 2016 Chevrolet Volt would be it. " If you don't think General Motors has cutting-edge technology, you haven't been paying attention. Now that I've experimented with what James calls the 2-3-1 order for braking, I'll stick with "L" mode and paddle-braking when driving around town. VW's multi-stage, paddle-adjustable regen is an example of how to do this right. The Volt hatchback opens wide to fit all of your stuff. 2018 Chevrolet Volt (314 listings) 31 Great deals starting at $14,000. Rather than cruising on throttle lift-off like in a normal car in "D," the Volt exhibits the regenerative braking feeling we've all come to know and love in hybrid and electric vehicles. In fairness, this hiccup might be an Apple issue and not a Volt issue." It's got parking sensors that help, but I'd like a little more actual visibility. Our 2016 Chevrolet Volt made the usual rounds this month, mainly ferrying editors to and from our office in Santa Monica on their commutes. Still, in comparison, the Volt's pack consumes as much, probably more, of the rear floorboard, nearly rising up to seat level. What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get? My trip north was the first time we've driven our Volt in conditions with plenty of precipitation, including snow. Chevrolet updated the Volts infotainment system for 2019. Chevrolet Volt Cargo Space The Volt has a rather slim 10.6 cubic feet of trunk space, but its wide hatchback makes it easy to load and unload items. front and center, even if it's the first time logging into that specific vehicle. I don't need to be the equivalent to a rolling neon sign blinking "I'm saving the planet!" Cargo Volume Rear Seats Down: Advanced safety features, including automatic emergency braking, became available with the new generation. These were the thoughts I was having last weekend as I drove our Volt all over Los Angeles and Santa Barbara Counties. Because it's a requirement in California (and 30 other states,) a front license plate bracket came with the car. It's frustrating when something little like this happens. Will Kaufman, associate staff writer, "After five minutes I was in business and on the road, where the system worked beautifully. Those miles came from run-of-the mill around-town driving even though the Volt is certainly capable of longer trips. A 240-volt home charger would allow me to straggle in after midnight, plug in, and still have enough charge time to fill the battery by morning. They argued that my meager attempt at lunch-break recharging didn't constitute real EV living; to do it right, I'd need to try some overnight home charging. On every turn, I thwacked either the center console or the armrest with an elbow. Take the brake pedal, for instance, which feels normal and free from the weird, numb, two-stage pedal feel indicative of most other hybrids' regenerative braking. I thought the paddle was broken. Or, put in the way we would ask a friend about his or her regular new car: what kind of mpg is it getting? Director of Vehicle Testing Dan Edmunds weighs in: "We're mostly just driving it. As a hybrid the Chevy drives like most other hybrids. A small, pluggable hole that they fixed for $20, and another reminder that spare tires are wonderful things. Maintenance and Upkeep Vehicle Testing Assistant Mike Massey noticed a chip on the Volt's windshield, which Safelite repaired to the tune of $138.65 (see comment below). Both apply a specific amount of regenerative braking. --. But a recent week was full of scheduled meetings that would stretch into late afternoon. "[The interior] is more upscale than the previous model's, with two-tone color schemes, easy-to-use audio and climate controls and a pair of 8-inch information screens. I still buy compact discs. I could live with it, but I'd rather not. I had a string of bad luck and was ready to trade out of the fleet and into my own new daily driver. Check the cargo space for other makes and models A multi-info display between the main gauges lets you use buttons on the steering wheel to monitor speed, battery use and myriad other functions." Acquire the best quality Pre-owned Chevrolet Vehicles in our online Used Car Inventory, then visit us in our Radcliff, KY Dealership for a test drive! Constantly switching back to XM after every Waze alert grew particularly aggravating on my long trip. Josh Sadlier, "This week marked my first non-EV experience in the Volt. The 2017 Volt comes standard with cloth upholstery, and options include leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, heated sideview mirrors, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. No. We do our best to separate miles driven solely on battery power from those using the gasoline engine. Mike Schmidt, Senior Manager, Vehicle Testing, Interior "Why, why, oh why, is there so much faux chrome (faume?) What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get? The 2017 Volt comes standard with cloth. This begs the question of why the full generative braking function wasn't incorporated into the throttle pedal like it is the BMW i3. I appreciate that. Load bay volume: 15.6 cubic feet. Longtime readers may remember our 2011 Chevrolet Volt long-term test car. Used 2022 Chevrolet Blazer, from Duval Ford in Jacksonville, FL, 32210. The Bolt seats five, and cloth upholstery and six-way manually adjustable front seats come standard. I still wish it looked cooler, and I could do without the ginormous gold bow-tie badges (seriously, I wonder if Chevy's lost some sales because of that dorky emblem). After 42 or so miles the batteries had depleted and switched over to the gasoline engine. We knew the oil change and tire rotation would be covered gratis by Chevy's Complete Care maintenance plan, but there were also a few open recalls to attend to. That's a solid recommendation. When the 2016 Chevrolet Volt was first introduced to the media, its 8-inch MyLink touchscreen audio system was touted as being able to support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. As always, tracking fuel economy on a plug-in hybrid such as the Volt is not straightforward. I want to blame him for not using his legs but it wasn't that. The LT's interior can be optioned in either Jet Black or Light/Dark Ash cloth seating with chrome and gloss plastic trim as standard, although $460 will upgrade the interior to feature a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob from vinyl, and adding leather-appointed seat upholstery. But there's a valid argument for just driving the Volt in Drive mode and using the brake pedal like a regular car. None of them has been positive. It's a full second quicker when accelerating from zero to 60 mph (7.5 seconds, down from 8.5 seconds for the 2011 car we had). Once the interior is cooled down to your temperature of choice, the Eco mode does a nice job of maintaining the temperature and you probably won't feel like you're making a huge sacrifice in the name of fuel economy." Apparently the switchover is so subtle that you wouldn't notice when it happens. It's not silent in that "quiet like a vault" way that auto-journos like to use when describing large German sedans. If there was a Malibu Plug-In Hybrid, it would be a slam dunk. It was a genuinely pleasant experience. I'm still figuring it all out, including which apps are supported and which aren't. I had no problem seeing through the glass when it was dry. Front Pedestrian Braking At speeds below 50 mph during the daytime, this feature can help you avoid or reduce the severity of a front-end collision with a pedestrian it detects directly ahead of you. I've been driving our long-term 2016 Chevrolet Volt for more than a week straight now. The seats throughout the cabin are, nevertheless, well-padded and contoured for decent comfort and support. Not so with the Volt. Maybe even a little fun. I have, however, found something to complain about. I didn't even notice when it fired up a far cry from the first-generation Volt, which made a noticeable vibration once it kicked in. When left in the sun for a few hours, the Volt's interior develops an off-putting and musty stink. The 2016 Volt has an 8-inch screen compared to the previous generation's 7-inch screen. I've found myself using all three at any given time, usually in the order of 2-3-1, with the old-fashioned one only used as a last resort when a complete stop or heavy braking is needed. "One annoyance is related to the handshake between the Volt and the iPhone 6. I'm not sure whether to credit the Volt for this or my own stubbornness. Our initial driving impressions were positive, now it's time to see if that holds up over time. And I mean that literally because the full-width Google Maps and the audio and phone display graphics looked great. The top of the trunk on our long-term 2016 Chevrolet Volt is tall. It's bad because (Captain Obvious here) your head is right below the hatchback glass." So that's why I didn't buy a Volt. It takes 6 to 8 weeks for license plates to be issued, so it didn't matter until now. The electric motor's instant torque provides a quick burst of acceleration if you need it, too." No adjustability in that area. It's awesome. My solution? It's even on Amazon.com, so rejoice, Prime members. My family currently includes my wife, 5-year-old son, 9-year-old daughter and 17-year-old female foreign exchange student living with us. On the 2,000-mile road trip to Oregon and back, the Volt ran exclusively on gasoline and returned 34.6 mpg. Josh Sadlier, senior manager, content strategy, "A flat tire may not top the official list of 'Bad Ways to Start Your Morning,' but it's certainly among the more frustrating. The cargo space behind the third row is 41.5 cubic feet, doubled to 93.8 cubic feet behind the second row. Perfect. Further geeking on energy consumption, the EV miles burned on this leg required just 14.3 kilowatt-hours. Michael Massey, Vehicle Testing Assistant. 105 E Rt 130 S, Burlington, NJ 08016 Open Today Sales: 9 AM-7 PM. But the person I talked to seemed unsure and said something about the update being delayed until April. Saturday consisted of 28.8 miles and 25 miles remaining before I plugged it in again. That's one of the first things I notice about it during my first minutes behind the wheel. Those are six mats in the photo, each measuring 6.6 by 3.3 feet. But for now, I'm the champ and know exactly what to do (fewer burnouts, no coffee stops, ditch the highway section) to get 80. They are surprisingly comfortable. The touchscreen interface is easy to use, and most driver safety aids are either standard or optional." Average lifetime mpg: 37.7 Best fill mpg: 45.1 EPA combined mpg rating: 42 Average electric range: 51.9 miles Best electric range: 75 miles EPA electric range rating: 53 miles Current odometer: 25,730 miles, Logbook Highlights Performance "This week marked my first non-EV experience in the Volt. There's less cargo space than in rivals. As soon as I switched to the Apple CarPlay messaging screen, the fan speed plummeted to a much lower setting. Unfortunately, unlike other hatchbacks, the Volt has a significant. Dan Frio, staff writer, "Why, why, oh why, is there so much faux chrome (faume?) Logically, this car makes a lot of sense. For Comparison: The 2020 Toyota Corolla (Mid-Size Sedan) has cargo space of 13.1 ft3. Can you see if you have the parts?". Sure, a higher-power onboard charger would be far more convenient, but at least the Volt has a gasoline engine to fall back on when its juice runs out. Three ways to brake, mwah hah hah hah!". Lift off the throttle partially, partial regen. Stylish, room for 4 adults, front passenger seat folds down for long cargo, superior Infotainment including wireless apple CarPlay and . In any case, it's a nice example of thoughtful design that gives the driver one less thing to think about. But that kind of driving isn't really in the spirit of the thing, so I took it to a charge spot at the mall and let it juice up while I took a coffee break. Funny: I hadn't read any such press release. In-cabin storage solutions are plentiful in the Volt, with wide door pockets fitted on every door, seatback map pockets behind both front seats, dual cupholders up front and in the rear, a small storage tray in the front center console, a compartmentalized center armrest cubby, and an average-sized glovebox. Gasoline-only fuel economy around 40 mpg. My commute tends to have the right conditions for prolonged EV range; primarily, slow-and-go freeway traffic that never quite stops, never quite gets going faster than 50 or 55 mph. "The Volt is decently comfortable (in the back seats). That turned out to be easier than I thought. Not every car, of course. This registered as one of our lowest monthly totals. There's not enough room for the two grocery bags shown in the photo to fit lengthwise. That's why I find its climate control setup so satisfying. Josh Sadlier, senior manager, content strategy, Miscellaneous "I continue to recommend the Volt widely to people who ask me for shopping advice. The first 49.9 miles were electric-only, once again followed by gasoline power. You hear a little thrum from the engine and maybe a small vibration, but otherwise the Volt behaves almost exactly like it does in EV mode. Our long-term 2016 Chevrolet Volt was slow-roasting in the L.A. sun for a few hours. In its place is a spiffy new 1.5-liter engine that runs on regular fuel, makes 101 hp and returns 42 mpg. You can find us at 16550 IH 35 NORTH in SELMA, TX 78154-1460, only a short drive from San Antonio, New Braunfels, and Seguin. They're cheap, plentiful, and most new releases have abandoned crappy plastic jewel boxes for the cardboard "digi-pack," which lends some nostalgic analog to vinyl records. We've loaded plenty of gear into it before. That's one more than the Toyota Prius Prime can handle, but it's on par with the Chevrolet Bolt. This, in turn, butterflies my legs and leaves me with few options to stretch out, which only amplifies long distance discomfort. Though the compressor was in the right spot, the goo was absent. Service Campaigns: Recalls were resolved in a timely manner, and in our case, each was performed during routine service. Our Volt's "drip" manifests in the form of a squeaky brake pedal. This experience left me with mixed feelings about the Volt. --, "Owing to the car's aerodynamic styling, visibility isn't especially good, especially out the rear, which has thick pillars. Watch The Stunning Pagani Huayra Codalunga Stun The Crowds On Ice Track, F1's New Medical Car is Aston Martin's 700-HP DBX707 SUV, 3-Row Kia EV9 Teases Concept Styling In First Production Images, Official: Tesla To Build Next-Gen EV At New Mexico Gigafactory - Could Be Roadster 2.0, BMW M Quad Motor Prototype Hits The Snow To Test Electric M3 Powertrain, Fisker Teases Electric Pickup With Features Never Before Seen On A Truck, 2010-2023 CarBuzz Inc. All Rights Reserved. This alone puts Android Auto on a plane above Apple CarPlay, which forces you to use the dreaded Apple Maps. As expected, the first run was the quickest with the batteries at full charge. Ed Hellwig, Executive Editor, MPG "I took possession of the Volt with 286 miles on the trip meter and the onboard calculator showing fuel consumption at more than 250 mpg, the highest number the calculator displays. Those nifty things are volume control buttons. It may have looked interesting, but its functionality left something to be desired. We've said it before and will here again. "When I was coming back from a Mother's Day excursion, I saw that the Volt only had 9 miles left of its EV range. Then I ventured southeast to Temecula, California, for more rain, and back. And I say "surprisingly" because they don't feel all that great when you first sit down in them. We are wondering how much this has and will affect connecting flight passengers. Cameron Rogers, staff writer, "The Volt hovered at '1 mile remaining' for about 3 miles, then the range ran out at 74.8 miles. I can ignore Chevy's entertainment and nav system entirely, relying instead on Google Maps and my favorite podcasts." The Volt touts a quiet cabin with a host of tech features and a good amount of space up front. Without any long-distance trips, the Volt traveled just over 800 miles in August. If I could modulate it, I'd use it more often. Compare the Volt to our 2016 Toyota Prius here. It's relaxing." We've got cars today with multiple zones of climate control, each with its own fan speed. Scroll down and you'll notice a few posts about the curious brake paddle on the steering wheel of our 2016 Chevrolet Volt. To me, though, viewing the Volt as a normal car adds some further expectations of functionality. Here's what we've observed so far: Average electric range: 52.8 miles Best electric range: 75 miles EPA electric range rating: 53 miles, Best range between gasoline fills (electric fills + gasoline): 681 miles Current odometer: 20,447 miles, Logbook Highlights Comfort "I continue to give the Volt a chance. Traffic was still moving perfectly when I zoomed past my destination, solely focused on driving 75 miles for no real reason. Fleetmaster Schmidt informed me that our 2016 Chevrolet Volt was due for a service before I took it for the long Labor Day weekend. Recall 27660: Update power inverter module software. You can't modulate it. "That's one way to brake! Today he loaded two 50-pound bags of mortar into the Volt and nearly broke me. Cons: Lacked long-distance seat comfort. This speaks to how smooth the switchovers can be, in particular if they occur at slower speeds." It doesn't hurt that we also have a rubber cargo mat." Like it or not, it's done. 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