2023 Chevy Bolt EUV

[MUSIC PLAYING] RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Let's be honest. If you're considering a Tesla Model Y, you might not think to consider this little guy, the Chevy Bolt EUV. But these two electric SUVs are probably closer than you think. How do they stack up in terms of space, range, and performance? And what about hands-free driving? Is one of these almost double the price of the other? Let's hop in and find out together. If you're here to see the Tesla, go ahead and click Like. And if you want to see this Chevy, hit Subscribe. Actually, you know what? Just click both of them. Also, if you're thinking about selling your car, go to edmunds.com/sellmycar and you'll get a cash offer right now. [MUSIC PLAYING] When most people think EVs, they think Tesla. But there are good reasons to look for alternatives. I mean, first, have you tried getting a Model Y lately? As of this shoot, you're looking at a wait somewhere between three months and seven months. And just in the last year, Tesla has raised the price of the Model Y by $14,000. Now base versions of the Model Y are starting just shy of 70 grand. Well, let's talk Bolt. Hasn't been a perfect year for Chevy either. After a rocky launch that involved fires and a recall blamed on the battery supplier, yeesh, Chevy has cut the price of the Bolt EUV by as much as six grand. Now base versions are starting at just over $28,000. And that's including destination fees. That's one heck of a nice olive branch when most vehicles are still selling for over MSRP. In fact, our Edmunds data shows that the average vehicle on sale is going for about $47,000. That means that this fully loaded Bolt EUV costs considerably less than the average new vehicle on sale today. And that's before incentives kick in. Oh yeah, that's the other thing. The federal EV tax credits just got a lot more complicated. But the good news is that both the Bolt EUV and the Tesla Model Y will benefit. You should click the link in the description below to get the full nitty gritty on how you can potentially save thousands on either one of these vehicles. EUV stands for Electric Utility Vehicle. And this model is the bigger brother to the standard Bolt hatchback. Now Chevy says this is a utility vehicle, but we still consider it more of a hatchback. I mean, for one thing, it doesn't offer all wheel drive. And for another, even though the Bolt EUV is about 6 inches longer than a regular Bolt, it actually has less cargo space. That's right. The smaller Bolt has slightly more storage space than the Bolt EUV. Weird, right? And yet, the Chevy is only about an inch shorter in height than the Tesla and has nearly the same rear seat room. It may not match the Model Y spec for spec, but the Bolt EUV has a certain user friendliness that we'll get into later. And don't forget, it's roughly half the price. Meanwhile, the Model Y looks both simpler and more expensive. Now part of that is because it has a much cleaner, more aerodynamic, design. But it's also because it has bigger wheels. 19s come standard on the Tesla versus the 17s on the Chevy. For most people, the Model Y is definitely the go-to model in this segment at this point. Now you'll probably see a lot more of them on the road. And that's great if you want to be part of the Tesla crowd, but not so much if you're looking to stand out. [MUSIC PLAYING] Think of it like this. The Tesla interior is ultra minimalist. And by that, I mean, there are basically no buttons anywhere. So by comparison, the Bolt EUV interior is pretty normcore. But that does have its advantages. For one thing, it's easy to get in here and immediately know how everything works and where to find the control that you're looking for. And for another thing, we find that the build quality in here is at a higher level than the Model Y. And by that, we mean things like tighter panel gaps and comfortable materials. Now the Bolt EUV does have its fair share of hard plastics. And normally, we don't like this much use of piano black plastic. But for the price, you can get in here and say, OK. This makes sense. It feels honest. Starting out in the driver's seat, I'm 6 feet tall, and it does feel like I can get comfortable in here with plenty of headroom no problem. But my legs are a little bit bunched up. And this is where the Bolt EUV feels definitely more like a hatchback than an SUV. At the same time, the seat sits up higher than in the typical bolt. And that gives you a nice commanding view of the road. As for the seats themselves, on this trim, they're made of leather. Now it's not the highest quality leather. These aren't very cushy seats. But they're firm and supportive. So over long drives, it keeps you comfortable. Moving down to the touch screen over here, the center display is 10.2 inches. Now that may not look like much compared to the 15 inch screen in the Tesla. But I actually find this is a really nice size to use. It's run by the Chevy infotainment three plus system, which is really quick and responsive. And you've got nice clear, crisp maps, and other icons, which is great. On top of that, and this is important, you get wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto Standard in the Bolt EUV. That's a big deal because you can't get either one in the Tesla. You've also got this digital display right in front of the driver to give you helpful information like your speed, or how much battery life you have left. It's nice to just have everything be where I expect it to be. Chevy is keeping it simple. And I appreciate that. Now one thing that's important to point out is ventilated seats. In this trim level, the Bolt EUV comes with heated and ventilated front seats. You just click this little button right here and the fans in your seat turn on. And you have a cool backside. Now that's important because you cannot get ventilated front seats in the Model Y. Tesla says that's coming soon. We'll see. For the Bolt EUV, it's here right now. On top of that, storage space is kind of limited. You've got a center console with a decent sized cubby. It's OK. And then there's a kind of a tray between the two front seats for handbags, and purses, and things like that. Finally, you can take your smartphone and slot it into this little space. And there's even a wireless charging station down there. Now, here's what you need to know about the Tesla interior. A lot of people consider the Model Y a luxury vehicle. But that ain't because of its interior. The first thing you notice is that clean unfiltered look because there aren't any buttons or controls anywhere. Just that giant 15 inch screen dominating the landscape. And it's pretty cool. Lots of awesome functionality. Just remember, you're not going to get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. So while it doesn't have that, like other Teslas, the Model Y does have a large varied spectrum of apps, games, streaming movie possibilities, all kinds of cool stuff that will surprise and delight the people that you bring into your car. It's also got a sense of humor. Getting into the Bolt EUV is nice and easy. But you do have to duck just a little bit under the roof line. And that's because of that straight design. One nice thing, though, is that you don't have to step over anything to get your feet in there. The floor is really flat, and it continues all the way out. That's really helpful. Once you're in here, got pretty nice legroom. And this is where the bulk of that extra size in the Bolt EUV went to, giving you extra rear legroom. And it pays off. I've also got pretty good head space. Seats don't recline, but that's OK. It's pretty comfortable for what it is. You also get two USB ports down here but no rear air vents. It's kind of a bummer. However, you can look back here and for the money go, OK, I can see why this costs what it costs. As for the Tesla, it's a little bit easier to get inside because of that dome shape. You don't have to duck hardly at all. But you do have to step over to get your feet inside just a little bit. You've got similar rear leg room. But one really nice thing is that the rear seats recline slightly. So you can have a little bit more of a restful posture on long road trips. You also get two USB ports. But you do get rear air vents, which is very nice in the Model Y. [MUSIC PLAYING] When you're driving the Bolt EUV, you get the sense that it could do most of the things that the Tesla can do. It just does them a little bit slower, and with less enthusiasm, and for not as long. But you don't get a feeling that you're missing out a whole lot when you're driving the Bolt EUV. And the brakes feel fine. They've got a nice natural feel to them. The regenerative brakes continue to feed more energy back into the battery automatically as I'm driving. And I can even adjust the strength of them using this paddle right here on the steering wheel all the way down to being able to do one-pedal driving. And that simply means that any time I come off the accelerator, the car is slowing itself down. And talking about braking is a good way to illustrate the way that the Bolt EUV drives. It's not as visceral as the Tesla, but in some ways, it does things very similarly, or even better, in some cases. For one thing, the steering wheel has a nice weight and feel to it so that any command is met with a quick response. And it feels really maneuverable, whether that's at low speeds in a parking lot, or on the highway. Now ride comfort. That's a big one. The Bolt EUV feels much more compliant than the Tesla does. And by that, I mean, when you go over a bump or a pothole in the Tesla, it can be pretty jarring, or sharp. And the Bolt EUV just does a better job of smoothing things out. That could be because it has a softer suspension. Or because we're using smaller wheels, there's more room for tires to smooth that stuff out. And also, I'm pretty surprised at how the Bolt is keeping outside noise outside. I'm not getting a whole lot of wind or road noise in here that's making this unpleasant. It is a little bit loud because there is no sound of the engine to drown that stuff out. But with a little music or a nice conversation, it goes away pretty quick. So if you're looking for something sporty and electric to drive, I mean, the Tesla is definitely the one. But it's hard to believe you can get a Bolt EUV at roughly half the price, and in some ways, delivers a better drive. [MUSIC PLAYING] Now would be a good time to talk about range and charging. I mean, performance and sporty driving is fun and all, but this is the stuff that's going to affect everything EV driver every day. The EPA estimates that the Bolt EUV can go 247 miles on a full charge. Now we put this on the Edmunds patented EV test loop and managed 265 miles. So the Bolt EUV's ratings ring true in our evaluation. By comparison, we got 317 miles out of the Model Y, which sounds good, but it's actually 13 miles worse than its EPA rating of 330 miles. When it comes time to plug in, GM says the Bolt EUV's battery pack can get up to 95 miles worth of range in 30 minutes at a DC fast charger. If that seems like it could be a little quicker, it's because the Bolt EUV can only charge at up to 55 kilowatts. That gives Tesla a big advantage because the Model Y can add more range much more quickly. I mean, we're talking an estimated 162 miles in, get this, 15 minutes. The Bolt is perfectly usable in everyday situations. But Tesla's advantage here can't be overstated. Still, the Bolt EUV is perfectly usable in everyday situations. If you have a level two charger at home and you don't regularly go on long road trips, you're going to be totally fine with the Chevy. I mean, GM will even pay to have a charger installed in your house when you buy a Bolt EUV. That's clutch. However, if you plan on relying on public charging or going on long road trips, Tesla's supercharger network is worlds better than any of the competing networks out there. I mean, first of all, they're all over the place. They're also more consistent and reliable than the competition. So you shouldn't have much trouble with the Bolt. But the Tesla goes above and beyond. [MUSIC PLAYING] It's important that we go over the hands-free driving technology that's available. In the Bolt EUV, you can add Super Cruise, which will cost you about $2,200. And at that price, there's a lot to like. For one thing, it's easy to set and the operation is simply smooth. What I like about Super Cruise compared to some other driving tech is that it feels composed and controlled on the road. Doesn't overreact to what other drivers are doing out there. It gives you the impression that it's creating enough space around you in all directions. And that makes me feel like I can have my hands off the wheel, my feet off the pedals, and if I need to, I can take over at any moment. And in fact, it's got a little driver attention monitor right here. And it can tell whether I'm looking at the road or not. And if I spend a little bit too much time with my eyes in other directions, it'll yell at me to pay attention again. I like that. Now compare that to what you can get in the Model Y. Your options include enhanced autopilot for $6,000 or full self-driving, newly available in North America for a cool $15,000. Tesla just recently opened full self-driving to customers. So we haven't been able to conduct a full test just yet. But based on the price and our past experience with Tesla's systems, you could say we're skeptical that full self-driving is ready for prime time, especially at 15 grand. By contrast, you can add Super Cruise for $2,200. And it's pretty impressive at any price. Not everyone needs brain-popping acceleration or super max extended electric range. They just want an affordable, reliable, easy to operate EV that they don't have to think about. In many ways, the Bolt actually promises to be easier to live with than the Tesla. There's less of a learning curve to the controls, it's got CarPlay, and Android Auto, it's got cooled seats, and it won't scorch your pocketbook. Plus Super Cruise is great. And GM even covers the cost of installing a charger in your home. Chevy's more comprehensive dealer service network is kind of reassuring. Tesla is flashy and has a great charging network. I mean, really great. But there are alternatives. And the Bolt EUV is a good one, a much cheaper good one. Maybe it isn't sexy, but the Bolt EUV is smart and capable. Is the Tesla Model Y worth twice the price? Not to us, unless you've got money to burn. Thanks for watching. Don't forget to click Like and Subscribe so we can keep making these videos. Finally, go to edmunds.com for all your car shopping needs. I'll see you next time. [MUSIC PLAYING]