Used 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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Milage range Drop
Charles Perry, 02/01/2019
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
2017 Bolt displayed high voltage needs service. The first thing I noticed was that the maximum range after charging dropped from the 240 range to below 180. The last time I charged it, it would not stopped charging. Took to dealer and of course they did not have the part and had the car for over two weeks. They claim to have replaced a couple of cells. But after the replacement, and a complete charge, still max range was under 180. I had the car for 1.5 years with 19000 miles. The dealership tried to blame the problem on my driving. Same driving style and distances for 1.5 years. But after the failure, the max distance went way down. I went back to talk to service manager Dave at Penske Chevrolet in Cerritos, CA. Told him my story, and he said that he would call GM and relay it to them and get back to me on Monday since it was Friday. Twelve days later I called him and had to leave a recorded message. Two days later I got a called back from someone else who said that they wanted to re teach the battery to charge properly. I took it back again. Again no improvement. They either don't have a clue as to what is going on or they don't know how to fix it..
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The future is here.
D. P., 09/23/2018
updated 10/27/2023
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Update 10/27/2023: Now at 95,500 miles. Still waiting for the first problem to occur. Still my favorite vehicle I've ever owned, and by far the most trouble free. Update 4/27/2023: The new battery installation all went well. The car had a noticeable range increase of about 10%, I'm sure mostly due to the new battery chemistry. Still no problems with the car after 86,000 miles. I still enjoy driving it. Update 4/26/2022: Currently at 65,000 miles on the odometer, and still no problems. I haven't noticed any reduction in range. There may be some, but not enough to have to take it into account vs. when new. It just had the battery recall completed, and I'll pick it up later today. Update 10/7/2020: No changes to review, no maintenance, and no hassles. The only vehicle I've owned that's still is fun after owning 3 years. After driving large pickups for a long time, I'd forgotten that driving can be fun. My problematic back is still very happy with the firm seats of the early Bolt EVs. I don't think I can go back to a fuel vehicle. Update 10/5/2019: The Bolt EV is still running great. Zero maintenance to date and no noticeable battery degredation. Expanding fast charging infrastructure is making longer trips more and more feasible. Love this car. One of my co-workers bought a Bolt, and after looking it over and getting a ride, it seemed like the future to me. My initial reason for buying a 2017 Bolt LT is for all the things it doesn’t have: e.g. emission control devices, serpentine belt, transmission, exhaust system, motor oil, mechanical alternator, catalytic converter, fuel pump, etc. After 40 years of driving, I hate all those things; good riddance! I’ve had the car 10 months and 14,000 miles now, with zero problems. But after a few months, I started becoming conscious of how much more environmentally friendly this car is vs. our other vehicles. With our location in the power grid, it’s basically nuclear powered, so very little atmospheric pollution. We may buy into some community solar energy too. Not missing the gas stations either. We have a 32 amp / 240 V level 2 charger in the garage capable of a complete charge overnight. The electric costs are about 1/5 to 1/6 of buying gasoline for the mini-van. We use it mostly as a regional / commuter car, which covers 95% of our driving. The DC fast charge has only been used once. It’s the go-to vehicle whenever someone in our family is going somewhere. Winter in Michigan was the first driving experience with the Bolt, and I would say it is the best 2WD vehicle I’ve had in winter as far as traction and handling go. I don’t mind the cold much, so by using the heated seats and steering wheel, driving without the heater was OK down to about 10°F. We were getting about 180 mile range in winter. In spring/summer/fall, it’s more like 260-300 miles. Using the air conditioning isn’t nearly as power intensive as the heater. At 70-75 mph the typical efficiency is 3.7 miles/kWh, 4.6 miles/kWh on 55-60 mph secondary roads, and 5.1-5.6 miles/kWh driving in town. Recovering kinetic energy through regenerative braking is somehow a very satisfying feeling, plus the brakes should last almost forever. I’m 6’0”, 195 lb, and the seats (cloth) aren’t exactly luxurious, but they’re not un-comfortable. Most car seats give me back pain, but not these. The interior capacity / hatch opening for hauling around bulky items is quite good. Plus, it’s not so elegant that you’re afraid to haul cargo in it. I suppose the entertainment system is OK (I don’t own a smartphone to use with it.) The AM radio reception is not the best however. The Bolt out-accelerates probably 75% of cars and trucks on the road, and has nimble handling to. All in all, this is my favorite vehicle of all time (vs. cars, vans, SUVs, pickups we’ve owned). I’m convinced EVs are the future.
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UPDATE of 2000 miles of being an e-convert
David, 03/04/2018
updated 03/11/2019
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
1+ year into ownership, still love it.... We purchased our 2017 Bolt EV Premier on the last day of the 2017 tax year, now passed 2 months and approaching 2,000 miles. In short, it is a quick and fast accelerating, easy to handle, versatile compact car. While snow has been mild this season, it handled well in the few snowfalls our roads experienced in the Mid-Atlantic region. We were worried at first that transitioning from our all road station wagon to this compact was going to be a problem. We did a trunk test, though, and were able to accommodate what we needed and grocery store runs while filling the seats with people. The car has been nice and easy to use in school drop off/ pick up lanes and highway runs, alike. I wonder a little bit about the resilience of the recycled materials in the interior, but it is functional, a good look for the vehicle, and only time will tell. The range of the car even in very cold weather has been fine... low temperatures (well below freezing) can mean a drop to 60% of temperate range due to both decreased battery chemistry potential energy and thermal conditioning needs of the battery. However. 60% of 238 mi is over 140 mi. For several weeks, we managed use of the car mostly with in town commuting using the provided plug-in 120v Level I EVSE, which used our household outlet. We now have a Level II EVSE installed on a 240V connection (the Clipper Creek HCS-40) and it has made a world of difference in convenience. Our car has the on board option for using the DC fast stations. However, while nice to have in case we get really adventurous on weekend getaways, we have not needed to use a commercial Level II EVSE let alone one of those. We now only charge the car 1-2 times per week and hardly ever drop much below 180 mi of listed range. There really is not anything we do not like about the car. It has more road feel than we anticipated which I like but my wife tolerates. Speed bumps have to be carefully approached. We have not had any vehicle clearance issues, though, as the nose of the car is quite short. She otherwise loves the car, especially the one pedal driving which both makes braking very responsive and keeps us using as much regenerative braking as possible. The car is heavy enough to be stable in bad weather. We know this from driving shortly after Winter Storm Riley in gale force wind. The interior seems to get dirty quickly but maybe that has been the wet season this year. This currently is our only car, though I commute by other means.
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Could have been great but
Matt, 07/08/2017
updated 01/11/2019
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
13 of 16 people found this review helpful
I sold this car because I couldn't take how cramped and uncomfortable the seats were. The resale value was abysmal but was glad to be rid of it. Upon reflection, this car was lackluster in every way. Bad seats, a big screen that was only made useful thanks to Android Auto the built in functionality was marginal at best, and no value for the money. The premier edition is a 42K car you can get a RWD Tesla Model 3 for $44k. I actually got a AWD Model 3 and it's like comparing hot dog to a steak. Even the mide range RWD Model 3 has more range, better acceleration, the same interior as my AWD (full glass roof, power seats, actual padding in the seats, soft touch surfaces, a vastly superior sound system, a much better integrated screen with functional UI, etc., etc.) which blows away the hard touch plastic nightmare that was the Bolt. Buy the Tesla 3 with confidence and avoid this at all costs.
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Was going to pick up my new Bolt until I sat in it
Curtman60, 04/04/2017
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
18 of 23 people found this review helpful
I had waited almost a year and was extremely excited about buying the new Bolt. I put down a $500.00 refundable deposit and was going to take delivery in mid March until I sat in one. I went and test drove the car and found the front seats to be a total deal killer for me. Besides being too narrow they were also lacking padding and very uncomfortable. I can't believe that GM would cheap out on the seats of a $43000.00 Bolt Premier. The plastic side support under the seat cushions actually dug in to my hips and I am not a very big guy, I am 6 feet tall and weigh 180 pounds. The interior plastics on the car are also extremely cheap feeling. I will now have to wait for the new Nissan leaf or Tesla model 3.
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