Used 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 Bolt EV, so we've included reviews for other years of the Bolt EV since its last redesign.
Taking the Plunge
Lee B -Georgia, 04/14/2018
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
42 of 42 people found this review helpful
Ok so to give you some context this is the second electric car I have ever owned/ leased and the first American car I have ever purchased. I have mostly been a Toyota/ Lexus user ( mainly hybrids) and very suspicious of GM and/or American cars in general. I leased a leaf in 2012 and while it was a fun car to drive the Range was horrible and by the time I handed the lease in I was gettting 65-70 miles. I almost purchased a Volt a few years ago but consumer reports ratings around quality made me decide not to move forward. I have only owned the Bolt for less than a month but it is probably the most enjoyable car I have ever owned. It's really fun to drive so if you are a frusterated hybrid owner (like me) looking for something a little more fun to drive,this is the ticket. The Range is outstanding. I am getting anywhere from 230-280 per single charge so no range anxiety. I do agree that GM could have spent more on the interior however one of the things I really enjoy about the Bolt is that it really feels roomy ( unlike the Volt) and you sit up like you are driving an SUV or a crossover. The technology is very easy to use and GM provides you with a ton of metrics on how to improve your driving to maximize your range.. If you get the Premier there are a number of great safety features including blind spot and pedestrian detection. The regeneration braking is a great feature and something GM does better than the Tesla. This maximizes your energy so you can really get a ton of mileage on a single charge. You essentially can drive this car using one pedal as the braking starts as soon as you take your foot off the gas which than regenerates the battery. The only down side to the Bolt is GM has not invested in a charging Network like Tesla so long road trips over 300 miles can be a challenge but not impossible. If you want to try and use this car for long road trips and use public charging options, make sure you get the fast charging included in your final purchase. It is NOT specific to what trim you purchase and it is only a factory option. Also for best results get a level 2 charger ( 25 miles per hour) installed in your home because it will take for ever to charge on a 120v plug. Initially I was a bit nervous after I made the purchase but I love this car right now and would purchase it again in heart beat. I have had no issues but I also understand that I am an early adopter so I am not naive that I could run into issues down the road and that's ok. I am having a blast driving this car and don't miss the boring drive and great reliability of my Toyota Camry Hybrid.
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Wanted a Volt, got a Bolt
J D, 06/08/2017
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
32 of 32 people found this review helpful
I wanted to replace my Ford Escape Hybrid with a Volt but did not like the tight feeling of the Volt. But the Bolts were in the Dealership and I found that it was a much better choice for me. The car is very comfortable although it is a subcompact. It seemed roomier than the Ford Escape. The 200 Hp engine seemed almost too powerful. The low gear for hill driving is created by increasing the power flow back to the battery and lets you drive without using the brake. Your smart phone hooks into the large monitor and gives you all those apps including high level navigation for free. The 240 mile range makes it worry free for fuel and it it turns out that there are public chargers all over, mostly free and you do not even need them. Charging at home for 1/4 the price of gas gives you 120 mpg equivalent. I think that the time is here for 98% of the country to switch to this new level of driving experience.
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2017 Bolt mfg date 11/2016
tk1971, 02/14/2017
updated 03/07/2024
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
93 of 96 people found this review helpful
Update 3/6/2024: Over 121k miles. Added one of those ultrasonic rodent deterrents with the strobe LED lights under the hood (works well). No problems. Still enjoying CarPlay. Best car I’ve ever owned so far. Update 3/1/22: Almost 106k miles and I got a new drive battery under the recall with another 100k warranty. Needed a new 12v battery last year which is expected. Other than that, it’s been wiper blades, tires and washer fluid. 8/21/20-Got CarPlay2Air for wireless Carplay. Best car I’ve ever owned. Update 2/21/2019: Had a creaking develop at the front of the car. Fixed under warranty by replacing the front left axle. Bumper to bumper is over, and my plastic seatback breaks. $50 part, easy install. Still, best car ever! Update as of 2/19/2018: Had the dealer update the Infotainment system with the newest revision software. That took care of the bug in which the front camera stays on, once in a blue moon. CarPlay seems more stable now. My steering linkage boot located behind the accelerator/brake pedals was rubbing against the linkage causing a squeaking noise when I occasionally need to turn the steering wheel more than one revolution. Dealer states that they fixed it, but it still does it (typical dealer experience). Still this car, thus far is the lowest maintenance vehicle I have ever owned: Tire Rotations and washer fluid. Got WeatherTech liners. Update as of 8/2017: I’m totally hooked on the Bolt EV. No gas, no oil changes. Only two tire rotations for maintenance since I got it. Haven’t even run out of washer fluid yet. Got my car tinted all around with 3M Crystalline and stayed cool throughout the summer. There’s monster glare from the light gray dash which was fixed with a $50 dash toupee. Ugly but functional. The light gray carpet is looking ratty. I’m also loving the camera rear view mirror. No worries about an obstructed view from passengers and/or cargo behind me. I also pieced together a spare tire kit using a Cruze spare donut / lug wrench and an S10 jack. Fits under the false floor perfectly. I drive about 80 miles a day, so just in case. I did add rubber inserts in the cup holders and double side taped a sunglasses clip to the map light console. I’ve pretty much addressed all my initial nit-picking items. One pedal driving is fantastic. Reminds me of driving a stick shift when taking corners. Just lift my foot off the accelerator (without the need to downshift) and the car aggressively slows for regen, then accelerate out of the turn using all that wonderful torque. I really love this car!!! Original review: I'm assuming I have one of the early ones with a mfg date of 11/2016. I have a long commute so the range is perfect for me. With the long freeway commute, I have noticed that this car requires a lot more steering input than I would like to stay straight on the freeway. Compared to a Prius C, which practically feels like it doesn't have power steering at speed (a good thing). My wife drives a Leaf and this car outdoes it in every way except for the rear cargo space. The Bolt is 11 inches shorter than the Leaf and it's noticeable only in the trunk space. All other dimensions are very similar. Glad to see a flat rear floor on the Bolt vs the center battery hump in the Leaf, so this car easily seats 5. Being a shorter car with a shorter wheelbase, I'm confused as to why the turn radius is 6 inches wider than with the Leaf. Front visibility is better than with the Leaf, in which the Leaf A pillars consistently block my view of pedestrians waiting to cross the street at stop signs. Strange thing with my specific car: Somewhere between final QC at the factory and when I bought the car (with 10 miles on it, so it could have been the last person who test drove it?), the video feed coax cable to the digital rear view mirror got ripped right off, rendering it inoperable (and un-fixable). It was the one of a handful of features I didn't try before I signed all the papers (of course). Been waiting a week after my first visit to the service department and the new mirror hasn't arrived yet from the factory. Power is adequate. The manual is non-specific in a few things like the fact that a pump and sealant kit does not come with this car because it has the self sealing tires, though the manual has clear instructions on how to use the pump/sealant "when applicable". I guess in my case it wasn't applicable. I've had the electric parking brake engage by itself twice when I shift into Park and the manual simply states that it could do that under certain circumstances to check the operation of the EPB system. Most of the time, engaging the parking brake is a manual affair. CarPlay works. Seriously, I've never had Siri work so well... ever. I even bought an extra short 6" Lightning cable just for this car (because CarPlay only works with the phone plugged into one of the front USB ports on the center console). No sunglasses holder. I think I'll double side tape one of those sunglasses visor clips to the black plastic enclosure that likely houses all the OnStar electronics above the rear view mirror. Almost forgot, the front cupholders don't have rubber inserts, so my coffee tumbler rattles. Lots of reviews out there talking about range, power, etc, so I figure I'd post a review of stuff I didn't read about, but kinda matters to someone like me who spends a couple of hours on the road a day.
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Finally an EV car I can love!!
FuryDT, 06/19/2018
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
29 of 29 people found this review helpful
Amazing car! Since there is very little to zero advertising for this car, I didn't even know it existed until I stumbled upon it on Chevy's website. I had been test driving the Tesla as I was going to purchase the Model 3. But after the Tesla test drive I decided to keep looking. Then I came across the Bolt EV. Wow! This car had just about everything the Tesla had (minus the hands free driving which isn't legal anywhere anyway) but it also had support for Apple Car Play and Android Auto and wireless phone charging to boot. The Tesla had none of that. It also had an estimated 238 mi range! Very similar to Tesla Model 3. However, that estimation is under estimated. I am getting closer to 260 - 280 miles. At first I had some range anxiety in the car especially on my first long cross state trip. Which I have to admit I made several rookie mistakes in regards to planning for charging. However, with those lessons learned and a few apps on my phone I no longer have any hesitation to take pretty much any trip across the country. You just have to plan on some additional time and make sure you have your timing down as there are some chargers that are behind locked gates after business hours. The exciting part is that GM is rolling out 20 new cars in the next 5 years that are all electric. In addition, they are mandating all GM dealers install DC Fast chargers that are FREE to GM EV owners!! I charged for free at several of them on my trip. The car's performance is amazing. No more "prius" style slow acceleration. I owned a Prius and sold it because I thought I was going to die several times getting on to the freeway as there is no acceleration. Not in the Bolt!! It will put you in your seat at any speed. Instant torque. Love it. Highly recommend this car. I wish GM would put in some advertising dollars for it like they are doing overseas for this car.
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Fantastic Vehicle with just a few minor warts
Tom McCalmont, 06/16/2017
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
27 of 27 people found this review helpful
Recently leased a Chevy Bolt -- upgrading from a Nissan Leaf that I've driven for 5 years now (I wanted more range). This is the first GM car I've owned in 40 years. Definitely not your father's Oldsmobile -- the vehicle is comparable to high quality European and Japanese cars: great fit & finish, comfortable & logical controls and interior, great performance, terrific economy as an EV. My only complaint is the electronics of the Infotainment center are not great. Examples: If you set radio stations in non-numeric order (for example, 88.5, 104.5, and 91.7), it will delete the entry that is not in numeric order (104.5). This happened to me multiple times so I know it's true. It's almost like they didn't test it. Also, it doesn't include navigation as standard or even as an optional feature -- a huge shortfall in a 2017 vehicle. You can get turn by turn instructions if you call an operator via the OnStar button and have them push instructions down to the car but who wants to do that every time they want to go somewhere??? You just want to enter your destination on your own and go. Other than these somewhat minor annoyances, however, it's a great vehicle.
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An amazing car..not typical GM product.
Phil Atomic, 09/03/2018
updated 09/23/2019
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
23 of 23 people found this review helpful
Have owned this car for a year and have 40,000 miles on the clock. Car has had zero issues. Battery shows no degredation. Cost to operate is absurdly low. Cheaper to own than a regular Camry when you consider no maintenance cost and gas difference vs electricity. Range is a non issue unlike the leaf. Consider that first real maintenance on this car is at 150,000 miles! Add up all a gas car costs in maintenance to get to 150,000 compared to the Bolt and the higher initial cost of the Bolt quickly disappears. Then add the difference in operating costs (gas vs elec.) and the Bolt is clearly cheaper. $7,500 tax credit + $2,500 state credit makes a great difference in cost. Even if i had no tax credit, I would buy this car again. As an update, just passed 60,000 miles on 3-2019. Still no noticable degredation and no service visits. Update #2 on 9/23/2019 just passed 80,000 miles and the same. No dealer visits, no battery change.
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Volt to Bolt
Alan Gilreath, 07/11/2018
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
21 of 21 people found this review helpful
Range is excellent. I drove a 2013 Volt for 6 years and hated to give it up at 135k miles but the lure of all electric won out. My 2018 Bolt gives no range anxiety whatsoever. I did a weekend trip to San Diego which was 178 miles down there and the battery indicator said I had 98 miles left. After a full charge the next day came home and still had 82 miles remaining after a much more uphill drive. My daily round trip to work is 108 miles and I get to charge on 110 while there. Never using more than 12 kw in either direction. Great technology. Seats aren’t the most comfortable I’ve sat in but nowhere near what all of the naysayers are saying. Interior is very nice for a great commuter car. Quick, comfortable and stylish and a good quality build. I love driving by the gas stations with varying daily prices and laugh. My car is loaded and is a blast to drive. It has so many driving features that make my long commute enjoyable Great Vehicle and the biggest selling point was my excellent experience with my ‘13 Volt. Low cost to maintain.
Bolt Premier both packages, DCFC
M A, 03/26/2018
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
21 of 21 people found this review helpful
Really enjoy the car, have had no problems with the seats. Lights are fine but many cars “flash” me when dims are on. Interior dash could be a touch nicer for $40k car. Look at Bolt EV forums about range and limitations thereof, particularly in winter climates and decreased range with heat. Also, fast charging - especially in winter - will rarely ever be Chevy’s 90 miles in 30 minutes (more like 60-65 in NJ in winter). And the next 90 miles will take much longer as it tapers the charge rate. This isn’t unique to the Bolt but buyers should know, again, the limitations for 200+ mile road trips. Overall, I knew most of this going in and still absolutely love the car. We did get 250+ miles in early fall with lots of city driving, so a lot depends on your driving conditions/weather. Great little car with surprising amount of space inside and nice features.
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The Affordable Car Of The Future TODAY!
C.A. in O.C., 03/02/2017
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
28 of 29 people found this review helpful
For those who fly to places because you don't want to drive, why have a smog machine? I had a Spark EV and there were a couple of times we needed to use the gas car because we were going beyond 84 miles in one trip. But with 238 miles, we easily drive to and from where ever we want to go. We no longer "need" a gas car. Virtually no maintenance. In the 3 years I had the Spark EV, I did have to rotate the tires once. I expect the Bolt EV will be the same. The only con for the LT Bolt EV is the narrow front seats. Anybody who has more weight than they should, may find the sides of the seats uncomfortable the longer they sit.
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The only range anxiety is exceeding my lease limit
Tone, 06/06/2018
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
25 of 26 people found this review helpful
The lease deals on this car were too good to miss so i decided to try an EV but keep my 15 year old clunker as backup; my mistake, the clunker hasn't been required in months and ironically its battery keeps draining from lack of use. The Bolt is an awesome vehicle; accelerates and handles more like a sports car, has interior space comparable to a *UV but costs less to run than an econobox. One pedal driving is addictive, the brake pedal becomes just a foot rest for stop lights. The interior is elegant though not really refined, but the front seats can be uncomfortably narrow (I'm skinny, my nickname is "Bones", and the side bolsters pinch my legs so I'm not really sure who they were designed for). Outside visibility is great except for rear quarter views where the C/D pillars cause large blind spots so make sure to get the blind spot monitor option. Around town mileage is normally around 5 miles/KWh giving a calculated range of over 300 miles on a full charge, but it drops considerably at speed (often to less than 3 miles/KWh at 70mph) and long distance freeway trips need to be planned accordingly. The Fast charger option is a MUST if you have any aspirations to travel more than 50 miles from home, I'm not sure why they even sell the car without it ? A/C uses about 5% of the battery and heating 20%, the heated steering wheel and seats can mitigate this slightly but I'm not sure it'd be a viable car for cold climates. iPhone integration (and presumably Android too) for maps, traffic and music is seamless, but the car itself has no GPS awareness and can't tell if it's at home or not. This is a problem if you have the car set to charge only overnight and plug into a public charger ... unless you remember to press the "override" option it will sit dumbly and you'll come back from lunch with no more charge but possibly have been billed if there's a minimum connection fee.
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Range Issues
J Dixon, 01/04/2019
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
There are a number of issues I don't see addressed in other reviews. GM installed a software update in August 2018 that cut my (consistent) range from 235 mi to 185 mi. Their explanation was that weather, and my driving habits had changed. I drive in So Cal, and had 2 months of very warm weather, followed by 1 month of mild weather, followed by a month of cooler weather. I understand battery conditioning for extremes takes a toll in mileage, and I purposely waited through seasonal changes to see if there was an effect, but to date, my range has not returned to the 235+ miles I had before the update. A 2nd trip to the dealership dropped the range further below 185 miles, and I am considering legal action, as GM refuses to address my complaint. In addition, software updates are pushed to the car when driving. I have driven during software updates when the backup camera, and entertainment and navigation functions do not operate for up to 10 minutes - the length of the update. For $37K, the interior of the Bolt wouldn't be passable on a $25K car, hard plastics, hard seats, low-fidelity stereo, low resolution backup camera. The rear cargo cover is little more than a fabric wrapped spring. Panel fit is an afterthought, I was told my Bolt was one of the first 500 production models, and it looks it. I had previously leased a BMW i3, which was not without fault, but it never failed to deliver the range I expected, during hot and cold weather. Driving the i3 for 2 years gave me the experience to fully understand range limitations and how weather and driving habits can affect an EV. I purchased the Bolt because it had a 235 mi range that I enjoyed for 1.5 years before GM's software update decided to cut 50 miles from my range, and it has significantly negatively affected my perception of the car and GM.
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DC fast-charging is not optional.
Danny MB, 09/04/2018
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
For some strange reason Chevy decided to make the DC fast charging capability optional. Make sure the vehicle is equipped with DC fast-charging before you buy.It is a must for long trips otherwise you will have to rent a car. You will know if it has DC fast-charging by checking the charge port for the additional Orange cap covering two additional holes under the regular j1772 port.
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Love Driving Into the Future
Jim, 04/30/2018
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
Have to admit up front, my wife and I are passionate about a fossil carbon-free lifestyle, and the Bolt nearly brings our household energy use to this goal, particularly because we "fuel" the Bolt from our home solar PV system. Kudos to Chevrolet. Took delivery on Feb 13, 2018, and with a vengeance Bolt met the winter of north central Minnesota, including driving in temperatures as low as -14F and heavy snow, Performance was excellent. Now 3800 miles later and finally with the arrival of Spring, the Bolt retains its excellence. We live in a rural area and local driving involves round trips to towns and small cities within a 150 mile range. The major reason we picked the Bolt was that we believed, hoped for, the Bolt would meet 100% of our local driving requirements, even in winter. That means at least 150 mile range in very cold, snowy weather, with comfortable security range remaining - the Bolt met this goal. And finally in April with temperature warm-up and disappearance of snow, combined with reasonable driving habits, the Bolt already has provided a range well beyond its rated 238 miles, reaching close to 300 miles. The biggest learning curve was locating and using the various push buttons and controls, headlights, radio, heating/AC fan system, etc. We have been Toyota owners since the early 1980's, and many of the controls are in different places. But, even at my mature age of 71, I have mastered the controls, and I now have found them to be nearly intuitive. One hangup is the cruise control. Nearly every time I engage it initially or reengage, I have to look to find the button. I doubt I will ever find this control to be intuitive to the point of not having to take my eyes off the road. As for driving, acceleration from a stop is better than great, acceleration to pass at highway speed is great. This car really goes. The suspension provides a comfortable ride with very little sway on curves, the seats are comfortable, visibility is very good, the rear view camera screen is really good, the blind space alerts on the outside mirrors are very welcome and safety important, the headlights are the best I've ever had on a car, and all-in-all, I have no complaints about the Bolt. I love to drive this car, no gas or oil change expense, and the only maintenance so far is adding some air to the tires to keep them at 40 psi and filling the washer tank. Although the tires are self-sealing, I did get a lug wrench and jack, with a donut tire I already had, to change a flat, just in case. I bought through the dealer, at a price to match competition, a Level 2 - 240V/32A charger to charge the Bolt at home, and set the charger to complete the charge by 4:00 am so that the Bolt is always ready for an early start day. I have used public DC fast chargers three times just to make sure I know how to use them, in the event the Bolt will take us on a longer journey. In a couple of words, yes, I would buy a Bolt again, unless the next Chevy EV, perhaps a Jolt, has a much longer range with towing capacity.
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Chevy Bolt Never Seems to Disappoint
Doug, 08/18/2017
updated 08/27/2018
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
My second car is a Nissan Leaf. We bought the Bolt for its long range. It does exactly what it claims and more. One pedal driving is best way to greatly exceed the 238 EPA rated mileage, I routinely see 263 to 283 miles range. The Bolt is a joy to drive. Drive home from work, plug in, if needed or wanted, and next morning you have a full "tank." No more engine tune-ups or need to replace oil, filters, belts, coolant, transmission oil, and on and on. One pedal braking means virtually no wear or tear on brakes. Love this car.
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Stuck on the freeway!
Daniel Baron, 01/08/2019
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
17 of 18 people found this review helpful
Chevrolet Bolt 2017 with about 55% of battery charge briefly displayed a message “propulsion may be reduced” and a few minutes later it stopped in the middle of the freeway and had to be towed away. The battery indicator switched momentarily from 125 miles to 40 miles and then immediately to 10 miles and the car could not be shifted to Drive, displaying message “Condition not correct to shift.” Beware, as glitch like that with Bolt can really endanger your life, as it endangered mine. I was fortunate to be alone in the car without my family, stuck on the freeway after dark as cars around going full speed. It took dealership a week to replace the battery, but after the replacement the capacity at full charge shows only 154 miles in lieu of over 220 miles Bolt supposed to have.
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MY BOLT
ronald scarlett, 07/21/2017
updated 07/24/2019
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
Gm should include the DC fast charging which I did not get. If that was included, they would have a five star car. Instead of an option for $750 that most buyers don't understand, myself included, it should be in the base price. I was told where I purchased that no one would have a DC fast charger, so I was surprised when I went to a Chevrolet dealer in Cumberland MD. and they had one that was just installed a week before, and accessible from outside . They also had (no one new about ) a level 2 installed inside the garage that the public can't get to unless they are open, which defeats the purpose of customer service. I'm happy with the mileage, you do get less than 238 miles but I drove with AC and radio on and 70 to 80 miles an hour and a lot of mountain roads.
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Our Bolt EV is an excellent car!
Mike, 09/29/2017
updated 10/05/2018
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
I compared this to the upcoming Tesla 3, and decided to buy the Chevy. One reason was the hatchback and folding rear seats in the Bolt are so versatile, versus the trunk opening in the Tesla. We don't like being restricted in what we can carry. The second reason was that the range is at least as good as the comparably-priced Tesla. The Bolt is on dealer lots now, and I didn't want to wait to go electric. The Supercharger network isn't free for Model 3 vehicles to recharge, so that's identical. I prefer some knobs on my dashboard rather than a touchscreen for frequent adjustments like temperature, and the Bolt has those. Great visibility and 360° cameras, level-2 active safety devices for braking and lane departure, and a very normal driving feel getting on the freeway and driving around town all contributed to my decision. We are really enjoying this car. Going electric and charging at night, we're paying about 3.5¢/mile. My old gas guzzler was costing me over 18¢/mile, not including oil changes. Electric cars are expensive, but we got a $7500 federal tax credit, $2500 CA rebate, $450 So Cal Edison rebate, and carpool lane stickers. It's really nice not having to get gas every week. We're saving $150/month, just by plugging in our car, like a cell phone! I'm an Engineer, and have worked in car plants. This vehicle is engineered really well, and if I had to suggest any improvements, the seat side bolsters could be wider or softer. Also, I'd like to see the steering ratio tighten up when you push the Sport mode button. The drive selector took me a bit to get used to after driving regular cars for so many years. But I understand why they chose the way it works. They want selecting Reverse to be a deliberate action, not accidental. I'm fine with that. No need to have reservations about whether this car is good enough. It really is. Just go get one. Update 6 months later - No changes. Update after 1 year of ownership - No changes. We put on 18,000 miles our first year. Rotated the tires at their included service visit.
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Best EV in it's Class
Laura Aleana, 06/14/2018
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
Best EV I've ever driven! Impressive battery, the top range I got was 328 in the summer. Handles and drives like a dream. The ride is smooth, quiet and agile with great center of gravity that hugs the road. Theres a lot of body roll but, if you drive in Low mode it eliminates all of that. It costs me about $22/month to charge. No other maintenance costs besides maybe needing new tires in a few years. There's three ways of braking and they all help regenerate the battery. This car is amazing. Once you go EV Bolt you will never go back!!!
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Fantastic car, but ...
A. Knies, 05/14/2017
updated 05/18/2020
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
34 of 38 people found this review helpful
Update: The Bolt has performed very well and all the original review still holds (Good and Bad). However, since then, we have added a Tesla Model 3 to our home and the comparison between the cars is not flattering for the Chevy. In pretty much every area except quality of paint, the Tesla is a FAR superior car -- charging, acceleration, quality of ride, interior space, range, driving experience, and of course, the many driver assistance features provided by the Tesla. While I am satisfied with the Bolt purchase, I would never chose a Chevy over a Tesla based on our daily experience. A good comparison would be between using an old flip phone and an iPhone -- If Chevy doesn't adapt, it will end up where Nokia ended up in the phone space. Original post: I really like the car... it is super-well-engineered, quiet, quick, and has really well-designed instruments. A lot of people on other sites have complained about the seats, and I do find them much narrower than usual, but (for me) comfortable and really hold you well. In every little part of the car, there are some really great features (I really like the birds-eye camera view when parking, I think the one-pedal driving is addictive, and the interior room is amazing). The first scheduled maintenance is 150,000 miles -- just wiper-blades and tires for years to come. My complaints are with GM -- they seem trapped in the past. 1) I have tried for weeks to get an answer to a technical question about the power system (so I can install an inverter at the battery) by sending them requests via social media (on chevrolet.com as well as posting a question on an owners' forum which Chevy monitors/replies). In neither place has GM even acknowledged the question. This is frustratingly poor customer service and shows a lack of understanding what consumers expect on social media. 2) OnStar -- a great service, but ridiculously expensive. That's fine, but in order to try to get you to sign up, they take basic things that other modern cars provide for free (specifically, vehicle location from your smartphone) and only provide it with a paid OnStar subscription (my Ford Focus and Kia Soul both provided this for free). For the near future, they have a lock on decently priced, great electric cars.... the next time I am in the market, they'll have to compete on service too. My 5-star rating above is clearly based on the vehicle, not the way GM is managing the 'intangibles' of post-purchase ownership in the 21st century.
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My Bolt is a Babe!
Laura Reinschmidt, 06/01/2018
updated 06/08/2020
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
Absolutely love this car. It's MUCH roomier than it looked in the video. My husband is a well-built 6 foot tall man. He has plenty of head and elbow room. We are in love with this car! Plan to keep it forever. I have been asked to update my review. We have now owned the Bolt for nearly 2 years. Love it just as much if not more than when I got it. We have NEVER even come close to running out of charge on the battery. And the winter of 2019 was BRUTAL in our area. I STILL plan on keeping it forever! Interior and exterior still look brand new.
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Wave of the future (almost)
Bobola, 07/15/2017
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
I want my next car to be all electric. As the tesla 3 will not be availabe for a few years due to being all sold out, I decided to try the Chevy Bolt as a possibility. After reading all the reviews on the Bolt, I headed to my local dealer to test drive one. This car is amazing. Great little design, nice electronics, lotsa pep, and terrible seats! Alas, the rumours are true. The seats have very little padding and are so narrow that the upper back part of the seat actually hit me in the shoulder blades. Very uncomfortable. Other than the seats, the drive was wonderful and a lot of fun. This car could've been great, but with the front seats as they are, wait for version II, or whichever version replaces those horrible seats!
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Chevy Bolt is fun and easy
M Griffin, 06/14/2018
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
This is a great compact commuter car. The ride is comfortable and the controls are intuitive. It feels awesome to never have to stop for gas or change the oil. With a level two charger, you just plug at night and it is ready for action the next morning. An electric vehicle without sacrifice!
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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)
7 of 7 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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The future is here.
D. P., 09/23/2018
updated 04/29/2025
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
Update 4/28/2025 Now at 117,000 miles on the odometer. No major problems or maintenance yet. However, the steering action is exhibiting some binding on return-to-center. At this point it's only noticeable after a sharp turn. It would be a safety hazard though, if it got worse. Perhaps there will be a recall for that. Update 10/27/2024: Now at 112,800 miles on the odometer. Nothing new to report. Still waiting for maintenance to be required (other than OEM tires which seem to last about 55,000 miles). 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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Milage range Drop
Charles Perry, 02/01/2019
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
11 of 12 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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Mary, Pam And Josh's Game Changing Car!
Idol Hanz, 03/01/2018
updated 03/05/2019
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
First of all, I believe the Bolt EV and GM are fully and unequivically committed to electrification, autonomy and connectivity. The Bolt EV represents a big step foward to mainstreaming electrification for the masses with its performance, features and capabilities.. Why more of these havent sold, is beyond me. Forget the Model 3 or that ugly new Prius! Look at the Model 3's awful interface and ergonomics! The Bolt EV is what you want because it's energy and driving performance delivers. Hardly any maintenance, no nasty oil, gas to service, great safety and insurance ratings, you sit up high with lots of visibility like a SUV, great driver safety and convienece features, great ergonomics with combo hard and soft button controls, quiet. This game changing car is like a space craft. Its multi-materialed skeletal frame looks like a space craft being made, too. It's computers, comm systems, infotainment suite are wonderful and very useful. Its a stealth Tesla! Nobody really notices it parked. Interesting and fun to drive and not just in a novelty way, but in a game changing way. The complaints about seats, glare, steering, wintertime range dont really affect us as the car is used as a commuter car. I selected a Summit White Premier with DCFC. Mine came with black rubber heavy duty floor mats. I dont have a problem with the hard plastic or "Star Wars" stormtrooper looking interior. I performed a complete inspection including all software and operational checks of all systems. Fit and finish, No defects or discrepancies! Again, I love everything! This vehicle and others like it will help get the United States to energy independence . That means more money in consumer's pockets and heftier corporate bottom lines. Win win win. Thanks GM. I really like it and look forward to the electric future! UPDATE : MARCH 2019. We still love this car. Even though it gets parked in urban areas for work or shopping, it never gets dents or really attracts attention. No problems or defects noted on this vehicle. I have inspected it carefully and continually. I went and rotated and balanced the tires yesterday and it was a easy to do (with a computer balancer) Good cross country performance with the Bolt EV and now more DC fast charging stations are opening up on the city to city interstate corridors giving Bolt EV quasi transcontinental capability for the first time. Most of the miles driven is commute and we have a level 2 EVSE at home. Yeah, love it. I even like the seats.
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A Great Electric that is Affordable
Pete M, 09/17/2018
updated 09/22/2022
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
I worked on electric cars when an engineering student in the early 1970s. and have since wondered whether I would ever be able to purchase a practical electric car in my lifetime. Well, now I have! The Bolt has great performance and my mileage/range has been at or above that advertised despite being in a vey hilly part of the country (Western PA). Many reviews have criticized the interior but I think it is fine despite being only the LT trim and my wife thinks it is quite comfortable and attractive. Others who have ridden in the car think it is plenty attractive and comfortable as well. A $60K Cadillac or Mercedes? No, but just fine for good comfortable transportation. Air conditioning on reduces the range about 10%. Have not had to use heat much yet since obtaining this in early April. Reviews I have read suggest about a 1/3 reduction in range on cold winter days. Despite being very environmentally proactive I would never have spent what a Tesla costs. The Bolt is the first reasonably priced, long range (240 mi+) and great performance EV. I had 190K great miles in a Prius over a ten year period. Looking forward to a similar great run with my Bolt. Update 2020-09-18 After almost two and a half years and 25,342 miles my Bolt has been great. No reliability issues at all so far. The vehicle performance remains much more than adequate and I have gotten above advertised mileage from the battery, though with some driving compromises. I owned a Prius before the Bolt and developed some mileage enhancing techniques that I have carried over to the Bolt. The first is that I do not drive over about 58 mph on the highway other than in passing situations. While Bolt has a pretty large battery (my 2018 has the 60 kWh battery), that is sort of scary, i.e., small, when compared to the energy content of a tank of gasoline. I also minimize the use of the heater in colder weather by using the heated seats and steering wheel and that works pretty well. In Pittsburgh where I live you can lose 1/3 of the battery range on a cold winter day if you try to keep it toasty-warm in the car. Using the air conditioner in hot wether can also be a battery drag but less so at a 10-15% reduction. In te last two years there have been an increasing number of public chargers near my home but they are still kind of sparse. This something you may want to check for your area if you are seriously considering a purchase. I have not purchased a Level 2 (240 volt) charger for my home so far but that has occasionally been a limitation for me. I am probably going to purchase one and have it installed in the next couple of months. Overall - A great purchase and very enjoyable to drive. Four and a half yers - still great. I had y. Bolt's main drive battery replaced finally as. part of their recall a small number of battery fires in the fleet of 150,000-ish Bolt's on the road. It is identical to the upgraded battery that all Bolt's since 2019 (or 2020?) have had when new. It has 65 kw-hr as opposed to the original battery's 60 kw-hr. The range increase I have actually gotten is probably close to 20% and I can now rely on almost 300 miles of range if I baby it a little bit on the highway. I have about 45,000 miles on it and it still is operating with perfect reliability (aside from the two all day drop-offs at the dealer for them to address the battery recall. Handles like a dream with he Hal-ton of battery's sitting way down at axle level. My Bolt may not be the sexiest car in the world, but tell me of ANY other EV that for about $33,000 or so can provide you with so much functionality and. so many smiles. I don't think you. can.
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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)
19 of 24 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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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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Great Commuter Car for every day use
Richard_A, 06/05/2019
updated 05/27/2020
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I bought a 2017 Bolt Premier in 2019 that had been returned from a 2 year lease. I've owned it 3 months and it is a perfect car for in-town trips and the occasional longer weekend drive. I had previously leased a Nissan Leaf, but turned it in due to its limited range. My Bolt charges completely overnight on 95 % of the days I use it using the standard electric charger, and I've never even come close to depleting the battery. The regenerative braking mode truly allows one pedal driving and is vastly more effective at recharging than the Leaf. It can extend the city driving range a lot. Where the Bolt suffers most is its highway range. Driving at 60 - 65 just drains the charge relentlessly, and that coupled with the spotty charging infrastructure along highways makes me leery of trying a long road trip, so if that's your thing you might want to think twice, it takes a lot of advance planning. Running the heater or A/C will add to the drain on the battery reducing the range some more. Also, don't even think about towing a camper or boat with the Bolt, it probably ain't gonna work. For most people, the Bolt is perfect for 90 % of your driving needs, but I also own a conventional car for the occasions where the Bolt isn't a realistic option.
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My Bolt review
Adam B, 01/17/2018
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Overall the car is a great value for someone looking to go EV without spending 40k or more. You can get one of these fully loaded with the EV tax credit for around $30k. If you are expecting this vehicle to be a super high end car similar to a Tesla or Lexus, you will be disappointed. Chevy spent time and effort making the car very practical and cost effective as opposed to using high end interior components. The goods: one pedal driving, the “birds eye view” while backing up, storage, and interior room. The low points are the narrow seats which aren’t that bad although I’m fairly thin, the stiff suspension, and the highway range. I feel like the 238 miles GM says the car gets per charge assumes stop and go driving with regen braking. On the highway cruising at 65 mph with temps around 30 deg F and no climate control, I’m averaging about 150 miles. Maybe that will change when the temperature warms but I was expecting closer to 200 available miles. In conclusion, excellent car and the best value vehicle for those of us that don’t have $50k plus. Recommend buying one earlier rather then later to take advantage of the $7500 EV tax credit which in my opinion, makes this car a way better value than a model 3. Not necessarily a better car but a better value since you won’t get that tax credit if you ordered a model 3 at this point.
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My Bolt is the best car I've ever owned
The_Q, 02/14/2019
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
You're going to hear things about EVs like "the range goes down in Winter" or "those cars aren't any cleaner" or "it's like driving a golf cart." Some of these are true (due to the chemistry of a li-ion battery, your range goes down in the winter, but the car still performs fine, heats up fine, and drives great in bad conditions). Some of them are not (the Bolt is practically neck-and-neck with a Golf GTI in autocross, so it's a lot of fun, and recent studies show that, when taking into consideration fuel production, EVs are cleaner EVERYWHERE in the USA). My advice is this: go drive one. The instant torque is a blast, and the Bolt gives you something you can't find elsewhere easily: a car that is quick, fun to drive, and actually economical. The sticker price is high for a car this size, but when you factor in the lack of maintenance (electric motors have very few moving parts, and my first scheduled maintenance is to CHECK my battery fluid at 45,000 miles), and the lower cost to "fuel" the car, the math works out to be pretty great.
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EV that does it all
Gary Aulfinger, 07/07/2018
updated 07/10/2019
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
EVs are always smother, quieter, more responsive, and more reliable. The Bolt EV is also open and upright - spacious and friendly inside, practical for family drives and fetching cargo. It is the most affordable model with the kind of range that makes long distance drives possible, even where charing infrastructure isn't built up yet. With a little planning, I have been able to do 690 miles with an overnight stay.
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Test drive of a Bolt EV
John, 12/05/2017
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
There has been a lot of hype on EVs lately and my Tesla 3 which is on order seems like it may never come. So last week I went out and test drove a Chevy Bolt. The Bolt model I tested listed for $42,000 and had leather seats and a moderate amount of specials. The exterior is relatively attractive hatchback--it may not please everyone but is way above a Prius in my opinion. The drive is fantastic. Very peppy, superior torque and acceleration with a range of 238 miles on one charge. This car drives like a sports car. I had fun on the test and was very pleasantly impressed. The drive is a wow! As an added bonus, the driver sits very high akin to a SUV which also enhanced the driving experience. Unfortunately, the interior is a C+. Thin seats, only manual seat adjustment available, hard plastic on the dashboard, etc.. Once again, some bean counter at GM to save a few bucks turned a fantastic car into a debate about whether I would spend 42K on a car with a econobox interior. Had the interior been as good as the drive I would have bought the vehicle on the spot. As it was, I walked away very impressed but thinking I needed to either wait for the Tesla to show up maybe next year or for Chevy to get their act together and buff up the interior of the Bolt.
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First Electric Car
Neil, 01/08/2018
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This car is so much fun that we fight over who gets to drive. Nevertheless, it is not a fancy car. The seat padding is a bit thin, and depending on your build the seats are a little narrow. All of this is to keep the weight down. That said, it goes like stink and is a blast to drive around. I’ve especially enjoyed the “one pedal driving“ feature, which allows you to reclaim energy when you take your foot off the “gas” pedal. It’s quite spacious inside, and storage behind the rear seats is pretty generous even before you fold the seats down. The greenhouse is a enormous and visibility is excellent. The upside of the large batteries is the terrific range. The downside of large batteries is the amount of time it takes to charge them. You have to have a 220 V charger, it comes with a standard 115 V charger, but it will take about a day and a half to charge from empty. With the 220 V charger, you can plug it in at night and be ready to go in the morning with a full “tank“. As a commuter car, we are charging the car about once a week. Obviously electricity cost money, but it’s definitely less than gas. The car is great around town, and the range gives you plenty of confidence. If you’re going to take a long road trip, you had better plan carefully, this car does not work with Tesla chargers and compatible chargers are few and far between on the certain major highways, even in Southern California.
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My Bolt d' Rojo: Best electric I've owned!
Sam W., 02/11/2018
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Previously drove a 2012 Volt, then a 2015 MB B-class. The Bolt absolutely blows by these in many ways. Obviously the range is awesome, but the driving experience has totally exceeded my expectations. The most common complaint about the car is the front seats. I am 6 ft, 200lb. and I find the seats very comfortable. They are designed more like a sports seat, so if you're not used to that snug feeling, you might not like them. My first impression driving the car was the well-tuned suspension. It absorbs irregularities very well yet provides excellent road feel. It is not a sports car suspension, but it does strike a great balance of comfort and handling. The absolute best feature of the car is one-pedal driving. Put in L and Sport mode and you'll feel like you're driving a Ferrari in Chevy sheet metal. It can give a burst of acceleration from a stop or at speed that will amaze. The acceleration combined with the variable assist steering is something you need to be aware of...make sure both hands are on the wheel when making quick maneuvers. The regen in L mode will allow you to do true one-pedal driving. It will not crawl when stopped. I have driven back and forth to work in LA traffic (20 miles each way) and not have to touch the brake pedal! It will take some practice, but it's a more fun and relaxing way to drive. My only problem with the car is that my GE Wattstation(30 amp, 7.2kw) does not work with this car. All the new chargers are 32 amp, 7.7kw rated. Fortunately in LA there are many charging stations.
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Electric is no Trick!
Alan Melamed, 01/11/2019
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I purchased the 2018 Bolt after my beloved 2011 Chevrolet Volt that I owned for 7 years and drove for 160k miles was totaled. After doing quite a bit of research, I decided that going fully electric was right for me and with the range of the Bolt, I'd be OK with range given my normal commute and any local travelling. I've had the car for 7 months, and have driven it for about 5000 miles. So far, so good on the range of the vehicle, but I have noted that as the temperature outside falls...battery range decreases, but I knew about that and expected that because I owned a Volt for as long as I did. Insofar as performance, it runs wonderfully with no issues. Acceleration is spirited as always and the regen braking is top notch. I typically run the car all the time in "L" mode where the regen braking is strongest and I'm pleased in the cars ability to stop on its own without my having to touch the brake. Note that in order for the car to fully stop on its own, the driver's seat belt MUST be fastened. If it isn't, the regen braking takes the car down to 2 mph and will keep going. Given the amount of electronics in the car, I have noted on a couple of occasions that the car seems to get confused...for example, the backup camera stays on after I shift out of reverse...but it typically fixes itself after a few minutes. The part I really like is the cost of running the car...with little to no maintenance required and running a vehicle that is powered by clean electricity (I have 24 solar panels on my roof), my annual costs are very small compared to ICE vehicles. All in all, I am definitely pleased with the car and while I miss my Volt and the navigation system I used to have, the Bolt offers enough to overcome its deficiencies very nicely. We just need more infrastructure to better support these cars and soon we will all be "going electric"
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A Bolt from heaven
J. Lamar Freed, 10/02/2017
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This little EV seems to expand as you enter. Put your foot on the brake, release the parking brake and punch the big blue button and you're good to go. It's a pocket rocket, and no lag on acceleration! There's a slight learning curve in the first week, but YouTube videos explain all. My only complaint is the size of the seats. Another inch or two would have been nice. Others have complained about the lack of wood and leather. It's no big thing when you offset it with generous back seats and the most efficient instrument layout of the EV's I drove.
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A perfect car
Steve, 05/30/2018
updated 11/30/2018
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Amazing acceleration, no gas required, no tune ups, holds lots of stuff, way fun to drive!
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great car for commuting
BennyZ, 07/25/2020
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
2017 Bolt EV Premier...currently has 63,250 miles. Drive to work everyday about 25,000 miles/year. Doing 85 MPH with no hesitation. Plenty of power to go up hill, really does not matter if you drive 65 mph or 85 mph...I get the same mileage. I think the battery is starting to get old..only charge up to 155 miles now (not 200 miles when its new..) I give 1-star short of 5-star because it feel cheap interior..the seat is all manual, the dashboard look cheap especially you have to hookup to your phone for driving maps/directions.
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GM what are you thinking???
Bruce M., 03/25/2017
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
23 of 35 people found this review helpful
I used to own a Gen1 Volt which I loved and now I love my i3, but I want the range of the Bolt and the better drive and infotainment. Really want to buy this car after my lease is up in my BMW i3. I love the what Chevy has pulled off with most of this car. Better acceleration and ride than the i3. But the number one with a bullet deal killer is the seats! What did you do GM? I am 6'3" and 225 pounds. So I'm big and a bit wider than a skinny type person, but I know there are a lot more people in the U.S. wider and heavier than me. And this is by far the most uncomfortable seat I have ever been in . First off the seat is to narrow so the side bolsters push in noticeably on your sides in not a good way. And the seat cushion has a decent amount of "give" to it which I like better than the BMW seats which are a bit to firm. But the bottom of the seat cushion is so thin to the frame that I can just about feel the frame and if that foam breaks down a bit or god forbid I gain 10 pounds, I'll be hitting it. Who the "f" designed and approved this seat!!! Someone in China who is 5'6" and 125 pounds??? I would expect this from a korean or japanese car but my 2016 japanese built mazda CX5 has nice deep and wide seats. And comparably, the BMW i3 has nice wide seats with very minimal side bolstering. At first I thought they were to "flat" but let me tell you they are quite comformatble. So did Chevy try to save money with a cheap crap seat or was it to make something super thin and light to save weight? I'd rather loose 10 miles of range and have a comfortable seat no question. Also the use of almost all hard plastics on the interior really looks cheap and bad. Really some soft plastics will not only look better but make the car even quieter. Again if this is a "weight reduction" issue it was a bad call. Comfort and looks go a long way in selling a $43,000 loaded car. Add an upgraded interior if you must but make it look nicer. Also the low speed braking needs to be a bit stronger for one foot driving like the bmw which is the perfect amount... and NO I don't want to use the little steering wheel buttons and my fingers every time I want to bring the car to a stop. One foot driving in the city is a miracle and once you get the hang of it you can't go back to a standard drive car, so make it perfect. Also I have no way of testing this but I hope the brake lights come on when you do use regen braking with the car in low. My old volt did not do this but the BMW does. Also this car needs adaptive cruise control that goes down to low speed or to a stop and then starts moving again like the BMW and many other cars now have. Even other GM cars have this so I don't know why Chevy didnt go all the way with this option since they are charging more. Hopefully this will appear in next years model. This car could have been a "10" and a home run if just these two items were done correctly. I pray that GM reads these things as I am not the only one to complain about the seats. I do hope that for the 2018 model they quickly improve these and then when my lease is up I will get one for sure. Everything else about the car I loved. But the seats are truly a deal killer for me. Please, GM! Fix this.
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Fun to drive but unreliable and unrepairable.
Stuart Francis, 03/28/2018
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
10 of 16 people found this review helpful
It has an odd mix of premium and basic features. It does not have an adaptive cruise option. There is an excuse about having to change the braking system to add it but it seems like this was more of a cost saving option (on a 40k+ car). It only has resistive cabin heating. The good news is that it warms up fast, you get heat sooner than most gas engine cars. The bad news is that it can come close to cutting the range in half in cold weather. It’s fine for me since my commute is only about 10 miles but you need to factor that plus aging of the battery into your commute range. It does not have a navigation system option but It has Android auto and CarPlay both of which work OK for navigation. I kind of prefer this as there are no map updates to deal with. Also, this is a city car so it will mostly be driven in areas with cell coverage. Some interior design decisions were poor. The center touch screen can be partly obscured and difficult to reach for smaller drivers. A lot of space on the center console was wasted for the ‘shift lever’ which is a rather pointless item in an electric car. It seems like it could have been placed better or replace by buttons or some such. It even has an odd redundancy of having a shift to park button on a lever that can also be shifted to park. The cup holders are too close together as a result of using up space for the shifter. The cargo storage is in three ‘layers’ making it clumsy to get to the lower deck items. The car also does not come with or offer a spare tire which wouldn’t be so bad if OnStar would actually pick up when you have a problem. It didn’t work well for me. The Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Following Distance Indicator, and Front Pedestrian Braking features appear to be pointless. Lane keep assist does no adaptive steering or bump you back toward the lane, it just shows an icon on the screen if it thinks you are out of your lane which is the case almost everywhere (our road markings in town are bad). The following distance indicator show the number of seconds to the car in front of you but only when you are already too close at highway speeds. The pedestrian braking feature just shows an icon of a person when it sees someone on the side of the road. It didn’t see one that walked right out in front of the card. It also fails to actually brake. The sad part is that mine died after only 2200 miles and the dealer has been unable to diagnose the problem in close to a month. Apparently trouble logging and technical support are just not up to the task on this car yet. Maybe this will be a viable car in the future but for now I would avoid at all cost. There seem to be a number of online reports of similar issues.
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Lovable, yet not as only car for 2 of us in Maine
Mostly Happy in Maine, 01/20/2022
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Zippy and grippy, it is fun to drive, quiet and solid feeling, surprising leg room in the back seat for short wheelbase. The ride is a bit stiff and jerky, though not off-putting for me or wife. Hasn't needed snow tires on snow-packed Maine mountain roads, but minimal fast-charging availability in Maine so far makes for ANXIETY. Winter cold and using heat drains the charge noticeably faster, as does using the A/C. We barely got through Boston traffic/summer heat to visit daughter in Providence last summer. We hope to get by on one car (since wife's Prius was totaled for extensive rodent nesting damage due to lack of use in these Covid times) and are looking to trade it for plug-in hybrid. We are under "recall" status with a lowered charge capacity, 150 miles vs. 240 miles normally, and awaiting the new battery, which will/would help some with the ANXIETY as will increasing infrastructure for charging.
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Previous SUV owner
Julie G, 11/12/2017
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I love this car! It is fun it is zippy. My last car was a Ford Explorer sport. So far I find this car more comfortable than any vehicle i have owned. It is more fun to drive. And basically I am the happiest person to never go to a gas station again
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New Bolt--Love it! Updated at 50k and 130k!
PB, 12/31/2017
updated 01/09/2023
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Now 130k update-the Bolt continues to amaze. This is the best car I have ever owned by far. Essentially zero maintenance costs, except for tires and wiper blades, and, at 130k, it drives as brand new. It is silent-no rattles, noises. The infotainment and instrument clusters continue to feel ahead of their time, even at 6 years old. I want to drive this to 300k and beyond. Relative to other EVs and with restored federal incentives, the Bolt offers a reasonable point of entry to EV ownership--when I bought mine I had federal and state incentives. Also, you can buy through Costco Auto Program and save more money. 50000 mile update-car is perfect. Love it more every day. Zero problems. It is the best! More people should drive these to save money and time. This car is amazing. With no more range anxiety, it makes driving an electric vehicle in a rural setting an easy reality. There are so many fantastic features on this car including active safety, heated seats and steering wheel and so many others. When I drive the Bolt, I feel like I am driving millions of dollars of R&D--because I am!! And it is awesome. It is also just plain fun!! We love this car. We have had the car more than one year, have driven 24000 miles with ZERO problems. The car looks, feels, and drives as if brand new. I would buy this car again and again. It is the best I have ever owned.
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Back to the Future
Mic T, 01/02/2018
updated 01/03/2019
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
The car is amazing! First I’d like to say to new owners, use the instrumentation screen to select Immediate Charging and 12 Amps. Took me 3 days to figure out this is the way to charge the car. Everything with this car from ride quality, acceleration, features is perfect. The car has sport mode and traction stability controls. I have beat mustangs and several 300 horse power cars off the line with my bolt. Instant transmission of power to the wheels. When the car slows down and brakes, it recieves energy in the form of miles back on the car. I have been able to drive several miles without Losing charge because of Regeneration. The driver and passenger seats heat up so I don’t need to blast the heater in this winter temperatures. I’m never going back to gasoline again. If you research google, there is probably a fast charging station near your home as there are 8 vehicle charging stations in my small town.
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No Gas, No Maintence
Joe Bolt, 11/30/2019
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This car is amazing. Never need to stop for gas, comes with plenty of electronics that you’d normally only see on luxury cars, surprisingly quick and the cabin is roomy for a family of four. Only drawbacks are a relatively small trunk and could-be-more comfortable seats, though you get used used to them pretty quick. And here in CA, HOV access is an amazing plus!
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Great Car; Horrible Seats
Mike, 09/10/2017
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I have absolutely no idea what Chevrolet was thinking when they designed the seats on this car. I have had the car a month now; the the seats seem to be getting even more uncomfortable as time goes by. Did they not get anybody that is taller 5' 6" and weighing more than 125 pounds ride in this car to give them feedback before they went into production. Other than the seats, the car is worth 5 stars.
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I (still) love it even more than I did at first!
Abbey, 01/29/2018
updated 08/06/2019
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
5/6/19 update: I still love it! I still just charge it in my garage (110) for all local driving. For distance, now, in addition to EVgo mentioned below, I ask check ChargePoint, PlugShare and Greenlots and plot my route allowing for charging about every 200 miles to be on the safe side and optimize stopping (and stretch breaks) time. Over 2 weeks recently, I drove from southeast VA to Atlantic City, then to Philadelphia, then Hoboken, NJ. Then on to Baltimore area and back home, visiting family. Found enough DC fast-charge stations to use without having to wait. A.C. uses more electricity like heater does... it's the blower, I'm told, that eats up charge. Traffic jams are good, actually, as you recharge, so I sometimes avoid GPS suggested detours! But truth to tell, now that I'm mid-60's and drive solo, I just booked my next trip to Hoboken to fly via EWR for $200. to save the driving time, mostly, & tolls. Did I say I still love my Bolt? You betcha! Note considering what I paid for it: got the Fed. $7500 tax credit, which made the price right for me. Maybe one day soon VA will start giving EV incentives. Initial review: Fast-charge (9 hr) rigging is NOT included. Dealers misled me about this, perhaps thru ignorance. I suggest reading the manual before purchasing (not offered!). Use mobile app to locate dc (direct current) fast-charging stations (not available for homes) before planning long trips. EV-GO works and is reliable. I am, however, quite satisfied just charging it with a 110 v regular outlet already in my garage. Charges only 4 miles/he so plan ahead. I keep it at least over 1/2 charged. 'Regen' paddle decelerates car quickly with some g-force effect so I don't use it. Now I always drive in low gear mode for best mileage. COLD TEMPS MARKEDLY REDUCE MILEAGE ESP WHEN USING HEATER so plan accordingly.Handled great on snowy/icy roads but it is lower riding than my 10 yr old RAV-4, which I just sold since I'm very comfortable with my Bolt now,
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Best deal EV
Stanislav Jaracz, 09/24/2017
updated 09/30/2024
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This vehicle is absolutely amazing. As a first tier EV adopter, I can live with 100 mile range EV. So, the rated 238 mile range is totally luxurious for me. Five years of reliable use, battery was upgraded under a recall. The range is where it has never been. Formally 259 miles EPA. FYI, 190 miles at 70MPH in February (Moloughney test), 320+ under normal conditions in Summer. Chevy Bolt is now the best deal used EV. It has tons of power. The L drive mode is very comfortable as it brings the car to full stop smoothly, no jerking. Steering wheel heater does not overheat. Rear floor is flat all the way. Connectivity to smart phones is great for future proofing. Pros: Power, range, price-to-value, rear seats room, reliability, safety Cons: Front seats are too narrow for this model year. Cornering. 55kW max charging, base model lacks DC charge port (optional). no OTA updates update 9/29/2024: The vehicle is now compatible with Tesla Supercharger network with adapter. It can be equipped with aftermarket kit for autonomous driving. Efficiency: June 5.1 MPK, January 3.6 MPK
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