2011 Chevy Volt Review
Price Estimate: $2,263 - $3,533





+27
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Low monthly fuel cost in normal driving
- useful 300-mile maximum range
- appealing standard features
- high-tech cabin.
Cons
- Questionable value
- small backseat for two people only
- touchy brakes
- no power front seats
- home charger is a necessity.
What’s new
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt is Chevy's much-anticipated new plug-in battery/gasoline hybrid, featuring an electric-only mode with a range of up to 40 miles.
Edmunds says
The 2011 Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid is arguably the most fuel-efficient car on the market, but it's pricey for what you get.
For sale near West Lafayette, IN
16 listings
- $5,000fair price$611 below market
- 195,168 miles
- No accidents, 3 owners, personal use only
- 35 City / 40 Hwy MPG
- Law Auto Sales (226 mi away)
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- USB Inputs
Close
Located in Wayne, MI
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
37 Combined MPG (35 City/40 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 1G1RD6E49BU102248
Stock: 35184
Certified Pre-Owned: No - $4,999good price$1,669 below market
- 130,043 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, personal use only
- 35 City / 40 Hwy MPG
- Lion Motors (623 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
Close
Located in Norfolk, VA
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
37 Combined MPG (35 City/40 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 1G1RD6E43BU102973
Stock: 102973
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 10-12-2023
Vehicle overview
So what exactly is the 2011 Chevrolet Volt? It's a question we get all the time. A confusing array of claims and rumors have been swirling around this car since it debuted as a concept a few years back, so we're not surprised that people aren't clear on what the Volt is all about.
Here's the long and short of it: The Volt is a four-seat, four-door "series-parallel plug-in hybrid" hatchback with a lithium-ion battery pack that can power the car's 149-horsepower (111-kilowatt) electric motor by itself for an estimated 40 miles in the city. After that, the gasoline-powered inline-4 engine primarily supplies electricity to the motor for as many as 300 additional miles. All told, the Volt is the most advanced hybrid to date and quite possibly the most fuel-efficient car you will be able to buy.
We say "quite possibly" because you can't measure the Volt's fuel economy in any standard fashion. It all depends on how you drive. Suppose you have a 20-mile round-trip commute, and you plug in your Volt every night when you get home (a full charge requires as few as 3 hours). Congratulations! Your fuel economy is infinity, because you'll never run the battery pack down all the way. But if you have a 100-mile commute, you'll be driving at least 60 miles a day under gasoline power, so you'll have to refuel on a regular basis. And in an Edmunds fuel economy test of a Volt with its battery depleted, the car returned only 31.4 mpg in mixed driving. That's far below the typical fuel economy provided by regular hybrid vehicles.
Obviously, how far you routinely drive will play a key role in how thrifty the Volt will be. We think most potential owners will be able to take advantage of its electric range. And electricity costs for recharging are but a fraction for the equivalent amount of gasoline. What's not clear is whether those savings are worth what you'll have to pay at the dealership. Even with a $7,500 federal tax credit, a base Volt will still cost $33,500 -- and that's without the home charging station that's essentially mandatory for a plug-in hybrid like the Volt. There's also a strong likelihood that dealers will try to gouge early customers with sky-high markups.
Still, there is no denying the Volt's technological promise. Most importantly, it has the ability to keep on going when its battery runs down (say, on a road trip), whereas an all-electric vehicle like 2011 Nissan's Leaf does not. If you want an intriguing yet practical taste of a greener automotive future, the 2011 Chevy Volt might be just what the General ordered.
Performance & mpg
The front-wheel-drive 2011 Volt is primarily powered by an electric motor rated at 149 hp (111 kilowatts) and 273 pound-feet of torque. This motor draws power from a lithium-ion battery pack until the battery charge is 70 percent depleted. At that point, the Volt's 1.4-liter four-cylinder internal combustion engine, which requires premium fuel, comes to life as a replacement power source for the electric motor. Under certain higher-speed conditions, the four-cylinder can also help power the wheels directly.
The battery can only be completely recharged through either a 120- or 240-volt outlet, but regenerative braking and the engine generator can replenish it slightly. In Edmunds range and fuel economy testing, we found the Volt had an electricity range of between 30 and 39 miles in mixed driving. When the battery is depleted, it returned 31.4 mpg. However, the term "your mileage may vary" has never been so true.
In Edmunds performance testing, the Volt went from zero to 60 mph in 9.2 seconds in electric mode and 9 seconds flat with the engine generator. Both are fairly quick times for the traditional hybrid segment.
Safety
Safety features on the 2011 Chevy Volt include antilock brakes, stability control, front side airbags, front knee airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. In Edmunds brake testing, the Volt came to a stop in a respectable 124 feet.
Driving
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt accelerates quickly from a standstill and is very responsive at moderate speeds as well; it's the kind of performance that's typical of electric vehicles.
In all-electric mode, the Volt is as quiet and smooth as any EV we've driven -- and it's still a competent vehicle when the engine-generator kicks in. The change-over from battery charge to generator power can be difficult to notice, though once you inevitably do, it may take a while to get used to the engine revving regardless of engine speed.
The Chevy Volt feels slightly nose-heavy when you bend it around a corner, but it makes its moves with little body roll. Indeed, from the compliance of its ride quality to the weight and response of the steering, this Chevy Volt drives more naturally and feels more substantial than hybrids like the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. One problem area is the brake pedal. It is quite touchy and can be difficult to modulate, though stopping distances are good.
Interior
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt's distinctive center stack appears to have been modeled after various personal electronic devices with touch-sensitive buttons. It looks less like an automotive control panel than an oversized iPod, which we applaud; after all, if you're spending this much money on a vehicle, you'll likely expect a little something special inside. Overall interior quality is also high, with materials that seem to be the best yet from recently improved Chevrolet.
There's plenty of technology involved, too, including a standard color display with a built-in hard drive. In terms of functionality, the Volt's main controls are fairly intuitive, and the futuristic gauge readout is easy enough to read at a glance (though it washes out in sunlight). There's also a nice little ball -- sort of like the bubble in a water level -- that helps you stay in the most energy-efficient driving range. It's big and green when you are conserving fuel or battery energy and smaller and angry orange-yellow when you're not.
Space and comfort is a little disappointing. There is no power driver seat option, which limits adjustability and seems like an oversight in a car that costs $41,000. In back, there are just two seats, and they lack both headroom and legroom; adults will likely feel cramped.
The Volt's hatchback design is convenient for loading cargo, but the swooping rear roof line and battery pack location limit maximum luggage capacity to just 10.6 cubic feet with the back seats up. The rear seats fold down to expand cargo capacity, but overall practicality is below that of a Prius.
2011 Chevrolet Volt models
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt is a midsize five-door hatchback sedan with seating for four.
Standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, heated mirrors, keyless ignition, remote ignition, automatic climate control, cruise control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, six-way manual front seats, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cloth upholstery, Bluetooth, OnStar, a navigation system with touchscreen, voice controls and real-time traffic, and a six-speaker Bose stereo with CD/DVD player, auxiliary audio jack, iPod/USB interface and 30GB of digital music storage.
The Premium Trim package adds leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated front seats. The Rear Camera and Park Assist package adds a rearview camera and front and rear parking sensors.

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Compare 2011 Chevrolet Volt trim levels
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in Indiana
Not EPA tested for Volt Base
Volt Base
vs
$170/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
4 out of 5 stars4/5Excellent
#6 out of 6 among Alternative Fuel Vehicles
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
$420/yr
vs. $377/yr
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
Frequency
0.76x/yr
vs. 0.52x/yr
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
Severity
10.8%
vs. 8.3%
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
powered by RepairPal
Chevrolet Volt Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
I love my Volt more then my Ferrari...
5 out of 5 starsponsv6, 02/08/2011
2011 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
As an enthusiastic car lover/collector/enthusiast, the Volt is about the coolest car I have ever owned, I have VIN 772.
This thing has exceeded all my expectations in Quality, Styling, Ride, Acceleration, Efficiency. Chose to lease it for $350 a month and will most likely buy it at the end of the lease.
My Lifetime MPG is 137 with a little over a 1k miles driven so far, which includes … two 150 mile trips.
Free Onstar for 5 years with nav downloads and hands-free blue tooth, this car is better then my old E class Mercedes, rides about the same.
Wife and I literally fight over who drives it. It really moves out from a stop light in "Sport Mode" due to the E motors 100% Torque at 0-RPM.
Levitation-like smoothness
4.63 out of 5 starsrevtwist, 02/08/2011
2011 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
I have owned my red Chevrolet Volt for 20 days now. This car is mainly used for my work commute. Although I have taken two 70 mile drives to show the car to family. The odometer reads 990 miles total with just 2.1 gallons of gasoline burned. The Volt is driven by an electric motor all of the time. A small generator is available if travel over 35-40 miles battery is needed. It has been … said that driving the Volt feels like flying. It really does. The low end acceleration is ample. The styling of the Volt rivals that of others cars I have owned. One of these being a 70's era Cobra II. My 19 year old son is thrilled to ride in our electric Volt. Full battery charge is 3.5 hours at 240V.
A Home Run!
4.88 out of 5 starssgc114, 02/10/2011
2011 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
I purchased my Volt and took delivery on December 18, 2010. I've gone about 1500 miles so far and burned about 20 gallons of gas, mostly due to a few long trips [200 miles each]. Even on those trips, my mileage was in the 40-50 mile range. My overall mileage is about 75mpg. But when I was not taking those trips, I could easily drive around town, to work, etc, on the 40 miles or so range, … using all battery and electric drive. There is nothing better than that! The car drives solidly, crisp turning, and more than decent acceleration. The best acceleration is in LOW using SPORT mode. Seats are comfortable, and the fit and finish is quite good.
Meets All Expectations...and more
4.88 out of 5 starstjc79, 02/09/2011
2011 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
Now in my second month and still have not used more than 2 gallons of gas.
The car is surprisingly responsive, feels solid and has had no bugs, defects or annoyances that sometimes accompany new purchases.
My average battery range is about 42 miles, but with the range extending on-board generator, there is no anxiety whatsoever about "getting there" as the range is essentially the same … as a traditional gas powered vehicle.
Moving from my prior Mercedes S 430, I find the Volt to be a remarkably well engineered product.
Clearly someone is paying attention to the quality at the end of the production line.
2011 Volt Highlights
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $40,280 |
---|---|
EV Tax Credits & Rebates | $4,100 |
Engine Type | Plug-in hybrid |
Combined MPGe (Electric + Gas) | 93 MPGe |
Total Charging Time (240V) | 4.0 hours |
Seating | 4 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 10.6 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Volt include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
- Post-collision safety system
NHTSA Overall Rating
5 out of 5 starsThe National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverall4 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverall5 / 5
- Side Barrier RatingOverall5 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront Seat5 / 5Back Seat5 / 5
- RolloverRollover5 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover9.4%
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalGood
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestGood
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintGood
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