Used 2012 Chevrolet Volt Consumer Reviews
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Amazing car
ghendrick456, 11/09/2011
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
This car has continued to amaze me since the day I drove it off the lot. The build quality and solid ride is more like a Lexus or a BMW than a Chevrolet. The drivetrain is a remarkable achievement. In electric mode the car is practically silent. I have been driving the car for over 2,000 miles now and my average MPG is about 144. While some people might gawk at the sticker price... They would be wrong. The high residual value, $7,500 tax break combined with the extremely low lease interest rates result in monthly payments that are lower than my previous Toyota Camry. This car finances at very affordable prices considering the high quality & features. You will also save $7500 on fuel
Can't wait to Drive it
breggers, 05/03/2015
updated 05/05/2016
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
I bought this 2012 model off lease at 17500 mi, and have had it for 1000 miles. So far I have used 6.3 gallons of gas total, that is no exaggeration. I am excited to get in this car and drive it every day. It drives like a dream, completely silent except for the top notch sound system on which I am playing XM jazz. In the Wisconsin spring, when no climate control is needed, I am getting 43 miles on a charge, which easily handles my 24 mile round trip commute. I take care of this thing like it's a Maserati, I always have a microfiber in my hand. I always chuckle at all the Priuses I pass struggling to get 55 mpg, burning gas with every mile. Update 05/16: Still love the car. I've burned a total of 30 gals of fuel and driven 9000 miles. Almost no maintenance costs. Climate control and sound system are awesome. I love this car.
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Seven Years of Ownership
Steve, 02/16/2017
updated 08/29/2022
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
This review is an update from 2017. Purchased my 2012 Chevy Volt April 2012 and now have 108,000 miles. Almost no maintenance costs on the vehicle. Did have fluids replaced and brakes done @100k. Runs great, getting 47mi to the charge (initially 50mi). Translates to about 10% battery pack degradation in 7.4 years. Best auto that I have owned. Too bad Chevy killed it!
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Gas saver
Dale todd, 12/27/2015
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
I bought this 2012 as a leftover on the lot in late 2013. Dealership titled it to save the tax deduction thus making it a used car with 800 miles. I own a pharmacy and we make deliveries for customers. I installed a rapid charger at Rx for about $600.00 and avg 220 mpg. I go months without fueling up. Plug ins are great for the right person and situation. In SC the weather does not impact the charge range as bad as up north. Worst I have had is 38 miles vs 44 in summer. Overall it is a great vehicle so far. No issues other than a recall notice I received and dealership handled. Not even sure what it was it gave me no problem.
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High Praise for Volt
volt_me, 01/08/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I have only had my Volt for a couple weeks so far, but have had a wonderful time driving it and passing the gas station on by. The fit and finish is great. The acceleration is great, seems to do even better than my mustang did because of the instant torque.
sporty luxury & quietest ride I've ever had
Layne A Walker, 03/05/2017
updated 03/07/2018
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I was nervous, at first, to have to do extra research on the new Volt technology, especially in light of little data on expected life span of the massive battery. Lowest maintenance costs ever with significant lower need of oil changes due to 75% of my miles are electric, not run on gasoline engine. It's been 2 months since I last put gas in my 2012. The BEST pick up acceleration of any small car. Has the feel of a more substantial, luxury sedan. I pay about 80¢ per night for 10 kilowatts to recharge; especially nice to save $4 a day when gas was more than that per gallon. GM is committed to including all necessary maintenance of this new technology. My 2012 Volt has far exceeded my hopes & expectations that I ever had. My all-time favorite car, &, I really loved my 2003 Monte Carlo!
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First 1,000 Miles in the Volt
mn_volt, 07/23/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
After test driving pretty much every comparable hybrid, we traded in our Audi TT Roadster for the 2012 Chevy Volt. After the first 1,000 miles, we both love driving this car!! We were hesitant for a couple of reasons: the price tag was much higher than the hybrids we test drove (including the fully loaded versions of the Lexus CT200h, Prius, and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid); and, we were leary of the "technology" differences of this EV/gas car to that of the traditional hybrid. However, we are way beyond any of those potential buyer remorse feelings...this car is fun to drive, performs really well, and we didn't neccessarily give up any major creature comforts from our loaded Audi TT.
Dream Cruise Forever
tgolba, 10/02/2019
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
As a proud owner, the past three years of a Chevy Volt not only myself but my wife's expectations have been far exceeded! She liked mine much she went out and bought a brand new 2019 Volt. About this 2012, the features are stunning I have the premium edition so the leather warming seats are incredibly comfortable, the bose audio sends shockwaves through the car. The technology is unbelievable for 2012, I can start, unlock, and find my car all through MyChevrolet app, the touchscreen is large and easy to use, push-button start, and the options are everywhere in this car, it handles highly responsive, is quite as a mouse, but if you were wanting to have a little fun you can put the car in sport mode. The regular mode gives plenty of acceleration performance as well. The dashboard is all digital and even has a little ball game that you can follow to get the optimized eco-friendly level. Maintenance is practically nonexistent, I've taken mine in for an oil change after 50K miles, many of my friends tell me they go over 5000 miles without ever having to fill up, for me the average has been 1,500 miles because my workplace is 40 miles from home and other various longer drives. This is a fun, comfortable, I really don't believe there is a better value car out there.
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Best car GM has made.
Kaleb, 04/27/2022
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
One of the important things to remember about the Volt is that GM *needed* it to work, if they screwed up the Volt it could've had a serious impact on people's perception of their abilities to build a good electric car in the future. The first generation Volt is super overbuilt & solid, obviously not everything feels the highest quality with some of the plastics, but everything drivetrain wise should be very solid aside from a few lemons. The few issues I've had personally: The drive unit has a very small leak but not enough to drip, my wheel speed sensor failed & required a new hub assembly as well, both front struts had to be replaced, the engine coolant is leaking very slightly somewhere but not horribly. Overall it's pretty "regular" things for a 10+ year old car that lived a harsh life in Toronto before I got it. I've had no issues with my battery, I had the software update recall done which seems to limit the kWh you're able to use probably to make the battery last longer, I can still get about 9.6kWh out of a charge (70+ ish km if you drive efficiently). My gas-only mileage usually varies between 5.2L - 8.0L/100km depending on temperature/driving distance, you can expect really poor fuel economy in the winter if you drive short distances on gas, like around 13L/100km. I also recommend you turn the air recirculation on because exhaust smell tends to get into the cabin while idling thanks to where they put the exhaust pipe under the car. The touch-controls can be hard to get used to & hard to use while driving, but you can figure it out after a while, the stereo sounds pretty good even for the base option, very good higher bass but not a ton of low bass unfortunately. One of the biggest negatives about this car besides only having 4 seats are the OEM headlights, they are absolutely atrocious, the worst headlights I've ever experienced in a modern car, if it rains at night I seriously wish you luck it is so dangerous, you're going to want to immediately upgrade to some LEDs that can be adjusted to have the proper beam pattern, it's really a must. A lot of people still ask what kind of car it is, they say it looks "futuristic," take that with what you will but I've always liked the look of the first gen Volt. I know everyone's main concern is the traction battery & all I can say is it's basically a risk you gotta take, I don't know how long mine will last, you don't know how the car was treated it's whole life & each car is different, so if you really want a Volt I say go for it because it's a fantastic car, just remember that the battery failing *is* a potential possibility, but you could say the same for every hybrid/phev/ev.
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Fantastic car - best I've ever had
dderamus, 03/03/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
7 of 10 people found this review helpful
I just purchased a Volt; great car: great performance, really fun to drive, amazing torque, very high quality build, been running it almost entirely on electricity (like many Americans, radius of my daily driving is not more than 35 miles), the gasoline engine kicks in seamlessely to extend range to 300+ miles (at approx 40 mpg), and easy to recharge at night (at a small fraction of the cost of gasoline). I'm 6'4", 2 kids, and we fit fine. Technology integration very well done - nav, backup camera, etc. all works seamlessly (incl hard drive; dvd player; easy ipod/iphone connect; voice recognition). Electric really does make driving fun again!
Don't buy into the hype...
T. Lewis, 12/06/2015
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
11 of 17 people found this review helpful
I bought this car because my husband is a Prius owner and we have become gas snobs over the last few years. The car was pricey for a Chevy (this is my first American brand car), but with the fuel economy rating (99 mpg is what the tag said), I figured it would pay for itself soon. I live in Cincinnati and bought the car in the summer. The battery gave me about 50 miles per charge and I was filling up once a month. Once the winter hit, the car ran mostly on gas (the engine had to come on to warm the car) and my battery miles were reduced to 28-31 miles per charge and my fill ups were weekly instead of monthly. In short, in the winter months, I am averaging around 40 mpg. I considered trading it in this year (the car is 3 years old with 40k miles) and discovered that the trade in value of the car is @ $12k, which is a considerable depreciation from the $38k price tag 3 years ago. Huge let down.
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Volt = Economical Commuter Entertainment
2012knl, 01/28/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
12 of 21 people found this review helpful
I've owned a 2012 Volt for just over 2 months now and have put 6100 miles on it. I spend a ton of time in the car as I drive approximately 140 miles per day for work. Purchased the car due to the economical benefits and am extremely pleased with many other aspects of the car as well. I've averaged just over 55 MPG total- which is above my expectations. On the weekends- the car is our family transport. With 2 kids- we are constantly coming and going to school events, sports, plays, dance, ect. During the times we're driving around town- we use 0 gas. Costs approx. $1 to charge overnight - that's it. Come home and plug it in. We've saved aprox. $350/month driving this car! Pays for itself!
Everything I expected and more
nyvolt, 01/07/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Not using gas makes me happy. Not being limited by the battery makes the car practical. The car does exactly what GM says it will do.
Free Car
bluevolt, 01/25/2013
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I just bought a volt and am actually being paid to drive it. I put zero down financed at 0%. My payments come to $5,800 a year for six years. I get paid a $9,000 tax credit (live in California). I save $2,000 a year on gas and $500 a year on tolls ($15,000 over six years). So, even if the car loses half of it's value, at the end of six years I own a car worth $17,500 and my out-of-pocket expense came to only $11,000. In other words, I get to drive a car for six years and am essentially paid $6,500 to do so.
Exceeds Expectations
firebirdbandit, 12/21/2011
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I had extremely high expectations for this car and it has exceeded them. I previously drove a Pontiac Firebird Formula V8 350 LT1 engine and the Volt is way more fun to drive. It is very well built, comfortable and drives awesome. Feels like I went into the future. I am trying to find all kinds of excuses to go driving. The car is also a great value. It seems expensive but when you compare it to the 5 year cost to own, it is below many other popular cars including the Taurus, Camaro and Maxima.
You can't have just have one ...
flyguy15, 04/01/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Our firrst Volt, a 2011, was my car for about a month. My wife - not a real car person - fell in love with it and took it over, leaving her Cadillac parked in the garage. I had to go out and buy a 2012 to repace it. I have owned over 50 new cars (I'm really old) and the Volt is among the top. I'm not in it for the economy - which is amazing - but for the "fun to drive" factor. In the 6 months of ownership of the 2012 I have only put gas in it once for a 400 mile weekend road trip, the rest is all electric. GM has done an awsome job with the Volt, hat's off to the team that developed it!
Great car at a great lease! Thanks Obama!
audi_b, 09/30/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
What a deal-low lease for this fantastic car and I no longer visit the gas station! Somebody needs to get us off the gas pipeline, why not the government. Thanks to lucrative incentives, I drive this car for less than my former gas bill.
saved my life
Carlos Figueroa, 11/22/2016
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
this car has to be one of the safest cars in the world. i fell asleep driving and hit a post going about 40 miles an hour and nothing happened to me is completely safe and i would not hesitate to buy this car again.
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And That's When the Disappointment Began
Dennis Baughman, 12/09/2016
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Drove this 2012 Volt for 147,000 miles without ANY problems. It was virtually the perfect car. At 147,000 the transmission developed a Whine and the dealer's best answer was a 4%,800 estimate for a new Transmission. HMMMM! I never drove a car less that 200,000 before giving up. I believe I'll look for a wreck with 50,000 miles on it and swat Transmissions.
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Middle East Oil=0; USA=100!!!
dsinned, 08/22/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
If you frequently drive short distances and/or have a minimal commute, this car is a definite WINNER!!! You may NEVER need to fill up on gas again! Technologically, the Volt is leading edge state of the art. Charging the high tech battery is effortless. I heard the Volt's Lithium Ion battery can be recharged 5000 times before wearing it out; if once per day, every day of the year, that means this battery should last at least 13 years. However, GM provides a 15year/150k warranty for good measure! Tax incentives are going fast. It is easy to get over sticker shock because a Chevy Volt is an OUTSTANDING investment!!!
The Volt is a great idea, but needs refinement.
Hondafan687, 03/22/2023
updated 07/24/2023
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
These electric motors have UNREAL power for their size. Incredibly fun to drive in EV mode! I tested early versions of Civic/Accord and Camry and those cars were VERY boring. I wouldn't even consider those early generations. It's March 2023 and I've owned my 2012 Volt Premium 5 Month's. I'm a Honda/Toyota fan but this car still impresses except for depleted battery performance, the gasoline engine noise/ roughness and lack of a spare tire. This car promised approx 35 miles electric range when new and I'm sure it delivered. Now in 2023 it delivers 26 miles electric only range: a 25% reduction after 10 years.. My Volt has 115K miles and no other issues. Cold weather is harsh on electric range. Where I live, winter temps often get down to just below freezing. when it's cold out my electric range is approx 19-22 miles.... I'm hopeful that when outside temps finally warm up, my range will perhaps hit 30 miles. I know not to run the heat more than I have to, I defrost the windshield and little more. ( defrost works fine, but I park overnight inside a garage ) Undoubtedly using air conditioning will deplete electric only range as well. Seriously? no spare tire? This is my first car to do this. Seems like a horrible idea... I'm considering buying a spare, I just don't know where it'll fit. When the electric range is depleted and gas engine starts, it's seamless. Although the dash indicates what's going on, you don't really notice unless you're paying close attention... At certain times though if you've got your foot in it, the engine revs up and you can hear it buzzing away and it does vibrate slightly more than a Honda or Toyota. That was the first thing I noticed about this car: it's not quite as smooth as Japanese cars. Not a deal breaker, but something I certainly notice. To sum up, I do enjoy the Volt. I think the idea behind it is genius! Seems to me the best thing we can do is to have alternative choices for transportation energy. For all of us to be corralled into gasoline/diesel is horribly simple minded! Sorry to hear G.M. dropped the Volt, and I hope they bring back the idea. Perhaps the Japanese can continue to improve w/ Plug-in Accord/ Camry etc. UPDATE: It's summer 2023 and indeed my range came up to 34 miles as June got here. This is remarkable for an 11 yr old battery. The xmission (transaxle) makes a clunking noise when driving. I'm concerned about it enough to go the the dealer to see what the issue may be. I did the math, and using my electric rate of $.08/KWH and a full charge of 34 miles costs me just under a dollar using a Kill-a-Watt meter to track costs. I'm sold on the plug-in idea. My next vehicle will be at least plug-in if not fully EV. Not good to tow a boat and not good for long trips, but perfect for commuting!
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After one month...
mwfromva75, 08/05/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I figured I would wait a little while before I commented on this car. I can not say enough how good it feels to drive this car right past every gas station where I used to keep such a close eye at the prices of gas. Now I don't care! I have yet to use one drop of gas, 500 miles all on electricity! It's a wonderful feeling! The car itself is nice! It rides VERY well for a small car and it is super quiet! If you're thinking about this car I advise you to go drive one - you will find it hard not to buy it after one drive! It's THAT impressive!
Saved my life
Ari, 01/13/2021
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
I only had this car for about a week, but I could not recommend it more. It was cute and smooth and an EV (what more could you want), but most importantly it is *incredibly* safe. I was in a horrible accident the other week where I was T-boned on the driver’s side by an armored car coming full speed. Miraculously, the b-beam held up, and even though the driver’s chair was compressed to half its size, I survived with only a broken pelvis and some whiplash. The airbags protected me so well I didn’t even have any cuts or scrapes, except for a couple on my hands!! I am alive today because that car was so damn safe, and I cannot be more grateful. Also it’s a dream to drive and the steering handles really well!
Leased for 2 years. Loved every minute.
cargirl88, 03/12/2014
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
5 of 8 people found this review helpful
I jumped on a 24-month lease deal that my Chevy dealer was offering to promote this car. I'm coming up on my 30k mi limit and will be turning the Volt in come May. I will miss it. At the end of those 30k, I will have averaged about 110mpg - saving me around $2500 in gas alone from my previous car's 28mpg average (VW Jetta). This was about 7 months' worth of payments ;) I don't know of any other car that can offer this kind of gas savings. I didn't buy because the concept is so new (and expensive), but for the 2 years I had it, it was a pleasure. In a few years, after consistent production and refining, I will most definitely consider buying.
Might just want to walk..
binarydos@gmail.com, 01/24/2016
updated 03/01/2016
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
14 of 26 people found this review helpful
Honestly it's not all bad.. there are some good parts to this car.. As far as american cars go, it has no squeaks, no rattles, no broken electronics, no issues with interior pieces breaking. It's pretty surprising like that.. The ride quality is amazing, it is smooth, quiet, and pretty nimble in the dry weather.. The Snow performance is about as bad as it gets, my Mustang GT was better, my 1985 Mustang is better.. Generally drive that if it is going to snow.. When you drive it in the summer you get decent AC, and a quiet nice ride.. This car IMO is not a good car for people who live in cold climates.. It gets horrible MPG if you like heat.. and if it snows, it's not the going, it's the stopping, .. simply it wont.. Reliability.. Lack of completely.. i traded in a 2001 Sienna with 379K miles on it, which i would take back today if they still had it.. So far i have owned it for 4K miles.. I have put about the same on courtesy cars. It has been in a total of 48 days for repairs.. So far.. (It's at the dealer right now as i write this) 1. Ignition module, can can't find the key if you charge the car at night. (replaced the ignition module and fixed the issue for 2 weeks.) 2. Ignition module, and steering dead spot while driving on the highway.. (TSB on this, replaced under warranty, new ignition module, OK for 2 weeks) 3. Ignition module, Steering column issue returned, no turn signals, no start in very cold. (All fixed under warranty, new ignition module) 4. Ignition module, Electrical issue shorted out my house while charging, as well as a Voltec charging station (Under warranty, replaced ignition module, replaced the inverter, replaced, the charge port, replaced charge port door, and charge port sensor. (-1500.00 for electrician to fix my home) 5. Ignition Module, Front clunk from strut mounts, rust issue under hood, no heat in the winter, and extremely bad MPG. (Replaced ignition module, and gave me 3 new keys and batteries, replaced the front strut mounts, replaced the hood and repainted it to match the car, can't explain the 9MPG in the cold) 6. Oil leak, coolant leak, and issues with over heating engine in -15 degree weather. (Replaced the Oil pan gasket, Coolant line for the battery cooler, and head gasket (at 14K miles) ) 7. exhaust leak into cabin, loud engine, sounds like rocks in a drier while running gas, brake squeak in the right rear brake, ebrake sticking, mileage is extremely lessened in the winter, way bellow the EPA estimate, Ignition Module. (Dealer replaced leaking exhaust manifold gasket, engine sounds like rocks in it due to oil starvation and needs to have the engine replaced, brake was sticking in the rear right, front battery bank over heated.. needs to be replaced, Ignition module needs to be replaced again, will get the car back likely in March.. ) If you don't live in the Cold climates, i would imagine most of these things would not happen.. Also if you have owned Toyota, or Honda, do NOT trade it in for anything american, while they are better than they were, they are NO WHERE NEAR as good as Honda and Toyota as per reliability.. Resale Value: Honestly, the car's value sinks faster than the Titanic.. You will shell out 18-20 certified pre-owned.. In 6 months it's worth 8-10, and in 12 months you are looking at 6K.. It's resale is horrific.. Buy a moped.. You'd be better off.. MPG: Charging cost in summer - 48cents per full charge at .06 per kilo watt hour. Charging in the winter - 6.00 per full charge due to the battery warmer, it's expensive to charge in the winter, 6.00 at .06 cents per kilowatt hour. All Gas Winter driving MPG - (Less than 35 Degrees - 12MPG, More than 35 Degrees 23MPG) All Gas Summer Driving MPG - (under 75 degrees - 38MPG, over 75 degrees 32MPG) All electric range Summer - 42 Miles per charge All electric range Winter - 9 Miles per charge (with heat on) All electric range winter - 14 Miles per charge (No heat) So there it is, while it is a nice thing to drive when it works, it is horrific in reliability.. The saving grace is the dealerships for GM are very nice around my area, and while i hate the GM product line, they have always had me in a car to get back and forth to work.. Unfortunately, after driving nearly every GM in the product line as a loaner car, i have to be honest, i can't see ever buying any GM product, unless it is a Vette.. (UPDATE) As writing this, i am now going on week 3 of no car, they are still working on it.. Currently the steering wheel is not connected to the front wheels, they have replaced the steering gear 3 times, and the rack 2 times.. it is back in the shop.. No way to steer the car.. They claim now it's the steering column.. though i have to be honest i am skeptical.. There was a TSB and lawsuit against GM for this.. It's a well known issue.. DO NOT BUY ONE OF THESE USED..
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Amazing
bubikon, 07/07/2011
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
25 of 48 people found this review helpful
OK, it is not a vehicle to be reviewed like all others, i.e. zero to 60, handling, Corinthian leather, etc. It is just a completely different concept of driving a car. The thrill exists because it uses virtually no gasoline, unless you drive over 40 miles. Even then it seemlessly transfers to a 35 mpg Chevrolet. But the fun is keeping it in electric and Chevrolet has a wonderful panoply of buttons and dials for your pleasure to fiddle your way to quiet, electric bliss. The average person fills up about every month, and now I get 15 mpg in everyday use. This is the perfect car for the two car commuter family. Fit and finish are adequate and the style is Prius modern, but who cares.
Voltastic
hodad66, 09/25/2011
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
11 of 22 people found this review helpful
Drove home a new, 2012 Volt the other day. Great car! I had been waiting for another EV but test drove the Volt when it became available in Florida. The interior is stylish and gives the feeling of being in a sports car. GM is currently offering an incentive lease that I just couldn't ignore.
Chevy volt
Brendan, 02/19/2018
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
3 of 6 people found this review helpful
I leased a Chevy volt for 2 years and didn’t really like the car, it was just a really strange car, In my opinion I think if your going to drive a volt you better live somewhere where it is warm all year round Bc the battery’s freeze when it gets really cold out which causes the car not to start, and that happen to me all the time, so that’s kinda why i didn’t care for the Chevy volt so much.
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Bad news
Steve, 01/04/2021
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
3 of 6 people found this review helpful
I have a 2012 chevy volt I bought it with 28k mi at first I thought it was a good car but then it turned into a nightmare first the starter battery went bad in the back then I got glitches in the computer that only the dealer could fix Propulsion loss at least 6 dreffernt times the big battery keeps going down in rechargeable miles I started with 45 miles per charge now I'm down to 21 and the say it is in normal range and that is in the summer winter is worse.the transmission just went out at 107,000 mi. the cost is 7,000 to replace it all I drove most on the highway to work and back. Of course the warranty was out at 100250 mi.and I'm not the only one that it has happened to I seen on the internet there are many with this problem. The battery rock gard fell apart under the car the radiator had to be replaced and the front steering rebuilt. It always needs a upgrade sometimes you pay for it sometimes you dont . I think they play with the parameters of your charging for your battery so that they don't have to replace it under warranty. By the way You should look up it is to replace the main drive battery .your not gonna like it. Worst car I ever bought.
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Awesome car!
volkerbradley, 04/18/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
3 of 8 people found this review helpful
Have had this car for about a month now. Topped off the gas tank when I bought the car and have not been to the gas station since. The styling is beautiful. In fact, I have been stopped by strangers on several occasions to discuss the car. The car is comfortable and has a solid feel while driving. The instrument panel is comphensive, the Bose radio sounds beautiful, having OnStar and the OnStar app on my phone is a real helpful feature.
2 months/1600 miles- 10 gallons of gas- lots of fun
markgrogers, 08/03/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I have had this car for two months now and driven nearly 1600 miles in it. Not a single squeak, rattle or defect. I love the hatchback- plenty of room when rear seats are folded. Onstar works greatand its FREE for 3 years. Satellite radio is a blast. Great handling, very comfortable ride. I have spent only about $40 in gas for two months (and still have 5 gallons in the tank). Averaging more than 110 MPG when combining battery & gas usage (see voltstats.net for real world stats of more than 1500 Volts posted by owners-not by GM- many are doing better than me on mileage). Routinely averaging 45-50 miles on battery when driving carefully. Not a home run- a Grand Slam!
Amped Up
volt47, 05/29/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Bought a 2012 Volt after ordering a Prius plug in. When I heard my Prius was almost here I took a test drive in a Prius and a Volt; no comparison! The Volt was more solid, better quality, more comfortable, higher tech, etc. I've had it 3 months and love everything about it. I've driven it 45 miles on a single charge and if I don't go on a trip I never put gas in it. When it runs on gas I get 40 mpg. It's a good looking car inside and out and the technology is amazing. It's training me to be a conscientious driver and doing it in style.
happy volt owner
solarvolt, 07/28/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Writing this review after 5 months of volt ownership. I was waiting to buy a plug in hybrid/EV and researched all available models like the Leaf, Focus electric, C-max, prius etc. After evaluating the pure EV's like Leaf, Focus etc., I decided that the Volt range of 40 miles per full charge satisfied my daily commuter needs. I had not owned an American car for about 20 years now and was skeptical of the quality. But the rave reviews from Volt owners convinced me to test drive one. It was love at first drive. I was impressed with the way an electric car drives and how solid this car felt. The transition to gas when electric runs out is seamless and have to look at the gauges to realize.
What a fantastic car
joesp, 06/11/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I was in need of a new car after my 2003 Mazda6 S with over 200 K miles decided to call it quits. My driving style and commute requires a car with some power and great handling too. Also, I was also looking for something good on gas. I got a little frustrated with the options available out there after three weeks o continued research. The field was limited to compromises between smaller high performance cars or boring sedans but nothing really fulfill my taste and needs until I went to check out the Volt. I drove the car and was sold. Still went home and researched this car. After a month and 1400 miles and just $17 worth of gas, I am more convinced that I made the right choice. NO regrets!
love my Volt
utgotacoma, 09/08/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
after 3 months, this car has won me over gas power car or hybrid like Prius. If your average driving a day is 45 miles or less than probably don't need gas for a long time. Plug-in is convenient, clean and fun to drive. I did went over 45 miles trip few times but gas kick in is quiet and still drive like EV car not like Prius. This is the best car plus zero interest on loan. loved it.
Best car ever owned
cody1943, 07/30/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
7 weeks, 1458 miles, 2/10s of a gallon of gas and $26.41 elect cost. If you drive less than 50 miles a day, wow what a great car. Winter may prove to be a challenge. Fun, fast and cheap to drive. Never in my life time did I think I would see a car that got over 100 + miles per gallon. Chevy hit a home run with this car. Did I mention FUN. Its expensive, but what other car can you get some of your money back buy not stopping at the gas station 4-6 times a month at 50 to 60 bucks a time.
RE-VOLT
revolt, 07/27/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Being an auto enthusiast and race driver, I have one basic safety criteria for a car beyond the standard crash testing. This is collision avoidance and includes: handling, breaking, and acceleration. The Volt exceeds these needs. After looking at the available hybrids last year, my wife purchase a Volt. 6500 miles later and averaging over 250mpg, the car is great! She loves the car, averages 38mi/chg, has numerous places to plug-in on her daily routine and rarely uses gas. When I replaced my vehicle, I looked at what was available and purchased our second Volt. 1500 mi later, I have only used 3.1gal of gas, and average 42mi/chg 240V charger is a must have for multiple trips.
2012 Chevy volt
Randy W., 04/25/2019
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
2 of 5 people found this review helpful
I like not being a slave to the oil companies and profiting from deliveries now
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Punchy acceleration and rides as smooth as butter
spazmataz, 02/17/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
3 of 11 people found this review helpful
This car is fantastic! -- It's as roomy as an entry level Mercedes Benz, zips around city streets like a sports car, handles like a BMW and is quieter than a Rolls Royce. When I first saw a Volt in person, I found it much larger than I thought. Don't let certain pundits fool you. In truth, the Chevy Volt is roughly the same size as a 2012 Mercedes-Benz C250 Luxury Sedan, both inside and out (compare specs). The Volt only seats 4, but in my case that's fine. The interior is sleek and comfortable, the exterior far nicer looking than other plug-ins in the same price range, and the 17" aluminum rims look great. According to my odometer, so far I've driven 1325 miles on 0.2 gallons of gas.
EV1 Owner Waited 10 Years for the Volt
ev1_2_volt, 04/20/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
3 of 11 people found this review helpful
My wife and I had the privilege of having a 1999 GM EV1 when it was a prototype all electric cal with a range of 90-110 miles. Only 500 1999 EV1's were produced. We loved that car! When the EV1 was taken back by GM as part of the agreed up prototye lease agreement we kept waiting and looking for an alternative fuel replacement. I do not care for the Prius, although I appreciate the technology advancements and fuel economy - - To me it is still a 100% all gasoline car. I was waiting for a plug in electric like the EV1. I was hoping for a small SUV like the early edition all electric prototype Toyota Rav. Overall, I am very pleased with the Volt. It meets all my driving needs.
Hi Voltage
Bruce, 12/25/2018
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
1 of 3 people found this review helpful
Best to have a 240 charger installed.
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Problem after only 2000 miles
dsylvestre, 12/02/2011
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
6 of 45 people found this review helpful
Developed an error message after only 2,000 miles. Apparently, the antenna was defective.
Good car - Lousy people
woodybap, 01/23/2013
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
5 of 43 people found this review helpful
I am so [non-permissible content removed]! First the damn Volt is dead in my own driveway. Four months old and it goes feet up. No prob, I think, we have Onstar. Onstar tries about 3 times and then tells me that the car has apparently shut down due to some security glitch. The car needs to be towed to a dealership. Numerous calls between me and Roadside Assistance. They tell me that they can provide me with the number of their outfit that arranges loaner vehicles. Turns out that number is to a service that apparently does nothing more than provide the names of local rental car agencies. A glorified phone book, if you will. Heck, I could do better with Google. So the tow truck guy shows up. Has no clue
Why the Volt makes sense for me
palmbeachcpa, 07/03/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I traded my 2010 Mazda 3 in for a 2012 Chevy Volt and couldn't be happier. I drive 14 miles each way to work so I can go the entire week without using gas. Had it for a month and averaging 105 mpg, and that includes two 150 mile trips to Miami. I was going to get a newer 2012 Mazda 3 but after doing some analysis, I figured that I would save $4K over five years by getting the Volt. How you may ask? Simple, I am eligible for a $7500 tax credit and I save $200/ mo on gas. So if you do the math, the Volt costs $8K more than the Mazda3 after the tax credit, but will save $12K in gas over 5 years. And that is taking into account increased electric, and an occational fill up in the Volt. Sweet!
Great car to drive
steve437, 06/26/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We recently bought a Volt and love driving it. We test drove a Prius at the same time, and the acceleration + handling of the Volt was much better. Its a really fun car to drive. With my commute (35 miles round trip) we're getting over 160 miles per gallon.
Fabulous Volt
farmedb2, 04/03/2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Definitely the best car I have ever owned.
Chevy Volt
Bruce , 05/28/2025
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (1.4L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid DD)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We have owned this vehicle for 13 years and I can honestly say it has been the most cost effective and reliable vehicle I have ever owned.
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Great Car
Gary Stapleton, 09/09/2017
updated 03/14/2022
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
0 of 3 people found this review helpful
Buy a used Volt if you want a great car.
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6/5 crash rating
Driver who’s been thru it , 12/21/2022
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Had to get on here and write a review myself because this little car has been thru so much and has little to no marks. It’s hit plenty of curbs, just hit a side of the road going fast dead on concrete..Sounded like I cracked the whole front, I was shaking.. get out and barley a scratch. It’s just unbelievable. Ran over a deer going 95 mph. Nothing wrong after. Just the bottom protector came off. Got smashed from a “idiot tow out of a ditch” into the back of the hitch of a truck and just a crack in the back bumper. Not a huge hole or anything. It’s just a tank of a car. Seems to be made out of pure metal. It seems to withhold any accidents and looks like it’s never been in one after. Perfect first car maybe? haha. I’ve barely hit things at slow speed with my ford escape and it’s been noticeable everytime.
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Smoother, quieter, torque-ier edition
Maggie B., 08/12/2015
updated 02/09/2016
2012 Chevrolet Volt 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
0 of 6 people found this review helpful
**Update: Once one has driven a quiet electric or hybrid vehicle it's easy and fast to forget engine noise. Recently I had to rent a late model Ford Focus. The seats were so much harder than in the Volt and the seat doesn't rise as much. There is no option to drive in Sport+low gear as is preferred amongst most Volt owners (who participate in the forums). The Volt in comparison drives like a floating vehicle from the smooth electric motor and still allows road sensitivity, so you feel the texture and still feel connected (one major plus btw). The console and dash are also so smooth and flat allowing a much better view from the driver's seat. I've noticed there is a price point in which the dash goes from flat vertical and narrow to smooth and horizontal. The Volt offers that for a lot less than other brands. Testing a Volt one would need to rent it or have it for more than a week to get a true sense of it's ride and handling. Driving in Normal and D is still numb, the visibility is still an issue but the overall smoothness, quietness and torque are outweighing the rest. Add to that, we fill up the tank only once every few months by charging often, and limiting errands to weekends. --- Having previously owned a second gen Prius, a 2006 Ford Fusion, I got to feel very different rides and experience very different levels of sorrow at the gas station. On the one hand, the Volt will get most folks super far on the just electric mode, but on the other the ride is still hybrid and numb. The efficiency drops when I'm in standard city or suburban stop and go traffic, accelerating to 45 on most roads is fine until I have to stop and do it again literally 2 miles later and the electric range just plummets. There is almost no way to recoup one's range by braking or cruising so don't have your hopes up if you previously owned a Prius or other hybrid. Then in dense city areas the efficiency goes up marginally until the city driving is over and then the range just drops as soon as you're back on the highway. That point is especially true for most N Americans outside of largely dense cities. Then there is the technology. Hybrids are the vehicle equivalent of smartphones. The Insight and Prius were the smart phones before Apple iPhone and Volt, Tesla and Leaf are the equivalent of those that came after. Having owned the 2nd Gen Prius it was like having one of the rock solid 3g phones before the iPhone: I thought it would be cooler to upgrade and now I regret it. Sometimes we are too set in our ways to upgrade our hardware, I say this as a millennial btw. The Volt is more like a shiny iPhone 4. One in which you cannot in fact turn off most notifications during meetings. One in which the phone (car) will tell you that you put your phone in your purse or took it out of your pocket or that it's about to turn off due to low battery and so on. And these alerts are not mute-able! Imagine that. It's insane the amount of bells, bongs and rings this Volt makes. I remember the backup signal on the Prius, that was the only alert, and it was bothersome but I would appreciate having only that over all the other alerts on the Volt. And to think I haven't brought up the entertainment system. You have a smart phone or iPod and plug it in and select your favorite band and then ... where's the album list... so you select a song. Now that great song is playing and the next song is whichever song is alphabetically later in the song list. So think you can remember that bands' best album you loved? No, sorry, scroll through the millions of albums and now the songs will play in Alpha order from the album you just selected. If that sounds "smart" then you my friend belong in a VOLT. The touch controls are sometimes responsive and sometimes require a little extra prodding below the touch screen. So memorizing the touch buttons by feel is now impossible. And if you once had a Prius in the always hot SW, you probably got used to adjusting the climate on the steering wheel, and now you get to shift your eyes away from the road, onto the center console, over the the split climate section and adjust every two seconds since eco mode on the climate control is as effective as having a golden retriever pant on your for cooling. Yay, Volt! In summary, SUV drivers may love the fuel efficiency and Prius owners may love to up their smugness with this green-hov-sticker qualifying car but the vast majority hate the numb steering, the dead until you've hit something braking and the lack of visibility due to crash test standards where we absolutely must be able to flip five times into a moving train and live. But honestly, give me a plug-in Golf and let's call it a day. This is still a Chevy after all.
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