2017 Chevrolet Volt Review

There's not much choice when it comes to the Volt, but we think that getting the Premier trim level is the way to go. Though the base LT is reasonably well equipped and can be fitted with some optional upgrades such as leather upholstery, we like that these features (plus a few extras) come stan...

Electric drive is very smooth in the Volt. In gasoline mode, the engine and its CVT work well together, too. It's an easy car to drive. The Volt has a "L" mode and a steering-wheel-mounted paddle for more brake regeneration; some drivers might find the paddle's abrupt engagement off-putting, though.

The Volt's powertrain delivers smooth and seamless acceleration whether in electric or gasoline mode. Our sprint to 60 mph took just 7.8 seconds on electricity or 7.5 seconds on gasoline, an enthusiastic performance for a green car.

The brake pedal is a bit unresponsive initially, but otherwise the Volt's braking is pleasingly smooth and linear. The blending of regenerative and regular friction braking is nearly imperceptible, too. In our 60 mph-to-zero panic-stop test, the Volt posted a respectable 119-foot distance.

It steers with a confidence and directness that makes it easy for the driver to guide the car around turns and through corners. Effort is generally good, but it can feel a bit "thick" and indistinct around center when cruising straight.

The Volt exhibits good coordination and even a bit of playfulness on winding roads. Don't push it too hard, though, because the suspension and economy-minded tires aren't optimized for that sort of thing.

Electric drive is very smooth in the Volt. In gasoline mode, the engine and its CVT work well together, too. It's an easy car to drive. The Volt has a "L" mode and a steering-wheel-mounted paddle for more brake regeneration; some drivers might find the paddle's abrupt engagement off-putting, though.

The Volt is certainly quiet, and the ride is smooth most of the time. The suspension doesn't always maintain its composure on the worst roads, though. The seats are generally well-shaped for most, but they have a few limitations that prevent them from being universally loved.

The seats generally receive high marks for comfort and support, but the bottom cushion could be longer to help with thigh support. The rear outboard seats, thanks to the seat contouring and armrest padding, are comfortable for adults.

The Volt is generally smooth and buttoned-down over typical sorts of worn or uneven road surfaces. But driving over potholes results in sharp impacts in the cabin. The Volt can seem overly soft and out of sorts when you encounter midcorner bumps, too.

Electric mode is exceedingly silent, of course, but this second-generation Volt is now tame when running on gasoline, too. Engine noise is no longer the sore point it was before. Detectable but not excessive levels of wind and road noise.

Automatic climate control is standard. It's single-zone only, however. Cabin heating works well and warms up quickly. The Premier's heated seats (front and rear) and the heated steering wheel also work well.

The Volt's interior is far more useful than before. It's a lot like a regular car, and you can seat up to five now (in theory). But some rival plug-in hybrids are roomier and have better visibility.

This Volt differs from the original in its more logically arrayed buttons and knobs. Because of some of the car's advanced tech, however, this isn't a simple car that you can immediately hop in and drive. Setting the climate control manually can be a little confusing, too.

Access to the front is easy thanks to wide-opening doors and an agreeable roofline. Backseat access is trickier because of the lower roofline and smaller door opening. Taller folks will have to duck a little.

There's enough adjustability for most drivers, but the driver seat's height adjuster could stand to have more range. Also, you can't get a power driver seat in a Volt; Chevy uses manual adjustments, presumably to save weight.

Plenty of room up front for adults of all sizes. The backseat is a little tighter, but it's still roomy for two adults of average height. In theory, you can fit three back there, but the space taken up by the wide battery pack underneath means the center spot is for kids or car seats only.

Good view out the front, but the nose drops away out of sight, making parking trickier. Reasonably sized rear door glass helps minimize over-the-shoulder blind spots. Rear visibility is hampered by the small rear window (though the rearview camera is excellent). A rear window wiper isn't available.

Though the styling of the cabin is much improved, the quality of the plastic and the overused plastic-chrome trim could stand more refinement. Acceptable, but not outstanding. Exterior assembly and paint quality are about average.

The Volt's luggage area doesn't hold a whole lot, but the hatchback design makes the most of it. For everyday driving, the Volt should work out fine. But some rival plug-in vehicles are a bit more utilitarian.

The open storage space ahead of the gear shifter is useful for holding your phone or other small personal items. There's also a small slot next to the shifter and a decent-sized center console bin. The cupholders will hold most drink sizes. In back, the Volt has two cupholders but no other storage o...

The trunk, at 10.6 cubic feet, is modestly sized; fitting golf bags is problematic. The provided security cover is chintzy, too. Still, the hatchback design gives you a bigger portal to load luggage compared to the typical small sedan, and the 60/40-split seatback folds down.

Chevy provides the Volt with a typical arrangement of LATCH anchors. Accessing the lower anchors is OK, but the thick seat cushion contouring can hamper fitting of safety seats. Rear-facing safety seat installation might require sliding the front seats up a bit.

You would expect that a car as advanced as the Volt would have the latest suite of in-car tech, and Chevy delivers. The touchscreen interface is easy to use, and most driver safety aids are either standard or optional.

Every Volt comes with an 8-inch touchscreen with the MyLink interface. The graphics are sharp and the menus are easy to understand. Factory navigation comes standard on the Premier. You also get the upgraded Bose audio system; sound quality is better and more enjoyable than with most base systems.

The two main smartphone app integration systems out right now, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, come standard on the Volt. Bluetooth pairing is simple.

Most of the latest driver safety aids, such as blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning and lane departure intervention, are available. But you can only get them on the top-level Premier trim. An automated parking system is also optional.

In our testing, MyLink's voice recognition system works reasonably well and gives sufficient prompts if you don't know which commands are available. Also, Siri and Google Voice on your paired smartphone can be called up by pressing and holding the voice button longer.

To learn more about the second-generation Chevrolet Volt, read our updates from a full year of living with a 2016 Volt. We cover everything from seat comfort to real-world use of the Volt's hybrid system. Curious if you can drive more than 70 miles on pure electric power in a Volt? We did.