Used 2018 Chevrolet Volt Consumer Reviews
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Detailed review + buying advice
Anthony G, 07/19/2018
2018 Chevrolet Volt LT 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
31 of 31 people found this review helpful
We’ve had the Volt a month, and we love it so far. I tested a used 1st gen. Volt before going for this and they feel very different. While the 1st gen. had funky touch controls that weren’t very useable, this 2nd gen. is more conventional but far more intuitive. The look inside is much cleaner now too, almost European — think VW Golf. More importantly, the 2nd gen. feels far more “electric”. Until the battery runs out it feels like an EV, with great low end torque and a very quiet drive. The handling is much tighter too. It’s no sports car, but it’s definitely fun to drive with the *whoosh* of silent acceleration. It’s also got enough left at highway speeds to make matching speed to change lanes easy. Buying advice — LEASING I calculated the depreciation based on previous years, and it’s roughly $3K a year for the 2nd gen. (similar to most non-premium cars), but drops $5K from 1st to 2nd gen. In other words, if a new version comes out before you sell yours, the value will drop significantly. Since the electric/hybrid market is also changing rapidly right now, I think leasing is a safer bet. TRIM AND OPTIONS I tested the LE base model, and for me the cloth seats really weren’t comfortable even on a short drive. The leather seats were much more supportive, and I’d highly recommend them especially if you have any back issues. If you care about music, the Bose Audio upgrade is in a different league to the LE base audio. The base version has no bass (ha!), just a thin sound without any warmth or depth. The Bose is very pleasant, with a likeable balanced sound that doesn’t require tweaking to sound good across most genres of music. The silent electric ride complements it well too. Look carefully at the differences between the LE and Premium versions to see if it’s really worth the significant jump in price. Personally I’d say the Premium is mostly worth it if you also add all the Driver Confidence upgrades on top, but then it gets pretty costly. We went for LE + leather + Bose. There were very few LE models with the Bose, but push and see if they can do a “dealer swap” to get you exactly the trim you want. It’s a big purchase, don’t get talked into compromising! Note — the upcoming 2019 model has more differences between the trim levels, so if you’re buying once it’s out there might be something that makes the Premium trim worth it for you. NIGGLES The liftback style is great — we can get a road bike in the back easily without taking a wheel off — but it opens high so be careful to not hit garage doors etc. Apple CarPlay sometimes connects instantly, sometimes takes a while, and occasionally just doesn’t connect and needs unplugging and a second attempt. Once it works I love it though, and it’s easily the best Siri experience I’ve had. It actually understands me (maybe a good mic near my head?), and is genuinely useful for sending and replying to texts safely while driving. The a/c is a little confusing at first, but works well once you get the hang of it. It’s also great to be able to “pre-condition” the car (start the a/c) remotely using the iPhone app! This still works even if you don’t subscribe to any OnStar plan. The FM radio quality is slightly muddy. It seems better than regular FM, but not as clean as our previous HD radio. Be careful of the low front over speed bumps. The ‘regen’ paddle works well for slowing right down approaching them.
Great Value and Fun to Drive
Murph, 04/14/2018
2018 Chevrolet Volt LT 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
49 of 50 people found this review helpful
I'm a super analytical person, almost to a fault because I'm a bit obsessive too. So after reading countless reviews, articles and doing side by side comparisons using Edmunds and other sites, the Chevy Volt kept coming up as the best choice for myself as a daily commuter. Well all the research paid off because my 2018 Volt which is the 9th new car I've purchased in my life and it is my favorite. For my test drives, I drove a couple Volt Premiers along with a few Volt LTs all of which had the comfort package with heated seats and steering wheel and one LT had leather seat option added. The Premiers were more comfortable and had very nice additional safety and convenience features so it really came down to were they worth the extra money which I concluded were not in my case so I purchased a red LT with the comfort package and heated seat/steering wheel. It's only been a couple months but in that short time I have to say I'm so impressed with this little car; the GM design team should be proud of their effort. DRIVING IMPRESSION: The ride of the Volt is so smooth you forget that you are in a small car. Were I live in Northern NY, there are a lot of potholes but driving over the rough roads I'm familiar with I'm amazed at how well the suspension is tuned and that's compared to my other vehicle which is a 2015 GMC Terrain. ACCELERATION: Off the line, the strong low end torque spins the tires regardless of how well the tires are gripping the road. Yes some of the easy spin is due to the low resistance rating of the tires chosen which were to maximize mileage but still the acceleration will push you back in your seat. At higher speeds there still is enough torque to pass easily but as the 149 HP rating would suggest, the torque does fall off quite a bit at higher speeds. COMFORT: Back support in the front seats are good but I wish there was adjustable lumbar support, seat bottom support SUCKS no other way to say it. I do have cloth seats and a now regret I didn't get leather because the leather smooths out the pressure points on the edges both sides and front better than the cloth seats. Armrest are comfortable for myself and I love the wide center armrest which is impressive for a small vehicle. CONTROLS: The Mylink system and touch screen are easy to use and very functional. It is so cool to watch the energy flow to maximize mileage. Apple CarPlay is also a great feature which I use a lot for navigation and hands free texting while on the road. There is also a convenience tray next to the stick shift to put my IPhone so I can plug in for the CarPlay (I.e., doesn't operate with Bluetooth.) WINTER DRIVING: I did have several opportunities to drive in the snow and I'm pleased with how well the Volt handles but next winter I will have snow tires because the low ground clearance will likely mean quite a bit of snow drag which will require a tire with more aggressive treads. Cold temperatures kick on the engine for heat which is kind of annoying. There is a selection to 'Defer' the engine heat assist which will keep it from turning on till below 15F but that still happens often in Northern NY although the ICE does shut off after a short period of time. INTERIOR SOUND: The Volt is amazingly quiet inside even when the ICE does comes on. I have the standard stereo which is pretty good once you adjust the tone a bit for more bass and midrange. It is such a joy driving around listening to music since the interior acoustics are so nice. BACK SEATS: Seats are fairly comfortable with a big wide armrest in the center but head room is low for taller folks. It also takes a bit of ducking to get into the back which isn't a problem for my 15 year old 5'7" son but could be more difficult for older and taller folks. CARGO SPACE: The Volt holds about two grocery carts worth of bags or a couple medium size suitcases; overall not huge but actually quite convenient for daily use. With back seats down, the Volt will hold a few large storage bins. HANDLING: The low center of balance of the Volt due to the battery placement make this vehicle feel planted to the road. I haven't done any high speed turns but for speeds below 40 mph the Volt hugs the road. In my town, we have a traffic circle that is quite tight and the Volt carves around that tight curve like it was on rails. OVERALL: The Volt is so much fun to drive and really is pretty comfortable and practical as a daily commuter when considering operating costs. Crash tests have shown the Volt to be the only American made vehicle that is 5 star rated across the board. And, with the $7500 federal tax rebate the Volt is a great deal.
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Sporty EV on the cheep
Joe Kuprevich, 04/20/2018
2018 Chevrolet Volt Premier 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
36 of 37 people found this review helpful
After driving the car for a year with 4 long distance (1200+ miles) drives, while as a retirement car mostly local. I found it an excellent choice. The car is not for highway use on the battery, but can be switched off with mode control. The small battery drains quickly. Having the built-in generator for running in hybrid mode allowed me to make these long distance trips without having to plan overnight charging stops, while at home all my drives were well within the charge limit of the battery. The acceleration in Sports mode is unbelievable the first time you floor the pedal, along with handling on windy roads makes it feel like a true sports car. Styling both in and out also gives it the sporty look compared to other plug-in's or even full electric at this price point. After putting 13K miles on the car it's still feels brand new and dead quiet inside which is surprising for a small hatchback after running on New England roads all winter. There is essentially no wear on the brakes, since I use the regenerative braking all the time. Another plus for electric cars. I can't believe Chevy doesn't advertise this car with nothing being mentioned on any common media outlet. With the full rebates of $10K in my state this was not a burden at @$34K for what I got in the fully loaded model. Very happy there. The areas not really mentioned that I learned over the New England winter months is the lack of charge. Your charge is basically cut in half and below 32 degrees the generator will run for long periods of time to keep the batteries warm. Winter months averaged 32 miles on battery while in the summer I got up to 67 miles on a charge. The seat comfort for the long trips I made were better then all my past SUV's and sedans over the years. Extremely happy with the front and back leg room even when the front seats are pushed fully back. A full electric car is perfect only when the family also has a gas car for those long trips which makes the Volt a perfect fit, since I only have one car. The Volt is an under advertised beauty of an over engineered quality car for those that fit the criteria for a small 4 passenger hatchback.
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Phenomenal car, best in class.
VKS, 04/24/2018
2018 Chevrolet Volt Premier 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
28 of 29 people found this review helpful
The Volt has met my fuel efficiency expectations and then some. I'm getting 50-mile electric range on the freeway and 60-mile electric range in the city. My records are a 67-mile electric range with heavy use of the paddles and 66-mile electric range using adaptive cruise control. I am braking only when I need to stop fast. All slowing and slower stopping can be done using the paddles, which are the more efficient regeneration option to the regenerative braking. So far, I have used a total of 0.7 gallons in the 1100 miles I have driven the car since I bought it. The ergonomics is adequate for my 6-ft 190-lb body. The electronics is the best I have seen in any car. The Volt is bottom heavy and very stable. The acceleration of the two electric motors is fast. The ride is comforting. Will definitely buy again without any hesitation. My advice for all potential buyers is to get the adaptive cruise control package. The Volt drives itself at a fixed speed or a fixed distance from the vehicle ahead, the driver's only functions being the steering, braking for lights or stop signs when there is no vehicle ahead and tapping the accelerator pedal for a restart when the car has come to a complete stop. The adaptive cruise control does the rest. It is an absolute must for me now. I will never buy or rent a car without it.
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A real electric car, with a back-up plan.
Dennis, 09/07/2018
2018 Chevrolet Volt LT 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
16 of 16 people found this review helpful
Here's the important point: The Volt is the ONLY plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that operates as a FULLY electric vehicle until the battery is exhausted. Every other PHEV on the market will kick on the gas engine if you floor the throttle, and most will kick on the gas engine if you turn on the heater even in mild weather. Not the Volt. It is an honest-to-goodness electric car for 53 miles. After that, it operates as a very smooth and quiet hybrid. In other words, the Volt isn't aimed at the would-be hybrid buyer who just wants a plug for a few extra MPG. It's aimed at the would-be electric car buyer who doesn't want to be restricted by the limited availability of public charging infrastructure. For most drivers, 53 miles of EV range is enough that all normal daily driving will take place on electricity. And when it's time for a road trip, there's no need to plan ahead to find charging stations and allow extra charging time---just put gas in the car and go, just like a normal gas vehicle. It's the best of both worlds. The only real downsides to the Volt are so-so visibility from the driver's seat---though available safety nannies mitigate that---and limited rear headroom.
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