Used 2018 Chevrolet Volt LT 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric plug-in hybrid DD) Consumer Reviews
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Great Value and Fun to Drive
Murph, San Francisco, CA, 04/14/2018
Chevrolet Volt LT 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
53 of 54 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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Detailed review + buying advice
Anthony G, Oakland, CA, 07/19/2018
Chevrolet Volt LT 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
32 of 33 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.
2018 Chevrolet Volt for sale near you
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- Premier Plug-In Hybrid 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $15,50099 mi away
- Premier Plug-In Hybrid 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $18,99547 mi away
- LT Plug-In Hybrid 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $26,100187 mi away
See all 21 listings
A real electric car, with a back-up plan.
Dennis, Santa Barbara, CA, 09/07/2018
Chevrolet Volt LT 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
19 of 19 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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Much more than I expected
Tom, Ashburn, VA, 03/31/2018
Chevrolet Volt LT 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
Short review. This car is fantastic. Enough full EV miles to commute on charge only yet has the range for a long road trip. Performance of a full electric but without the range anxiety. Ability to charge on 120 volt in garage huge. Attractive exterior. Comfortable drive, ride and seats but not luxury. With the tax exemption in the State of Washington and the 7.5k rebate in my mind a no brainer. Assuming you dont get a lemon....maintenance should be non existent. Do yourself a favor. Take it for a spin.
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A case for the Chevy Volt
Adam Cohen, Newton Center, MA, 08/29/2018
Chevrolet Volt LT 4dr Hatchback (gas/electric hybrid DD)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
There is something a plug in hybrid electric vehicle (phev) gives you that no other car does (gas, hybrid or electric) - the flexibility to use different fuels, as well as the ability to obtain a miles per gallon equivalent (mpge) between 30 and 120, depending on how you drive. You can even achieve beyond the 120 mpge if you charge on solar cells or another renewable. The Volt gets 42 mpg on strictly gas (highway and city), which is remarkable considering the car weighs approx 3,550 lbs. Although there are some hybrids that do better on gas, the Malibu, Camry and Accord hybrids, to name a few, they can never achieve any better than about 50 mpg. Other benefits the Volt offers are excellent acceleration, low noise, no noticeable on/off engine at stop light in hybrid mode (the car does not engage the engine until the car has reached a certain speed), good weight balance due to battery placement. Also, the drive train of the Volt, consisting of two electric motors, one efficient internal combustion engine, and two planetary gear sets (in lieu of transmission), is proving to be the platform of choice for performance, efficiency and flexibility.
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