In the past, we were underwhelmed with MyLink, finding it slow and unresponsive at times. Feels lighter on its feet. Speaking to some of the drivers, it seems as if some drivers are expecting the switchover and are ready to log the information, while others just drive and completely forget about it. Braking: The brake pedal has a soft effort and long travel, almost SUV-like. . The second was for an "engine not available" message, which netted us an updated power inverter module. The 2016 Chevrolet Volt comes standard with an 8-inch touchscreen interface. What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get? Supposing the same holds true for the Volt while you're driving it as a pure electric vehicle, all of the shenanigans I described earlier might extend the car's all-electric range by a mile or three. It's a full second quicker when accelerating from zero to 60 mph (7.5 seconds, down from 8.5 seconds for the 2011 car we had). As always, tracking fuel economy on a plug-in hybrid such as the Volt is not straightforward. 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." Since split-folding second and third-row seats come standard, it's easy to take full advantage of the Chevy Suburban cargo space when you're out and about in Sicklerville . Constantly switching back to XM after every Waze alert grew particularly aggravating on my long trip. It maneuvers through traffic with ease and simplifies passing maneuvers. OK, so that falls short of the Volt's EPA rating of 53 electric miles, and it's well eclipsed by Dan's 70-mile outing and the 62-mile performance we managed in an initial road test. The i3 had a 22 kilowatt-hour battery and an all-electric range of 72 miles. If you look at the data below, however, you'll notice that our Volt has never achieved the EPA fuel economy estimate. The Volt indicated it wouldn't be full until 5 p.m. Not quite the outcome I'd hoped for after 11 charging hours, and decidedly behind my friend's typical 10.5-hour pace. When you pull the paddle in "L" after lifting your foot off the throttle, the slowing effect is much less severe since the car is already slowing. Use our tools to calculate monthly payments or figure out which cars you can afford. Ed Hellwig, Executive Editor, Miscellaneous "My wife is currently driving an all-electric Fiat 500e that we leased a few months back. The 2018 Chevrolet Volt has a quiet cabin, and its well-designed. front and center, even if it's the first time logging into that specific vehicle. But this is a car that, government rebates aside, stickered at $40,620. That turned out to be easier than I thought. On the downside, there is still a fair amount of hard plastic inside, detracting somewhat from the interior's otherwise excellent fit and finish." I made it home on electricity, but 'only' had 13 miles left. --, "Front-seat room is fine, but the rear seat is still on the tight side for taller passengers, while the new fifth seating position is for short trips only." In four days I covered just over 600 miles and spent more than 15 hours behind the wheel. It stayed around Los Angeles, mostly running on electricity only, until I took it over the Thanksgiving break. Meh. The regenerative braking can only apply so much stopping power, however, so combining it with the friction brakes in a way that's transparent and linear to the driver has been the struggle for automakers. Two ways to brake! That may not sound like much of a difference, but it amounts to a lot more screen area because of math. The seats throughout the cabin are, nevertheless, well-padded and contoured for decent comfort and support. Interior design? I still wish it looked cooler, and I could do without the ginormous gold bow-tie badges (seriously, I wonder if Chevy's lost some sales because of that dorky emblem). An adviser greeted us immediately, processed the car and gave us an estimate of three hours to complete the work. It's not ideal, but it is more comfortable. "Sure," they said. The Premier ($38,345) adds leather, the ability to add navigation, front and rear heated seats, Bose audio system, heated steering wheel and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. That works out to 29.7 kWh per 100 miles. Pretty remarkable stuff, especially compared to the noisy range-extender engine in the BMW i3." You'll need to apply a good amount of force to attach the anchor. I'd like to see other manufacturers go hard at the Volt with comparable capabilities and sexier designs. I could exist quite comfortably under its 53-ish-mile ceiling for the majority of the week, which means far fewer pesky stops at the pump. I wouldn't subject any of my friends to a three-wide ride in the rear of the Volt unless it were absolutely necessary, and even then, I might just call an UberXL instead. Yes, the Chevy Volt is a good car. Maybe I'm still too entrenched in the mpg mindset where efficiency promises are always viewed with suspicion, and anything in the ballpark is generally deemed acceptable. Those are awfully convenient to have on the traffic-congested freeways of Los Angeles. It seemed disappointing, but a reminder of how to reframe expectations in the electric car era." It's even on Amazon.com, so rejoice, Prime members. Constantly switching back to XM after every Waze alert grew particularly aggravating on my long trip. --. Fast forward a mere five years, and our new 2016 Chevrolet Volt test car doesn't feel so foreign anymore. Call (503) 567-1218 for more information. But from an engineering and driving perspective, this car is a home run. It's not silent in that "quiet like a vault" way that auto-journos like to use when describing large German sedans. But what if every commuter car were like our long-term 2016 Chevrolet Volt? Sure, the Volt's driving range has grown, but so have our expectations. In a way, it's almost more like an old-school hatchback (hmm, if only we had one of those around) than the truncated wagons modern hatches have become. Three hundred miles in, I was ready for a break and fuel. Third, the run between my garage outlet and the house's electrical panel has an effect on charge time and losses. I'm the ideal EV candidate except that I like road trips and I'm not always so good at paying attention to charge level. Since I live in an apartment, I can't charge. The dealer I called sells replacement containers (part number: 23119009) for around $50, but you can find it online for as low as $20. It takes 6 to 8 weeks for license plates to be issued, so it didn't matter until now. Mike Schmidt, Senior Manager, Vehicle Testing, Interior "Why, why, oh why, is there so much faux chrome (faume?) While inching through traffic, it works well for briefly slowing the car down, but if I knew I had to come to a stop I would just use the brake pedal. As such, just under 800 miles were added to the Volt's odometer. Second Row Headroom/Legroom/Shoulder Room 39.90 inches/42.00 inches/64.00 inches. Dan Frio, Automotive Editor, Technology-Audio "It seems as though audio functions are inconsistent between the steering wheel controls and the on-screen 'skip' buttons. What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get? It is much quieter than the previous generation, which would rev at seemingly random points. Cloth upholstery and manually adjustable front seats are standard. "Bring it right in." When I opened the door, I could feel the heat pouring from the interior. Connecting through Amsterdam Airport. We selected the Driver Confidence 1 package, with blind-spot, lane departure and cross-traffic alerts and the Driver Confidence 2 package, with lane keeping assist, low-speed auto-braking, auto high beams and forward collision warning. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto bring your familiar smartphone interface to the Volt's well-organized 8-inch display. Follow along on our Long Term Road Test page to find out if this Volt delivers on the promise of the plug-in hybrid. In general, we've had nice things to say about it the entire time we've had it in the fleet. I spent a lot of time in our long-term 2016 Chevrolet Volt recently. That paddle isn't for manual downshifts, nor is it for audio control. The i3 barely climbs out of Los Angeles. I wouldn't have necessarily expected that given the added complexity and/or weight of being a plug-in vehicle. "But what happens next is where the annoyance sets in immediately following a Waze alert (or, I suspect, similar such actions from apps running natively on the phone), the Volt's audio system always switches over to playing your phone's music. There's still regenerative braking, of course, and acceleration is just as quick. This is a quiet and stable car on the highway, with refinement levels that fully match its price. Other factors also come into play. Dan Frio, Automotive Editor, Cargo "I picked up two sheets of 3-by-5-foot cement backer board for a home bathroom remodel. Driver Confidence 1 Package ($495) adds the side blind zone and lane departure alerts and rear cross-traffic alert. The angle of the rear seatbacks places the occupants' heads directly below the rear hatchback window. At least the hatch is large. For example, the Leaf SV and SL have a 6.6 kW onboard charger that cuts the charging time to five hours despite also having a larger battery pack with greater range. Turns out the car was prompting the phone to download the necessary Android Auto software and get me to accept some Terms and Conditions. It is hard to turn down the lure of HOV-lane stickers when you live over 40 miles, or up to two hours, from the office. No. Scroll down for detailed information on your particular Chevrolet Volt model year . I'm also impressed by its electric-only range. You hear a little thrum from the engine and maybe a small vibration, but otherwise the Volt behaves almost exactly like it does in EV mode. That's pretty neat, but it also made me wonder: When it's just using its electric battery power, how efficient is the Volt compared to other plug-in hybrids or even other EVs? In keeping with the fast-talking, Vegas hustler theme, I'll present my impressions in rapid-fire fashion. The bottom is flat and the contours of its back arch in the opposite direction of the contours of my back. As soon as I switched to the Apple CarPlay messaging screen, the fan speed plummeted to a much lower setting. How could that be? "[The interior] is more upscale than the previous model's, with two-tone color schemes, easy-to-use audio and climate controls and a pair of 8-inch information screens. We drove our 2016 Chevrolet Volt 2,305 miles in April. The 2012 Chevy Volt's cargo space is small compared with those of other upscale midsize cars and hybrids. In other words, I was comfortable enough to not notice them, which is about all I ask for from a commuter car. But once I was in the parking lot, I peeked down and saw the prediction. Even in front, however, you can lose pedestrians and even other vehicles in the Volt's large A-pillars." It can do the daily commute grind solely on battery power and still provide the convenience of a conventionally fueled car when the need arises. When the 2016 Chevrolet Volt was first introduced to the media, its 8-inch MyLink touchscreen audio system was touted as being able to support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It's very fuel-efficient and more fun to drive than most hybrids, thanks to its brisk acceleration and poised handling. After all, with anywhere from 50 to 70 miles of electric range, you can drive for an entire day on electricity without even thinking about it. "But the resulting fuel economy is mediocre, at least as hybrids go. I only make this point because there are pure electric vehicles out there with low-flow chargers like the Volt's. When the Malibu's engine does come on, I found it to be quieter than in the Volt, and although there's certainly some noise and vibration present, it's really only overt when gunning the throttle or when on a prolonged grade. --, "Farther back, the Volt's hatchback design makes for easy loading and unloading." It's 46.6 miles from Santa Ana to Santa Monica, and my route includes some of the worst L.A. freeway miles imaginable. The Volt hovered at "one mile remaining" for about three miles, then the range ran out at 74.8 miles. I've also been keeping an eye on what is effectively the Volt's in-car "fuel economy" gauge for electric drive. Recall 17058: Reprogram power inverter module. It needed premium fuel. We're all used to pushbutton start, plugging-in and watching for the "switchover" indication that you've just moved from electric power to gasoline. No big deal since Waze alerts come over the car's speakers if the phone is plugged in. I had a string of bad luck and was ready to trade out of the fleet and into my own new daily driver. Since our 2016 Chevrolet Volt has been used primarily as a commuter with a charge station on at least one end of the route, it was lacking in the long-distance part of its life. They're not covered in particularly nice material nor do they have noticeably firm bolstering. Give us a call at (866) 610-3718 or visit us to test drive this GMC Sierra 1500 today. Carlos Lago, senior writer, Technology-Audio "Android Auto integration rocks. Dealerships catch a lot of online flak for their service operations, but I got nothing but good vibes from the folks at Hooman. Power windows, Driver with express-up/down; 10-way power driver seat with power lumbar, Moves the seat forward and back, and up and down Tilt the seat cushion and seatbacks; 3.5" diagonal monochromatic Driver Information Center; USB ports, (2) Data/charge ports located on instrument panel; Chevrolet Connected Access capable, Subject to terms. Big knobs for the temperature and fan controls and easily readable buttons for everything else. I have, however, found something to complain about. Then I hit the skip button on the Apple CarPlay screen and the response was immediate. It's not a perfect system since it means diligently (and accurately) recording the battery-gasoline switchover point when applicable, plus other factors. Mike Schmidt, Senior Manager, Vehicle Testing, "Here's one for the 'What Was I Thinking?' Most commute statistics say that the majority of people drive no more than 20 miles each way to work. It does a good job of maintaining the set temperature without constantly adjusting the fan speed, something that not every automatic setup does well. Call (806) 579-2590 for more information. MyLink has an intuitive interface and a responsive touch screen. The seatbacks fold 80/20 and flat. Where Did We Drive It? And I mean that literally because the full-width Google Maps and the audio and phone display graphics looked great. Plus, it's not like you have to use anything beyond No. Almost no wind or tire noise intrudes into the cockpit -- impressive, given the firm, low-rolling resistance rubber at each corner." This, of course, is the first vehicle of its kind, so these weaknesses are likely to disappear especially since the concept has so much promise.". Available federal and state tax rebates. --. Everything helps, I suppose. The cover has four points that loop onto hooks. Last month, GM said it will be cutting. With a handsome interior design, the 2017 Chevy Volt's cabin is very quiet, especially when driving in electric mode. Heck, it's not even a Miata. I recently went out looking for some new stuff, found it (some old stuff, too), then went out to the Volt looking forward to some drive time listening. You hear a little thrum from the engine and maybe a small vibration, but otherwise the Volt behaves almost exactly like it does in EV mode. We're still gathering drive data on our 2016 Chevrolet Volt to compile meaningful numbers on our EV range and gas-engine mpg. Thanks to its small size and quick and light-effort steering, you can zip in and out of parking lots like an American Ninja Warrior going through an obstacle course.