2016 / 2017 Chevrolet Volt Review and Road Test | Detailed in 4K UHD
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 6 фев 2016
- Although the 2016 Volt is "more hybrid" than before, it's also "more EV" than the last Volt making this the ultimate EV/Hybrid... Well, EV/Hybrid Hybrid. What's that supposed to mean? Watch and find out.
Join Today: bit.ly/2WdCEwW
The Best Cars, Trucks & SUVs: • The A List - The Best ...
Follow AoA on Facebook: theautobuyersguide/
Follow The Mountain Garden: goo.gl/icFWcd 
Авто/Мото
I'm sorry but nobody on the entire Internet gives more detail than Alex on autos. And with a car this detailed it's great that he's doing such a wonderful job
+Bryce should check out saabkyle04's channel, his videos are also really detailed
No doubt this is the most detailed review on RUclips
I have a 2018 Volt and because I'm a senior I don't drive the freeways and stay within 30 to 40 MPH I'm getting 70 to 80 miles per charge constantly. In 23K miles I've only used 30 gallons of gas.
@@jamesseibert349 That is Great!!! ☺Iam considering buying a 2017 or 2018 .Thanks for the information! Stay Safe GOD Bless you ☺
I just bought a blue 2019 and love it! Feels fast due to the high torque and it feels SUPER smoothe! 👌
Alex knows far more about he Volt than 99% of folks publishing their review videos on RUclips.
The Chevy Volt is my number 1 hybrid car since it has 53 miles without using gas! 👍🏻🙂
Almost all automakers have their innefficient line of PHEVs in 2021. Yet GM with the best design discontinued Volt in 2019.
Not a hybrid
@@douglaskeller7950 The Volt is not a common 'Hybrid", but it is a PHEV = Plug-in HYBRID Electric Vehicle. GM and every government agency that mentions them all label it as such.
Does anyone know why my volt says I have full charge at 45 miles instead of charging to 53 miles?
I'm charging my volt during December which is during the winter, and it a little over 100k miles on it.
@@a.h.543 Two primary reasons, A. H.
One is battery degradation, which happens over time. The Volt degrades much less than other EVs due to sizable charge buffers at both the low and high ends and due to the very well-designed battery temperature control system.
The other is the combination of your driving style and the conditions (terrain, temperatures, wet or dry roads, winds, etc.) in which you have driven over your last several charges. The car's range computer uses your recent driving history to project the range you can expect from the current charge.
I have had four Volts and six Teslas. I currently have a 2022 Model S and a 2017 Volt.
I own a Volt and I approve of this video. Lol. I'm just happy that someone knows EVERYTHING about what they're reviewing in general, not to mention on EVs and Hybrids, not to mention THIS car. It's confusing shit. Way to go.
Richard Joash Tan WHAT in the fuck are you blabbing about? I just said I have a Volt. I agree. I didn't say anything about Priuses or cheaper cars.
***** Oops. 0_0
+Richard Joash “RJ” Tan IGNORE RICHARD. He's clearly a foreigner who cannot speak proper
english. Furthermore he posts the identical "You are bullshit" hundreds
of times. He never says anything else, so his posts have no value
.
Alex you are really the tops at accurately describing the technologies in cars.
The Volt looks so much better than any other comparable hybrid out there while offering over 50miles of EV range, 420 miles of total range and a spaceship interior. Truly innovative.
+ Kevin Corpetti. +1 I call it my little shuttlecraft. Wish we could edit some of the system sounds so I could add some STTNG sfx.
I wish we could do that sometime
I'm driving a 2017 Volt with 55K miles, and it has been an awesome car with better electric range, and gas MPG than advertised. Too bad GM failed to promote or advertise the Volt as it would have been the perfect vehicle to help transition their dealer network to EV's.
Flat out, the best auto reviewer on YT period.... Wish Alex could have show the cargo room with the rear seats folded....
Yeah man, with the seats down it will swallow quite a bit of cargo! I've gotten some looks in parking lots from the amount of goods I've stored in the back. The lady next to me was laughing at me when I was lifting a 163cm tv (still in the box) to fit in the back. When it slipped right in let's just say she stopped and was amazed like I just performed a magic trick!
Bought a 2017 Volt for my 160 mile commute and I love it. The only thing that annoys me about this car is the door chime when the car is on and the door is open.
This review was instrumental in my decision to purchase a 2017 Volt so thank you! I am regretting going cheap and getting the LT model because I think this is a car I would drive for many years but I am craving some of the bells and whistles in the Premier model and newer EVs. I love it otherwise. I agree that it gets an A in acceleration. Although it has kind of a pedestrian 0-60 time, the instant torque makes it really fun to drive. As you mentioned, the ride in this car is amazing because of the weight. I am more comfortable driving in this than a lot of luxury cars I have driven.
Alex is smart. he never comments on "comments".
Wow this new volt looks gorgeous!
Good review. It may be worth pointing out that the 2016 Volt runs on regular gas. The old model had premium gas recommended. Also, I believe the centre console phone holder is also a wireless charger in the model tested. Our LT doesn't have it.
l have recently been wishing that they had created a version of the Volt as a CUV height rig. A 20-25% drop in efficiency and an increase in size into a Compact CUV, like the Niro is to the Ionic, would have been perfect.
This is THE definitive youtube review of the Volt! Even as a Volt owner, I enjoyed this review and learned from it. Very well done.
Alex does a fantastic job of explaining everything about cars.....it figures that GM would stop making such a good car and keep making junk, as do the vast majority of car makers, except Lexus/Toyota, Acura/Honda and Hyundai/Kia.....drive carefully out there folks :-)
Definitely would want to compare this to the Honda Clarity PHEV. Both appear to be great options for my 22 mile round-trip commute.
This vehicle is FAR superior to any Prius. Feels like and drives like an sporty Tank! The technology also blows Prius out the door. VERY VERY underrated. Shame on GM for killing it
how to perfected a gen3 volt:
-flat and increased energy density battery bank,
-better material for a higher MPG generator,
-more HP on the drive unit,
-adjustable seat belt housing
-extended rear leg room
-rear window wiper
-keep the existing front, but improve the rear lights look.
-all LED, no more halogen bulbs
-high efficiency rating solar roof
-carbon fiber for a lighter weight
-less boring dashboard screen interface
and finally fix that fifth seat.
6:33 Gave him a like when he locked himself in the trunk!
Yes! It's a hybrid between an EV and a hybrid. That's the exact way I introduce the car. I go on to explain that it works as a pure EV for most driving except on road trips, when the battery is drained, the gas engine kicks on and it functions like a regular hybrid.
It is of course slightly more nuanced than that, but that's essentially the premise of the vehicle and provided it fits your use case, it could very well be the best vehicle for your. Yes, better than a pure EV and better than a conventional hybrid or plug in hybrid. In some use cases, this won't be true though so if you're considering the vehicle, it's worth digging in deeper.
Things to consider:
1) what is the charging infrastructure like in areas you will be traveling to? Not around town because in any electrified vehicle you're likely charging up at home when you're in town. If it's lackluster, the Volt might be for you. If it's good, go for an EV.
2) Do you mostly drive around town but sometimes go on lengthy roadtrips where charging may or may not be viable? If this describes your usage, the Volt is perfect for that. Around town, it's an EV. On the highway, it's a hybrid. Best of both worlds.
3) Do you do very little city driving but frequently do long highway drives that would exceed the Volt's electric range? If yes, either a Prius or pure EV may be a better choice. You see, the Volt isn't the most efficient hybrid out there since it's lugging around a relatively big battery (which is what gives it the ability to be an EV around town), so if you're mainly going to be using it in the highway in hybrid mode, just get a conventional hybrid like a Prius. Or, if charging isn't a concern, get an actual EV.
I think for most people, the Volt makes a lot of sense. Most people do most of their daily driving around the city and would easily remain within the vehicle's battery range. Also, most people occasionally do long road trips and, in North America at least, charging can sometimes be spotty. Most people are anxious about getting stranded or waiting a long time to charge while on such trips. Many people worry about the expense of installing a level 2 charger at home. Well, the Volt perfectly fits the aforementioned use cases and eliminates ALL of these concerns perfectly.
The catch? The trunk is probably only big enough if you forget to bring your luggage. Oops. So close GM 😂
I am so glad to see your subs climbing near a 100k. I wonder what you'll do when you hit that mark. Your reviews are fantastic and I'm glad to see you still doing this.
7 out of 10, 8 out of 10... Sounds like someone complaining about their life raft on the Titanic. We MUST stop polluting our atmosphere. If you can only afford one car and can't live with the range limitations of other EVs, the Volt is the only game in town. After purchasing a 2016 Chevy Volt in Nov, 2015, I'm definitely drinking the Kool Aid. It's very efficient, quiet, responsive, nimble and totally connected to my iPhone. It's a really fun way to help save our planet.
There is so much to like about this car. Then I checked one out in person. Compared to a prius it is cramped in front and downright small in the backseat. If this car had the roominess of the Prius I would buy one.
The trunk test is always funny, especially when it cuts suddenly mid close.
Almost 100k subscribers! Keep up the good work, Alex! Your car reviews are the best!
Good review and that isn't surprising given all the excellent work you've done in the past.
I'm having a hard time siding with a B on economy (And no, I don't own a Volt or anything similar). It is very hard to find one car which gives everything the Volt does and is as cheap to operate. You can find a pure hybrid with better gas fuel economy, but you miss out on the entire electric part of the equation. You can buy a compact gas car, but you miss out on city mileage and considerably on refinement. You can find a few pure EV cars with marginally better EV economy, but then you probably need a whole second car (unless you live in certain areas). The Volt, through giving 90% of all 3 gives you 110% vs. any one of them IMHO.
+Cory Stansbury IT is cheaper to drive a Prius 50 miles ($1.90) then to drive a Volt in EV mode ($2.22). As an electrical engineer I agree with Alex's B rating since the monetary savings are less
.
+electrictroy2010 Including charging losses, I could charge a Volt at home for $1.79. This includes T&D.
If we want to look purely nationally, the average cost/kWh is 12 cents ($1.88 for the charge) and the average price of gasoline is $1.80. Gas is at a low and few expect it to get cheaper. We all know it can get more expensive. Not to mention, most charging occurs at night and one can often get better deals off peak if they renegotiate with their electric supplier (It's about 3 cents cheaper here). That can bring the costs down significantly. At worst, during a somewhat weird time of excess oil from an economic war, the Volt is comparable to a Prius for fuel costs (likely cheaper for maintenance). With small effort, or in certain states, it will almost always be cheaper. On top of that, the Volt is just a nicer, more refined place to spend time. There is no way it should be a "B."
Another thing you're missing out on is the fact that even if your electricity is coal-powered, you're still using American electrons. So that means less money going to places that don't quite like us (not that I'd disagree entirely on their hatred), and you're supporting American jobs. And if you have solar, now your really getting as close to "Zero emissions" as possible, which is a big thing for some people.
Also, gas prices jump all over the place. If gas starts jumping back up to $3-4 a gallon nationwide, suddenly even a Prius will be more expensive to fuel up compared to a plug-in unless you have ridiculously high electric rates. And a Prius will only really start being cheaper if you're driving about 150 miles or more, in which case you may need to move closer to work cause that's one heck of a long commute.
And there's the convenience factor. Yes, it takes hours to charge up the Volt, but it's charging while I'm in my house eating, sleeping, surfing the web, playing games, watching tv/movies, etc. And thanks to the electric heater/ac, you can safely preheat/cool the Volt in the garage without worrying about carbon monoxide buildup or someone stealing your car while it's warming up unattended (in fact to remote start you have to press the lock button first on the key fob).
I see your error in math. The Volt has an 18 KWH pack BUT will only let you use about 12KWH before swapping to Gas. The rest is held in reserve to protect the battery pack from full discharge that would damage it. My first gen Volt has a 16.5 KWH pack but only allows me to use 10.5 KWH before swapping. The 56 mile range is with just the 12 KWH portion. 12 X.12 is $1.44. I am about to roll over 12.000 on 10.g gallon of gas.
Actually Dan, you can use 14 kWh in the Gen 2 Volt before the gas engine kicks in.
Thank you for the most informed, well thought through review of the chevy volt. Now i'm off to watch the rest of your videos.
I didn't realize that the Volt was essentially a fully electric car with a gasoline generator; I always assumed it was a Hybrid with an eCVT. I think that's actually an amazing way to get people into electric cars because you completely avoid range anxiety, get the benefits of an electric car such as the one-speed electric motor and instant torque, overall reduce maintenance while still reducing their overall dependency on gasoline. On the flip-side, it seems like manufacturers prefer to build vehicles with larger battery packs/more efficient battery packs and faster charging so we can go longer distances on all electric and completely avoid gasoline all-together.
The 2016 "Gen 2" Volt IS exactly as you initially thought it was: a Hybrid with an "eCVT". What you describe later in your comment is, in fact, what the first gen Volt was: a serial Hybrid that had excellent EV performance, but was then rather inefficient when running in ICE (gas) mode. Thus, GM changed the Volt's engine completely starting in 2016 with the 2nd gen model. This led to a slight sacrifice in EV-only performance (slower acceleration), but gave it better MPG and also didn't require the use of higher octane gasoline. Simply put, the 2nd-gen Volt is much more pragmatic design, very similar in design and function to that of a plug-in Prius. They both use an "eCVT" consisting of planetary gearsets and a parallel hybrid.
@@FARFolomew excellent description! I am currently debating whether to buy a used 16-19 volt or a BMW i3 with range extender for daily commiting of 100miles. Tips?
@@Mechanix360 I have a friend who has the BMW i3, with DC fast charging provision and a range extender. He has a later model, 2020 I think, which gives him up to 120 miles of range. With that much range it actually makes sense having DC fast charging. And then of course having that range extender for trips allows you to realistically get by with only one car. So yeah that BMW i3 would be my choice. As much as I like the idea of a Volt, having been driving a Bolt the past two years, I try to do as much driving on EV as I can, and I hate the idea of using a gas car, as snobby as that may sound. But I also live in an apartment, so I need an EV with a big battery, as I can’t charge it every night. If you can charge every night, then a Volt may be a great choice. I will say, tho, that the Volt is old now and there’s a lot of very cheap used Bolts out there that I’d be hard pressed not to get instead.
@@FARFolomew nice! Are BMW batteries reliable do?
I think in general all newish (~2015 and later) batteries are reliable. The first few years after EVs came out, around 2011, they were still understanding cooling concepts and stuff, but now it’s decent. 2017 or ‘18 should still have some OEM warranty for a few more years, for peace of mind anyways. But yea, I wouldn’t worry too much about the battery. At worst, you’re looking at maybe 15-20% range loss at 10 year mark
Thoroughly enjoy and look forward to all your reviews. thank you.
Your range and fuel economy will depend on how you drive the Volt. I have hit 138 mpg many times. Just slow down in advance for the stops and don't press the pedal to the floor after stopping. You can drive 60 miles without gas or, at least I can. The road is loaded with idiots who are racing between stops. If you ignore the idiots and drive like a responsible adult, you will save energy, tires, brakes, and most times, you will end up right behind that fool that passed you miles down the road. That other guy is probably trying to prove something while blowing smoke and making unnecessary noise. His tail pipe is most likely sticking out: how embarrassing!
I've been waiting for this review, extremely useful, thanks.
Great review, Alex. I also enjoyed your Audi E-Tron review. Well done and thorough.
One point in this review (others may have already pointed it out), the cell phone holder in the center console is actually a wireless charger if your phone supports wireless charging.
My favorite part of all your videos is when you close the trunk on yourself while you're inside! Also, great reviews, some of the best on youtube, thanks!
Outstanding review and spot on based on my experience. I've been driving a 2016 Generation 2 Volt since early November and have loved every mile.
+bilmat1448 Just you or do you have a family that you cart around? If so, how does it work for you guys?
+Jeff D Just me. I think it's a wee bit too small for a family of four unless it includes two young children.
+bilmat1448 Thanks. My kids are (nearly) 2 and 6. We'll probably add a larger vehicle (such as an SUV or *gasp* minivan) in a couple of years but, for now, if we need something bigger, we usually rent.
bilmat1448
You wouldn't want to sit in back if you're tall, but if you're not a big / tall person, then it's not bad in the back seat.
i have a 2013 volt and my mpg is 120 in the past 1,400 miles and have only used 9 gallons. A for economy trust me !!!
Good review, Alex!
id like to see Chevy make an all electric Volt that has a battery that is flat at the bottom of the car, kind of like their Bolt
Perhaps they can bring back the Volt in 2023-2024 as a pure EV
I like them so much that I have two.
The smart phone holder you mentioned was missing a detail, on some versions this is a wireless charging area for phones that are equipped...
Amazing review new sub
nice aero dynamic shape
Great review, thanks
The Volt is a very nice looking car. They catch my eye when I see one in our small city. However for our family the Volt falls short. Our top three items are 1) MPG 2) Cargo Space 3) spare tire. When all of these three items are deemed satisfactory we are then willing to take a closer look.
1) The Volt mpg rating is fine, especially for shorter trips where the EV can be used 100%. For long trips the MPG rating drops down but overall the Volt is a win for mileage.
2) Cargo space of less than 11 Cu Ft is just insufficient for us. This is a hatchback but has less space than most sedans. Sedans generally have smaller cargo space than hatchbacks but in this case the Volt doesn't make the mark.
3) No spare tire. I simply won't buy a car without a spare tire. I've read where many Volt owners keep a spare tire/wheel in their garage in case they need to call home for someone to bring it to the car which has a flat. Others have purchased components to have a spare in the cargo space. Of course that means taking away precious space that is already limited.
The 2016 Malibu makes much more sense. It has high mpg, better cargo space, and there is a wheel well for a spare which can be purchased separately.
While I do like the looks of the Volt I generally don't pay much attention to the external looks. I'm more interested in the internal features.
John Donaldson
All hybrids that I've seen, have no spare tire.
Get used to it. I'm going to buy a spare tire for mine, but most people nowadays can't change a tire anyway.....they call and have it done.
It's a fantastic car....I'd say give it a shot.
It has pretty good cargo space, but hey, it's a commuter car that you can take a trip with.
I'm more than happy with mine.
We also have a '14 Ford Fusion Hybrid Energi, and it's also been a great car.
Fusion hybrid doesn't have a spare either, and some new cars that aren't hybrids, don't come with one.
Not a single problem with either car, but the Volt has a few advantages;
A: It gets far better EV range, at about 50-60 miles.
B: Even though the Fusion is a larger car, it has less cargo room in the trunk.
C: The Volt is much quieter, when the engine is running.
I drive about 94-100 miles per day, and my lifetime fuel economy is at 99 MPG.
On Tuesday, I drove 94.3 miles, got 102 MPG, using .92 gallons of gasoline.
54.1 miles were on the battery, and about 40.1 miles were powered from gasoline.
Even when I'm only running on the gasoline engine, I get 44-46 MPG....that's nothing to sneeze at.
Bravo, Alex.
Alex is a legend he knows his stuff !!!!!!!⚡️🚗⚡️
I appreciate your review detail!
Alex, regarding your comment on the i3 REx range at 24:30, the REx doesn't get the full 81 miles of all-electric range that the BEV does -- it gets 72 miles of all electric range (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_i3). It has to carry that extra weight.
+Jens Hube Actually in our tests the REx managed 82 miles of EV range when driven moderately
+Jens Hube BOTH your numbers are wrong. The Official 2016 EPA stickers say i3 BEV == 72 and REX == 66 miles until the battery runs out. Their combined MPGe is 111 and 107 respectively. So there's a difference but not drastic
.
I'd still rather have the REX as it can go 140 total miles and be recharged with gas in just 1 minute
.
Nice Job Alex. I like this car but would probably buy a Malibu Hybrid before this one based on the interior and trunk volume.
Superb review.
Thumbs up review, very thorough. Although you should have mentioned that if you live in a city and you commute 10-20 miles per day, you can go forever on electricity. I know people who filled their Volt in April, then again in... December. I don't know what would it takes to give this a A for economy. Moreso since this is the use case for which this car was designed.
Still, very good review.
Excellent video on a Volt. Probably the best.
Alex....
Your opinion on what you would buy or what car you prefer from a used 2017 Chevy volt or a 2017 BMW I3 rex?
Anyone try both cars, and prefer one or the other?
question: when u mention the power specs of the 2 individual electric motors, they total up to 180hp and 309ftlbs torque so how did chevy come up with 149hp 294tq ?
When I need a serious and accurate review.... Alex on Autos.
Alex. your review is the best on the tube.. keep up the good work.. I tested a 2017 largely based on your tutorials, and then really liked it.. now its in my driveway..Oh.. radar cruise was worth the wait..
my observations:
I am getting 43.5 in Hold mode average at 60-70mph. I commute 185miles one way once a week with no charging capability most of the time. When I am sure Im going to exceed the range, I switch over to hold mode when up to speed on the highway, and switch back when exiting the highway. Usually leaves about 20miles of electric. Then on the way home I do the same, but using the navigation system or phone nav, I switch over to electric when the range equals the distance to go. It usually works out about right with 0 or 1 or 2 miles left to go, and the car by then is also cooled down. I will be interested to see how it does over the winter.
I have recently found a parking garage near work that has 110v, so that has been a boost to mpgE..
I really like the car.. the compromises that GM made are ok, but I wish they had used the malibu motors and gained a little more efficiency. at 70 degrees, and using very gentle throttle technique, I have done up to 60 miles, but as low as 40 so far. It depends on speed, terrain, and climate.
The miles remaining seem to be calculated at 45-50mph, as I get less above it and more below it..
Goose F16 - The miles remaining are calculated strictly on your car's recent driving history, not on some set of assumptions about future speed. - Rex F100, F105, F4
the VOLT is a far superior car than the Prius. The Volt has the right idea as well as approach. When you run out of battery and are supposedly using gas, you still use the battery for all traffic conditions and it WILL recharge over a longer trip. Truly the correct approach.
Bigger gas tank, And runs on Regular gas, not that Premium stuff like last Volt.
Love the detail
Fantastic review Alex, as ever. Now if I could just get GM to produce the Volt in right hand drive so I can buy one here in Australia as a Holden like they did with the first gen model. I can't believe they can make so many improvements then decide not to sell this new model Down Under. Madness!!!
+Crosshead1 THE first gen Volt was a flop in Europe and Australia. That's why it was discontinued. No company will continue selling a car if the locals are not buying
.
+electrictroy2010 Yes I know the first gen Volt was a sales flop in Australia, and for a whole lot of reasons, including that we have a government that can't see the sense in providing financial incentives to buy EVs. But the second gen Volt is so much better, the car the first gen should have been. GM's marketing people have a lot to learn. They are a long way behind their engineers.
Could you do a review regarding safety features i.e. lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, etc.?
I know it's an old video, but would it be possible to add the links and timestamps to the description of the video, since RUclips removed annotations?
What is your technical background or education alex? Ive always wonderred because you are good at explaining tech.
We in 2023 and still my dream hybrid car.
7/10 for the trunk? I'd give an 8/10.
Same, with the two back seats down I took new a 163cm television home, box and all! Also there have been a few times I've taken home several hundred pounds of bagged topsoil and peat moss with the seats down, that hatch can definitely swallow some cargo! It does all this without looking like a potato like other hybrids. If I had full use of the rear compartment without that huge plastic floor support thing and electronics under the carpet and 12vdc battery back there I would have given it a 9/10!
The best car I've ever owned.
How so?
With the Phone Holder, you didn't mention that it supports wireless charging for certain android phones. A really neat (if a bit trick) feature.
Great bit of information, thanks for mentioning that. Dealer didn't even know that around here.
I'm pretty sure it's not in parallel mode when the gas engine isn't running.
I would really like to purchase this car. The EV capability can get me to and from work without a charge. So unless I leave town I won't be burying any gasoline.
Hi Alex, Will you review the 2016 LEAF? Your only LEAF review is from 2013 -- thanks!
Does anyone know the answer to this question? Suppose I purchased a volt and took advantage of the federal tax credit. Could I resell the vehicle the following year? Is there any downside to doing this? I'm looking to get a telsa model 3 and need a temporary car, so I'm hoping to take advantage of the federal tax credit again for the following year on the model 3.
Alex, I don't think this Car should receive a B in economy. I think of it this way, after you get all the rebates and tax credit, this Car about $23000 at base trim(which similarly equipped to a mid trim compact sedan). Compare to things like a Civic/Corolla (~$21000 mid trim.), you get better GAS efficieny, you get 53 miles of EV range, and you get a MUCH quieter ride. Compared to a Prius (~$25000), I would rate the Volt and the Prius at similar level of overall efficiency depending on the type/length of your commute. However, the Volt is head and should above the Prius in terms of accelerating and driving dynamics.
+flashwaver IT is cheaper to drive a Prius 50 miles ($1.90) then to drive a Volt in
EV mode ($2.22). As an electrical engineer I agree with Alex's B
rating since the monetary savings are less
.
+electrictroy2010 Well I don't know where you live, but gas is still well over $2.2 over here in SF Bay Area.
elec....2010 - 50 miles in Volt is nominal 13.2 kWh (for me it's 10 to 11 kWh). @ 12 cents per kWh that's considerably less than $1.90. Did you you want to figure in oil and filters, timing chain service, etc. for the Prius on an economy comparison? I'm not down on Prius, I've owned 2. I'm way up on Volt economy.
Hi Alex, I've been following your reviews for years and I really appreciate your attention to the types of auto features that most of us care about (especially your awesome "trunk comfort index"). I'm considering one of these and wanted to know how you think something like this would fit in with a family of four (two small children, one going on 6 and one soon to be two)? For reference, we've been using a 2007 Prius as our primary car since returning the 2011 Leaf we were leasing.
Thanks!
+Jeff D It should be fine. The middle rear seat is tight but at least the Volt finally has one.
+Alex on Autos Thanks! How well would it fit a large roller suitcase (i.e. the kind that would have to be checked in on a flight) and a large roller duffle in the trunk? Would there be enough room for to large handle bags (kinda like shopping bags)?
+Jeff D That should be fine
+Jeff D THE car that saves you the most money is the one with the lowest
pricetag. For example the Ford Focus with 1 liter engine gets 44 mpg
and only cost 16,000 dollars. Versus the Prius or Volt you would be
saving 10 or 20 grand from the very first day
.
+electrictroy2010 Thank you for your comment. Saving money is not a primary motivation of mine. I have...other considerations...when purchasing a vehicle. When I got my Prius back in 2007, it was the right decision to make at the time. However, if I had to do it over again knowing what I know now, I would have kept the Mazda 3 I owned at the time and waited for the Leaf instead. I saved far more money (and gas) in my Leaf than any other car I've ever owned. However, as a one car family, a Leaf by itself won't cut it. Hence replacing the Prius with a Volt.
Hi Alex, great review on the new Volt. Question for you did you feel there was enough head and leg room in the back seats? I'm really concerned about this since I want to buy a EV this year. Also I'm torn between two cars to buy, the new Volt or BMW I3. Since you have driven both which one would go for and purchase? Was one car more fun to drive?
+Samba65 Hi. When I sat in the back seat, I found I had a decent amount of leg room with the front seat all the way back. However, my head was touching the roof when sitting up. For reference, I'm 5'10 (1.77 m). I think it'll work in a pinch for short trips with tall people, but for long trips, tall folks will probably start getting neck cramps.
Alex, any plans to do one on the new 2016 Toyota Tacoma.?
Another great review but all the different types of hybrid vehicles makes for one muddled mess...serial...parallel, plug-in hybrid, pure hybrid, all electric...enough to give most buyers a migraine headache.
In 2021, I want my next vehicle to be either a Volt or a Honda Clarity. Thoughts on which one?
A little late responding to this, but the Volt is out of production. 2019 is the latest year, however, you will be able to find great used deals on it, and it's been a very reliable car in general, so you can't go wrong with it. The Honda Clarity is also a great car. Its serialized hybrid EV drive mode makes it a more fun car to drive, as it drives basically like a full EV, but then also having a gasoline engine for extended range. The only potential issue with the Clarity vs that of the Volt is that of reliability. Despite it being a Honda, the Clarity uses a different and possibly more complex transmission, relying on a clutch, whereas the Volt has the bulletproof "eCVT" planetary gearset design, effectively the same found in the uber-reliable Prius. Plus, I think a used Honda Clarity is much more expensive than a used Volt. However, if you can find a Clarity around the same great price as a Volt, I would not hesitate to buy it!
did you measure the sound levels, other reviews you have done give a decibel number
Just call them what they are, they are a hybrid. If they use gas they are a hybrid. And the gas motor can directly engage to the transmission. Its just done a little differently that other hybrids.
Dealers never charge the car, so you never get a test ride in pure EV mode.
I'd say the A3 E Tron competes with it as well.
Does anyone know if you can charge the volt to 100% battery while driving using the gasoline engine?
@Alex on autos, what is the decibel level? I never heard you mention the db level
Yes Alex...be consistent, give us Decibel readings and mpg on each car... As opposed to an A or B.
I really want to buy a used Volt but I question it’s reliability. Anybody own or knows someone who owns a Volt and can vouch for it reliability?
The battery has a 100k or 8 year warranty, believe it’s transferable. There’s a volt owners forum and a facebook page if you want to look at peoples issues
The 2018 chevy bolt is priced at $19K now and Fianna came down in price!
Alex:
1. Does the gas engine power the electric motor, and the electric motor powers the drive shaft causing the wheels to turn? Is that why you can maintain good acceleration when switching from electricity to gas?
2. How are things like oil changes, transmission fluid, handled in the Volt?
The gas generator powers the electric motors (2). The car is always propelled by the electric traction motors, so it retains the characteristics of an electric car, even when gas is being used to generate power. This is where it differs from most of the other hybrids, If I"m not mistaken. The second generation car's gas generator also propels the car after the battery is depleted, or rather at its buffer point.
Oil changes on the first generation car is once every two years. Other than that it's tire rotations. Chevy paid for most of them. This is a seriously economical car to own, but that's not most of why I like it. I'm on my second.. The reality for me is that the gas savings (at CA prices) basically pay for the lease payment monthly. Mobil just wrote to tell me I no longer qualify for their VIP club because I'm not buying enough gas.. That made my day!
Link for the infotainment system does NOT work; thanks 08:25
I'm torn between this and a E-Golf. They're both priced similarly and I don't have ant range worries or limitations here in SoCal. Which should I get?
wait for the bolt.
B rating for economy? That's unfair. When driving less than 50 miles round trip it's an A+, after that it's an A. Rating it a B isn't justified.
+imlkrsfn I disagree. When in EV mode the Volt is 25% less efficient than other EVs available and when running on gasoline it's 25% less efficient than the Prius so a B makes sense. As I said the Prius is a compromise, when you're in EV mode you're carrying around extra weight with the engine that reduces efficiency and in hybrid mode GM gives up efficiency to permit longer EV range.
+Alex on Autos I respect your opinion Alex. Still I think it would be more appropriate to compare the Volt to other plug-in hybrids, of which it's the most efficient except for arguably, the i3 REx, which has its own compromises.
+Dylan Luhowy The trouble is the Volt isn't really like the other plug in hybrids. The Plug in Prius (on hiatus) and the Plug In Accord (also on hiatus) were more efficient when in gasoline mode than this, and the current Hyundai Sonata Plug In hybrid is also more efficient on gasoline. The i3 REx was more efficient in EV mode in our tests than the Volt but less efficient than the Volt in gas mode. The trouble with comparisons however is that the Volt acts like an EV when in EV mode (the other plugins don't except the i3) and it acts like a regular hybrid in hybrid mode (the i3 excepted again) this means comparisons to both pure EVs and non-plug hybrids are valid in a way that those same comparisons don't really work between a C-Mac Energi and a Leaf.
+Alex on Autos If there were a standard way of blending EV-mode and Hybrid-mode economy, like blending City and Highway fuel economy into Combined economy, it would make these sorts of comparisons much easier. It's a difficult thing to do because YMMV so widely.
+Dylan Luhowy IT is cheaper to drive a Prius 50 miles ($1.90) then to drive a Volt in EV mode ($2.22). As an electrical engineer I agree with Alex's B rating since the monetary savings are less
.
The Volt is basically an electric Buick Verano. Compare it to that when comparing price, not the Chevy Cruze.
I thought the Santa Cruz mountains were in central California... Are you referring to Montara mountain? I always think of Santa Rosa as more NorCal. But what do I know I'm from Texas.
+Antonio Castillo Depends on who you ask and whether you split the state into two or three
Great review - How is the heating system? - Thanks!
mikelieber1
My heating system is good, in the '19 Volt.
I personally like the look better than the Honda Clarity. I feel the Volt looks sportier.
Extended Range Electric vehicle. Can be a purely electric car, unless you run out of battery - in that case, it swelled sky switches to gasoline (which powers a generator, which charges the battery to feed the electric motor to the wheels).
So basically this car can be pure electric. Or gas-powered when you need it to be. Pretty good deal for most people who would only run on electric power for their commute, but could still take this on road trips.
Let's be real though, most people will cross shop this with the Prius because they're both fuel savers, just with a different way of doing it.
+Autos Fan VOLT is a hybrid. Two power sources == hybrid
.
When will you do the Malibu Hybrid?
@Alex on autos, it says to click here for the infotainment review but you can't actually click on it. Can you help?
Alex ,Great review of the 2016 Volt ! I been debating between the 2017 Chevy volt when it arrives in my area and the 2016 Toyota Prius . I love EV 's in general but I need one vehicle that I can drive long trips when I travel . The Tesla is to expensive , maybe the Model III when it comes out in 2 years or so. My daily total round trip is 61 miles and I live in a relatively warm climate along the Gulf coast of the US. Just wondering which Venice would be more efficient to own either the 2017 Chevy Volt or the New Toyota Prius I've been research the volt and other can achieve better EV only milage if speeds and climate considerations are right than the stated 53 EV miles . What's your thoughts between the Prius and the volt on which one would be better from a daily running cost perspective ?
Thanks,enjoying the Reviews !
Joe
That would depend on your area. I've been deciding between the two cars myself as well and for me, in Vancouver, BC, Canada, the volt works better. Electricity is cheaper than gas (104.9 per liter or 3.96 per US gallon versus 11.9c/ kwh @ step 2 pricing). I'm also getting solar panels installed soon so hopefully it'll produce enough power to keep me at step 1 pricing which is 7.5c/kwh.
Is it enough to recoup the costs within 5 years for me? Maybe not but I drove the volt and currently driving a 2010 prius. The volt is so much smoother and quieter, not to mention, it has android auto soon which are big pluses for me. And my commute is about 60km (40 miles) which makes further sense for me to go for the volt. But those are just a few factors you should consider.
+TechExplorer THE car that saves you the most money is the one with the lowest pricetag. For example the Ford Focus with 1 liter engine gets 44 mpg and only cost 16,000 dollars. Versus the Prius or Volt you would be saving 10 or 20 grand from the very first day
.
+TechExplorer Hi. Honestly, I'd have to say that it depends. You stated that your round trip is 61 miles. If you have access to a charger at your destination that provides free or inexpensive charging, the Volt is probably the way to go. However, if you do not have access to a charger, a "traditional" non-plug hybrid may be a better choice.
I'd actually recommend either the Honda Accord hybrid or Chevy Malibu hybrid. Both get 47 MPG combined and are probably a good deal more comfortable than a Prius (and better looking than the 2016 Prius - honestly, what was Toyota thinking?!). Sure, the Prius is rated at 52 MPG, but keep in mind that a 5 MPG increase in mileage translates into very little gas savings over the Accord or Malibu.
Good luck in your car shopping! :)
+electrictroy2010 good point !
+TechExplorer the car runs 3x more efflicient in ev mode (something like 105 mpge) than gas mode in warm weather (45+ degrees). above those temps you will get close to 50 mile range ev meaning you will get mostly ev efficiency over course of your 60 miles. below those temps, you will get more like 40 mile range in ev mode and your percentage of ev miles will be much lower for the volt
Probably a very nice car to drive, and very luxurious in top trims. Very carlike and appealing, but it didn't do well in the Motor Trend comparison vs the new Toyota Prius. The Prius overachieved while the Volt underperformed. And it still doesn't seat 5.
+Bitcoin Video University IT seats 4 adults and 1 child/teen...... which is what owners requested: To be able to squeeze-in that 5th child or teen for short trips to the school, or babysitter, or whatever
.
This really should be rated an A++ for fuel economy. Who drives more than 50 miles in a day?
Uber drivers
I drive 54 miles total to and from work.
if you plug a solar panel in the 12 volt car jack would it recharge the battery or not?
12V battery, yes. Not the high voltage battery. The high voltage battery is designed to charge the 12V battery, but not the other way around.
*****
why dose the 12 volt have to be shitty lead acid instead of li-po like the main battery? it makes things more complicated by having two bat types