I officially eclipsed over 18 months of ownership of a Chevrolet Volt. This marks two important milestones for me. First, this is one of the longest ownership periods for a car that didn’t perpetually break down in the garage. Second, I have driven over 25,000 miles in that period of time. I attribute these two milestones to the joy of buying too little gas and the excitement of driving the future.
Of course, every new car has its own pros and cons. Since this is my daily driver, I’ve adjusted to some of the little nuances that someone new to the vehicle would surely pick up on. Here is a brief review of my 2012 Chevrolet Volt.
HAIRSTYLE:
The Volt will never win a beauty pageant, but compared to today’s non-Tesla electric offerings, the Volt is an attractive machine. The roofline is low and sleek thanks to a sloping rear hatch that helps offset the gigantic vertical metal slabs posing as the doorway. Seriously, those doors look one and a half times taller due to their flatness. This verticality also makes the 17 “wheels look too small for the rest of the vehicle. I think the 18” or 19 “wheels would look much better, but would have a weight penalty. The front end of the Volt is appropriately aggressive and The LED daytime running lights ensure it fits in with today’s most prolific styling trend.The rear of the Volt has a kammback design that sacrifices style for aerodynamic efficiency and is more Prius than Shelby Daytona.
INSIDE:
Black plastic everywhere! The doors are made of hard-textured plastic, as is the dash. Lest you forget that the center console is also made of this material and almost all other trim pieces. Speaking of center consoles, the center of the Volt is dominated by a large center tunnel that hides the large battery that lives underneath the car. The tunnel results in a console that extends to the rear seats and makes this vehicle strictly a four-person affair. While plastics are mostly hard, they appear to be well assembled.
TRANSMISSION TRAIN:
Finally, the part of the Volt that makes it unique from almost every other car available on the market today. Without going into too much technical detail, the Volt is a combination of an electric vehicle and a gasoline vehicle. A large 10.4 kWh battery powers electric motors to power the vehicle. When the battery dies, a gasoline engine is activated to help move the vehicle. This system works flawlessly, and in most cases it’s hard to tell when the Volt has gone from all-electric to gas-assisted modes.
WRINKLED:
The Volt is by far the quietest and smoothest vehicle you have ever driven. When I press the throttle in electric mode, there is almost silence as the vehicle quickly picks up speed. The first time I drove a Volt, the lack of engine noise while accelerating seemed almost unnatural. Yet at the same time, it was a calm and peaceful realization that moving quickly did not necessarily require moving out loud. While cruising at highway speeds, there is some wind noise, but it is on par with most entry-level luxury vehicles.
CONCLUSION:
The Chevrolet Volt and cars of this type are the future. Let’s face it, fuel economy standards will continue to rise as will emissions regulation. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing if it encourages more innovative and exciting vehicles and powertrains. I don’t think cheap and fun are mutually exclusive ideas. The Volt is far from a sports car, but it is entertaining in its own way. The near-silent driving experience, smooth acceleration, and highly efficient transmission help pave the way for interesting and exciting vehicles.