Overview & Reviews

The Chevrolet Volt represents a voyage into uncharted waters for both General Motors and automakers in general. A so-called plug-in hybrid, the front-wheel-drive Volt is a four-door, four-seat hatchback that's motivated primarily by an electric motor good for about 40 miles of range. That's enough to get most people to work and back. Should you need to go farther, a gasoline-powered engine is aboard (it acts as a generator) to extend the car's range by as much as 300 miles and essentially turn the Volt into a regular hybrid.

Truly, the Volt represents a glimpse into the future of automotive propulsion. For those with a short commute, the concept makes a lot of sense, while the car's gasoline-powered engine gives it a notable range advantage over all-electric cars like Nissan's Leaf. Moreover, with potentially hefty government tax rebates plus a $5,000 price cut for 2014, a new Volt is more attainable than ever, with used values likely to drop accordingly. We encourage early adopters to give the innovative Volt a chance.

Current Chevrolet Volt
The Chevrolet Volt is essentially a plug-in hybrid, meaning it has the ability to run much faster and farther under electric power alone than a normal hybrid. In the Volt's case, this means up to 100 mph and anywhere from 25-50 miles without using a drop of gasoline.

Once you run out of battery juice, the gasoline-powered inline-4 engine kicks in, producing electricity for the motor and actually powering the wheels in some circumstances, stretching the Volt's range by as much as an additional 300 miles. A "Hold" feature lets you choose when to bring gas power online, allowing all-electric mode to be saved for opportune stretches.

The electric motor is rated at 149 horsepower (111 kilowatts) and 273 pound-feet of torque. Drive force is sent to the front wheels through a specialized planetary gearset.

Standard feature highlights include keyless ignition/entry, automatic climate control, a split-folding rear seatback, a six-speaker sound system and GM's MyLink system that includes Bluetooth streaming audio, voice controls and enhanced smartphone integration. Major options include low-emissions equipment so it can qualify for HOV lane access (certain states only), a rearview camera, leather upholstery, heated front seats, lane departure warning, a navigation system and a Bose sound system. Volt owners can monitor the car's status and set charging times through an online Web portal or a mobile phone app.

In our reviews, we've found that the Chevrolet Volt has satisfying zip at low speeds thanks to its electric motor, which offers abundant torque. Although the Volt corners surprisingly well due to its low center of gravity, the overall driving experience is as bland as one would expect from a car designed to maximize energy efficiency. But the Volt certainly isn't a laggard, and overall performance is similar to what you'd get from a normal four-cylinder-equipped family sedan. Acceleration is the same whether or not the gas engine is in use, but there is a noticeable (though not really objectionable) increase in noise.

Inside, the Chevy Volt features a unique dashboard layout that's part spaceship, part iPod -- and pretty darn cool. There's a high-tech gauge readout behind the steering wheel and a swoopy center stack that looks like an oversized high-end electronic device. Unfortunately, the touch-activated "buttons" can be difficult to pick out at a glance, and sometimes don't respond on first press. This is definitely an instance of form over function.

The rear seat is adequate for two average-sized adults, but there's no middle seat thanks to the T-shaped battery pack, which occupies this slot as well as part of the trunk. Cargo capacity is limited due to the Volt's rakish roof line and that hefty battery pack, though the rear seatbacks do fold down.

Used Chevrolet Volt Models
The Chevrolet Volt debuted for 2011. In this first model year it came standard with navigation and the Bose sound system; they became options the following year. Note that these early Volts had a potential battery fire issue after a particularly severe side crash. As such, you'll want to make sure any early 2011 Volt has received the needed fix.

Changes have been mostly minor since, though the 2011 and '12 Volts lack the optional low-emissions equipment and lane departure and collision warning systems found on the current model. Likewise, the "Hold" mode wasn't introduced until 2013.

User Reviews:

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  Have not been to a gas station since I bought it! - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By pjk2 - May 27 - 3:48 pm

  For 40 years I routinely went to gas stations to fill up at least every two weeks. I have not gone to a gas station in 6 months.... I only used 5.2 gallons in six months. The Chevy Volt has proven to be as good as all the awards it has received. I read that 128,000 automotive engineers from around the world SAE have voted the Chevy Volt as the BEST ENGINEERED car on the road today. I agree. The ease of which it transports me to work is like no other vehicle. The effortless acceleration is hard to explain .. I tell people .. turn off your engine and coast... that is what the Volt sounds like going up hill at full throttle! Chevy Volt ... just unbelievable.

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  Great Technology and great car - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By 53stephen - May 20 - 2:12 pm

  Purchased in Oct 2012 and have approx. 5000 miles on the vehicle as of this posting. I am 62" and fit just fine in this car. I love the fact that I can cruise up to 40 miles (depending on temp and speed) without having to use gas. This translates to 0 carbon emissions probably 75% of the time and the cost for electric versus gas in my area translates to 85-90 MPG at current premium fuel costs, so you cant beat the efficiency of the battery power. On long drives the car is smooth and comfortable. I would recommend leasing this vehicle - when 3 years are up - the technology will probably have advanced to 100+ miles before fuel is used.

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  Great car! just needs a few minor tweaks. - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By 62235volt - May 14 - 2:16 pm

  1) Driving in D utilizes slightly more kW than when driving in L. [upshift into D and see the increase on the battery draw display then shift back to L]. Use D when you want to coast instead of regen braking. 2) Needs separate SPORT MODE button. 3) OnStar needs faster data acquisition and more data viewing options. 30/60/90 day & 6 month mileage display. Yes..many of the cons are relatively minor. Yet, overall, the car functions very well to what the MAIN purpose of the intent was…to be an efficient commuter car. ..a home run in that respect. But when you add in the cons and other notes against the price of the car, I give it a strong triple.

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  5k review - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By electric77 - May 13 - 9:38 pm

  5000 miles, 5 months, and 11 gallons of fuel into owning the 2013 Volt, Im amazed at how impressed I am with this car. I nearly always make my 43 mile round trip commute without using a drop of gasoline and only about $1.40 worth of electricity. However, the best part about owning it is how well it is engineered and the smooth and silent surge of power from the electric drivetrain. Although the sticker price will scare a few people away the real price after rebates was just slightly less than a similarly equipped Honda Accord would have been. My electric range has been between 34 miles on a cold day in January and 50 mildly driven miles on a warm spring day.

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  Best car I have ever owned - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By joncab5 - May 13 - 2:00 pm

  I have had the car for 8 months and still have not yet visited a gas station. My commute is only 18 miles and I have charging abilities at work. My biggest surprise regarding this vehicle is the Chevy brand. I am not a snob, but my previous vehicles are Lexus, Porsche, BMW, MBZ and the more I read about the Volt the better it sounds. I then test drove one out of curiosity and was shocked at the build quality. It is outstanding. What most people dont understand is there is a timer on the internal charging system that allows it to start charging at midnight. In California EV owners get very, very cheap electricity starting at midnight. So I am paying very little for energy.

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  Volt Volt Baby! - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By s_shawn_l - May 3 - 3:10 pm

  Ive had my 2013 Volt for about six weeks and 2,200 miles. Typically by this time after a new car purchase, Ive found pros and cons associated with my purchase. I cant find any cons to speak of with this one (thats a first). Its everything I had hoped it would be, but more. Ive taken a couple of day trips utilizing the gas mode, and still have managed to keep my total mpg around 160. Almost every day someone asks me about my Volt it draws alot of attention. Im a rolling commercial for this vehicle. Very happy with my purchase.

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  Volt problem - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By wligon - April 28 - 5:58 pm

  My wife drove our Volt to a friends house. When she parked and turned off the car, she realized that she had parked someone in She quickly pushed the power button and shifted to reverse. Nothing happened! The power button was lit on the console but there was no power. Pushing the power button again gave the message: "initializing--wait to shift" This continued for about an hour until the car sensed the battery was running down and shut itself off . After the shutdown, it restarted and operated normally but for an hour it was dead! Chevy told us they had never seen this. We conclude you absolutely must wait for everything to come up before shifting! Software needs a fix.

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  Enjoying the first 1000 miles - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By gwtx - April 26 - 4:08 pm

  Ive had the car for a month and put on about 1,000 miles. Ive yet to put gas in the car, so from the EV perspective it works exactly as advertised. I bought it with all the bells and whistles. The interior isnt bad. Its a bit cramped and there isnt a lot of space in the back seat. The lack of electric seat adjustments is a major negative. My wife literally has to get out of the car to adjust the seat. We trade back and forth driving the car, so were constantly pumping the lever to raise or lower the seat. Its very inconvenient. The other complaint is that the voice recognition and navigation system is a complete train wreck. Simple instructions like "Drive Home" or "Destination Home" are impossible. If you dont know the exact… command name in the list, the voice recognition is completely useless. I dont understand why I can tell my phone to "drive to bass hall" and it gives me directions to the door, but the Chevy nav system completely freaks out. Then, when it tries to send you to something ridiculous, like Baskeall, TX, (I dont think such a place exists), canceling the instructions takes several minutes. You have to wait for it to calculate the results and then talk your way through several menus before you can tell it delete the waypoint. Then it asks you which waypoint to delete (of the one available). Chevy could fix this with a software download. Lets hope they do. On the plus side, the car drives very well. It doesnt have power in the traditional sense, but it really takes off. Its very smooth, nimble handling, and--of course--extremely quiet. Im glad I bought the car and will consider the ELR when it comes out. In the meantime, though, Chevy needs to do some work on the voice commands and nav system.

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  Well, done - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By jwarmuth - April 17 - 9:47 am

  This is a commuter vehicle, not a sports car, not a truck, not a travel vehicle... For what this car is designed for, the execution is near perfect. I drive less than 20 miles a day, dont live in SoCal and it does get pretty cold here in the winter. The technology is ahead of the competition. The vehicles instant torque is pretty fun off the line, it is quite, it has all sort of electronic gizmos, a appealing exterior and interior design. The vehicle is smaller, but is not a lightweight, meaning the car is pretty heavy, but if you have to pack batteries, an electic motor and an engine, this adds up. Driving in the snow could be cured with winter/snow tires

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  The most misunderstood car in America - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By pvolt - March 26 - 8:54 pm

  This is a wonderful car, plain and simple. Everyone seems to want to make it only about whether or not the battery will pay for itself but that really misses the point. This is a stylish, distinctive, comfortable car that is really fun to drive and has, as one of its many features, a minimal need for gas. It costs under $30,000 despite what everyone says. If you buy one you can get a $3,000 rebate, a $7,500 tax refund. And for $30,000 its a terrific car. I traded in a Prius V (that also cost $30,000 BTW) and its a WAY better car. I have owned BMWs, Jaguars, Audis, Mercedes and many other "fine" cars and this is different but equal or better than them all!