Only when you get closer can you see that the grille is blocked off and the shape is one big swoopy line. It did give a nice spark when I unplugged it from the wall, but otherwise, easy as pie.Īt first glance, the Volt looks almost like every sedan on the road. I found it in the parking lot by one of the few outlets. Then again, remember how much the first iPods cost?ĪSSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: This was also the first time I've been in the Volt for an extended period. The big question is, will people pay for this technology? More than $43,000 is Cadillac and Corvette territory. It does help to know your vehicle and plan accordingly. Power from the 1.4-liter is decent, and I had little trouble defeating other cars as we jockeyed for lanes. Despite the added girth, it's OK in corners and easily holds expressway lines through curves. ![]() Having driven both recently, the Volt feels almost like a paperweight. It's heavier than the Cruze and the Buick Verano, which share versions of this platform. As it is, it's nice only having to use gasoline some of the time. Conversely, if I could have charged it at home, it would have been nearly spot-on. Really, that's not a complaint the car did what it was supposed to, though the mileage didn't quite measure up in brisk expressway driving-it's just the reality of my life circumstances right now. Obviously, that left nothing for the return trip in, and I had nowhere to charge it at my apartment complex. I had a full charge indicated when I set out from work in the evening, and it was cashed before I finished my commute, which is about 27 miles to the suburbs. I am not exactly the Volt's target customer, (for a variety of reasons, actually, including my lust of horsepower), but I simply live too far away from our downtown Detroit office to truly make the most of the powertrain. Props to Chevy for a sporty, dual-cockpit layout, too. The screen is clear and informative, and it tells the driver what is happening during braking and acceleration that's different in the Volt than a regular car. ![]() The electronics, especially the touch controls on the instrument panel that work without buttons, are a cool feature, and much easier than MyFord Touch. It's to accommodate the T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack, but it looks sporty, offers plenty of room and makes for a nice atmosphere. ![]() The interior has been an area I like, and it continued to resonate with me. But Chevy didn't launch the Volt to compete with its own supercar, and for what it is-an efficient, decent-looking sedan-the car measures up. NEWS EDITOR GREG MIGLIORE: No range anxiety, just engine envy for me on this night as I shot out of the garage at One Autoweek Tower in the wake of a V8-powered Chevrolet Corvette, packing four more cylinders and gobs of power.
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