With a full load up a mountain grade, the Chevy Volt won’t win a drag race it runs out of steam rather quickly. It’s not jarring, but it delivers seamless grunt as soon as the accelerator is pressed. Those power figures don’t necessarily indicate how immediate the 2018 Volt’s acceleration is. What’s most impressive is how transparently the Volt’s drive system operates unless you’re looking at its status screen, you’ll probably have no idea how many different situations are going on underneath. The gas engine can clutch in and out to assist the electric motors if the Volt determines that it’s the most efficient setup at that time. That setup delivers power exclusively to the front wheels both motors can power them together or one can drive the vehicle while the other is used to recharge the battery. Its electric powertrain is rated at 149 horsepower and torque stands at a solid 294 pound-feet.
2018 CHEVY VOLT CANADA DRIVER
Should the driver deplete the battery, a 1.5-liter inline-4 gas engine under the Volt’s hood quietly kicks on and effectively turns the Volt into a hybrid rated at 42 mpg combined. It’s an 18.4-kwh unit supplied by LG Chem. )Ī T-shaped lithium-ion battery resides between the driver and passenger and under the rear seat. In practice, it’s not an especially great car to drive, but don’t let its ho-hum feel overshadow its impressive powertrain. Unlike the first Volt, touch-sensitive buttons have been replaced by traditional units that work well. Button placement is intuitive and we really like the 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system’s central dash integration. The Volt’s interior has a twin-cockpit design executed in black with silver accents, although two-tone interiors are optional for a hint of elegance. Clear lens taillights are a trend we’re ready to see go away, but they’re neatly integrated here. At the rear, its tail sits high to better deflect air in the most efficient manner possible. Oh, and there’s a charging port integrated into the driver’s front fender. The Volt Premier can approach luxury grade with a few options that easily push it past $40,000-but there’s a $7,500 federal income-tax credit and many states offer their own rebates or credits.Ĭhevy’s now-signature “dual grille” front fascia is here, but since the Volt doesn’t need quite as much fresh air fed to its engine bay as a gas-only car, much of what would normally be an intake is instead a matte silver plastic with a nice surfacing.įrom the side, the Volt is almost indistinguishable from the Chevy Cruze compact, aside from a slightly higher tail and a blacked-out “Volt” badge integrated into the fender. Then again, that may work well for vegans, so there’s an upside for some buyers. The Chevrolet Volt LT is well-equipped from the start, although Chevy dropped its leather-wrapped steering wheel in favor of a chintzier urethane unit this year. It’s not inherently sporty, but the battery’s central location means it has terrific balance on a twisty road. Moreover, it drives like a comfortable, smooth, and vibration-free small car with adequate power and a refined demeanor. Between an 8.9-gallon fuel tank and the battery, the Volt boasts a 420-mile range between fill-ups, meaning it can easily be driven across the country. When the battery is depleted, a 1.5-liter gas engine turns on and transforms the Volt into a conventional hybrid car capable of 42 mpg combined, according to the EPA. It delivers an EPA-estimate 53 mile range using only electricity supplied by an 18.4 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. Instead, the draw here is certainly what’s not visible.
A high belt line and thick roof pillars exacerbate this feel.ĭon’t focus too much on the Volt’s style and comfort it’s not bad looking and it’s a little cramped inside. The downside, however, is that its interior can feel cramped. That’s a good thing in our eyes the Volt doesn’t project its eco-friendliness as vocally. Inside, it’s much the same, with a dashboard that doesn’t look as wildly futuristic as, say, the Toyota Prius. At first glance, it’s almost indistinguishable from the hatchback version of the Chevrolet Cruze, although the two share little. Some equipment has been shuffled and new paint colors have been added, and the Volt still is sold in LT and Premier editions.įor this second generation, Chevy went for a much more conventional look when it came to styling the 2018 Volt. (Read more about how we rate cars.)Ĭhevy made only a few changes to the Volt for the 2018 model year. Based on its combination of eco-friendliness, crash-test scores, and a surprisingly upscale feel, we’ve rated it a 7.5 out of 10 on our scale. It was the pioneer extended-range electric car, a vehicle that eliminates range anxiety associated with, say, the Nissan Leaf while still providing tailpipe emissions-free driving in almost every situation.
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