2016 Chevrolet Volt - Edmunds Road Test

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  banhugh Member Posts: 315

  January 2016

  What are the numbers for the new Volt?

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  daryleason Member Posts: 501

  January 2016

  What's it like when it switches over to the gas engine sound wise? I don't want to know the decibel changes...I mean, what's it like? Is it surprising, where all of a sudden, you start hearing the engine? Is it jarring? Does the car have a warning sound that plays before the engine engages?

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  kirkhilles1 Member Posts: 863

  January 2016

  That's surprising. I'd think it'd be nearly silent until the engine needed to start up. Is it wind noise or tire noise or what?

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  hacefrio Member Posts: 29

  January 2016

  @banhugh: we haven't had new Volt at track yet for full testing, which includes dB measurements.
  
  @daryleason: electric-to-gas handover is pretty seamless. If you weren't listening for it, you probably wouldn't know it happened until a few minutes later when you'd notice a new, slight hum in the cabin. It's not jarring, there's no discernible engagement shock, and there's no warning chime (none that I heard anyway; perhaps there's an option for it in the settings). They've basically dialed out everything we disliked about the last powertrain package.
  
  @kirkhilles1: it IS nearly silent when you're running on electric, as you say, basically just tire noise. I wasn't running long on electricity (battery wasn't fully charged), so my impressions were more limited to a highway drive on gas engine.

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  longtimelurker Member Posts: 455

  January 2016

  You know, I see all kinds of people say this is a deal killer, that's a deal killer...with regards to the Volt, but I have to say...for the typical American commuter, who also takes a half-dozen longer trips a year, this car can work very well. With the average American commute to work, during the week, it costs you next to nothing to run, and then when you take the 500-mile-a-day road trip, it's up to doing that, too.
  
  You take the whole range anxiety/search for public charging points part away, and you go, "here - just plug this cord into it every night when you pull into the garage." "Hmm...I can handle that - good to go."

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  sharpend Member Posts: 177

  January 2016 edited January 2016

  Sheesh. All those dB numbers yet none for the new Volt. WTF.

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  txtdinerd Member Posts: 4

  January 2016

  The Volt regardless of model year would still be driven at least 80 percent of the time on gasoline as after the battery charge is depleted for whatever portion of my daily 250 to 350 miles a day, the ICE will be propelling me. Also, passenger capacity of driver plus 3 for 2015 and earlier or driver plus 3.5 passengers for 2016 models does not work when I need true driver plus 4 passenger seating. I also have more cargo on a regular basis than what would fit in a typical trunk let alone the hatch area of the Volt of any model year.
  
  Looking at those factors plus diesel being only slightly more than regular unleaded gasoline and significantly less than premium gasoline, the Volt is also not for me. Also, the maximum possible range for the Volt is less than what my VW Jetta TDI SportWagen has under the worst conditions. I would have to stop more often for fuel than I do now as well.
  
  All this being said, it does fit the needs of some people, so it is not a bad vehicle. Rather it is simply a vehicle that does not fit my specific needs.

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  flinthillsnatv Member Posts: 1

  February 2016

  Mileage efficiency is more of a function of the drivers culture and driving habits than a function of the car. Cost is definitely a regional issue with CA electric prices nearly twice what EPA uses to estimate annual savings. Electricity is more expensive than gasoline unless your eletricity supplier has a very special rate. Great car

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