[bnaccs]

Hi all-

I currently have a 2014 Volt with 37,000 miles on it. I bought it new as a leftover in 2015. I really like the car. I am tossing around the idea of possibly trading it in for a 2018 Volt while CO still offers awesome incentives. I also would like to collect on the $7,500 Federal tax credit again before it reduces, which I know may not be for some time.

So, I would love for any Gen II owners who were Gen I owners to let me know the positives and negatives that they have noticed between the two models. I am partial to the Gen I styling, but the Gen II styling is growing on me. I also have noticed on this site how much more reliable and over-engineered Gen I was, and that may not be the case with Gen II.

 

[firehawk72]

Hi all-

I currently have a 2014 Volt with 37,000 miles on it. I bought it new as a leftover in 2015. I really like the car. I am tossing around the idea of possibly trading it in for a 2018 Volt while CO still offers awesome incentives. I also would like to collect on the $7,500 Federal tax credit again before it reduces, which I know may not be for some time.

So, I would love for any Gen II owners who were Gen I owners to let me know the positives and negatives that they have noticed between the two models. I am partial to the Gen I styling, but the Gen II styling is growing on me. I also have noticed on this site how much more reliable and over-engineered Gen I was, and that may not be the case with Gen II.

Very simple, it is a nicer ride, and gets much better range. I went from a loaded 12, to a loaded 16. No regrets. People can nit pick all you want, but I have laid it out for you. There are MANY other positives like NO PREMIUM FUEL needed, and a few gripes like LOSING the garage opener, but GEN 2 is simply much more polished. If you like GEN 1, GEN 2 is simply better in practically every way.

 

[Random]

2014 Gen 1 (all opts) to 2017 Gen 2 premier (ACC +all opts), very happy that I made the upgrade. I went over mostly for the extra range, ACC, and blind spot detection. I like the idea of forward crash avoidance (FCA), but certainly would not rely on it, and it may be inferior to similar implementations by other manufacturers. To me, lane assist (LKA) and automatic parking (at least perpendicular park) are virtually useless. I like the Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) (red exclamation mark in rear display) a lot when backing out of perpendicular parking. The stock headlights are MUCH better too.

I can't quite explain it, but the Gen 1 jet black interior was a little warmer feel to me than the Brandy interior, but the Gen 2 is fine and an overall nicer ride. The Gen 2 audio sound is a huge improvement over Gen 1.

The negatives are minor to me, such as less cubbies to stow stuff away. I don't need the "5th seat" and would have preferred the Gen 1 storage area there. My Genie remote tucked in nicely at the visor, no complaints from me abt loosing homelink.

Gen 1 felt like a little personal space ship with all the buttons and lights, especially at night. But, I don't miss all the accidental key presses at the center console. Gen 2 is much more like a regular car look and feel (except of course for the quiet and exceptional low end torque). With Michelin Premier A/S tires, I could floor the Gen 1 where it took off, but never squealed. With Gen 2, for those rare moments of crazy, I have to ease in the power, then floor it to not lose traction, otherwise it squeals tires, and throws up a bunch of road dirt (the EV equivalent of "rolling coal"?). I find the Gen 2 cabin a little quieter at noisy rest stops, possibly better insulation in Gen 2. I think the heat is a bit better, but on cold days on the highway, I need to ignore the digital temperature display and just set for comfortable (heated seats work well too, and I enjoy the heated steering wheel more than I expected).

I am very happy and wouldn't go back, and have few regrets. It does hurt a little that my mint, low mileage, 2014 Brownstone was only worth $16k, and it was an effort to get $16k for it (summer, 2016). If I was bit better off at the time, for $16k, I might have just kept it.

So far, it does not feel of lower quality to me. There have been some Gen 2 loss of power reports, but Gen 1 had some brake failures ... Also, some Gen 2 brake pedal issues that fail cruise control. Mine has been perfect, since June, 2016, knock on wood!

your timing might be good ... there may be left over 2017's soon with some opting to go with the Bolt, and the 2018's coming out.

 

[norcalkrautnit]

I kind of have the same thoughts about swapping my 2015 for a 2017 end-of-year super-discount-sale. Problem is, in 2 years of ownership, I've burned about 10 gallons of fuel in total, and at least 2/3 of that was forced burn due to the monthly maintenance cycle and burn-off of stale gas in the tank. So extra range, while nice, isn't altogether necessary for my daily RT commute of 25 miles or my weekends taking my 12-yo boy to his travel baseball tournaments (mostly w/in 20 miles radius) or simple nightly errands (grocery shopping, etc.). Overnight charging at 110V/12A is all I need, and the extra expense of super-unleaded has cost me roughly $2.50 total in 2 years. In a nutshell, my 2015 Volt is the best-suited ride I've ever owned for my typical driving patterns, and, coupled with its so-far flawless build execution, there's absolutely zero practical reason to replace it. Heck, I drive it FAR more than my '02 convertible Corvette, which isn't exactly chopped liver

All that said, the Gen II's dramatically improved interior is a very-nice-to-have vs the discombobulated mess that is the Gen I's dash and center stack. It's also significantly quicker off the line, ostensibly seats 5 (though whomever you stick in the back-center seating "area" should be someone you aren't terribly fond of), and has more traditional styling (though I'm quite fond of the Gen I's exterior - it practically screams "different" and "plug in" - vs the Civic-like Gen II's). If I could essentially swap my Gen I for a new Gen II, I'd do it. But considering the major hit to the wallet such an act would cause, I'm sticking with my Gen I until a Voltec-motivated Equinox-like ride comes along. Then my oldest daughter (who'll be driving in a year anyway), perhaps gets the Volt.

Good luck with your decision. You know, of course, you can't really lose either way - your Gen I is a great car ("over-engineered", as you mentioned), and the Gen II has improved on many of the Gen I's best features. If Colorado's incentives are really that great, it may be worth considering. But the Fed tax credit will likely not even begin the 1-year countdown to zilch until the middle of next year. You've got time to think about it

 

[Dutch]

Very simple, it is a nicer ride, and gets much better range. I went from a loaded 12, to a loaded 16. No regrets. People can nit pick all you want, but I have laid it out for you. There are MANY other positives like NO PREMIUM FUEL needed, and a few gripes like LOSING the garage opener, but GEN 2 is simply much more polished. If you like GEN 1, GEN 2 is simply better in practically every way.

But the Gen II doesn't have the cool "tail hook" reverse light <grin>

 

[bjrosen]

GM should hit the 200K mark some time next year. I think that they were at the 125K mark at the end of last year which would put them around 160-165K mark at the end of this year. It looks like the Bolt has started to cannibalize Volt sales so now might be a good time to get a deal on a Volt.

 

[ZamboniMan]

But the Gen II doesn't have the cool "tail hook" reverse light <grin>

Or the Shark fin Antenna!!!!!

 

[volt spain]

Gen 2, 50% chance to get the famous "ClunK" with the ICE mode.

 

[Random]

Also, it makes absolutely no financial sense. (still glad I did it though)

 

[Sheldon]

Also, it makes absolutely no financial sense. (still glad I did it though)

Agreed. Its a fun car though.

 

[Off Oil]

I had a 2014, and switched to a 2017 Premier in December, so I believe I'm in a good position to answer this question.

For the 2014, I liked the body style better. It was more spaceship and less Cruze. I also preferred the scroll wheels on the steering wheel over the all flat buttons on the 2017. They were more tactile to use without looking. The leather seats on the 2014 were also a bit more comfortable; the 2017 has more sport bucket seating. I never really cared about the need to use premium gas in the 2014. The cost difference is really minuscule and insignificant for the amount used over the course of a year. It's amazing that people obsess about this given the tiny annual cost. I liked the smoked lower glass panel on the 2014, as it made the rear view visibility much better when in reverse.

For the 2017 I bought it fully loaded, with every option. The screen and UI is greatly improved over the 2014. Although I was one of those who like the clean capacitive buttons on the 2014, I do admit the new hybrid cockpit design is more functional. The additional range is awesome, and makes a big psychological difference. I average around 60 miles on electric, and have a 52 mile daily commute, so I'm totally electric on my daily driving. The adaptive cruise control is a wonderful thing with my commute, and it makes the drive much better. I love the blind spot detection, but really don't use the lane keeping.

So my recommendation is if you want to buy a 2017 or 2018 and keep it a long time, then I would do so, otherwise keep what you have. If Ally was willing to lower my residual to market, I would have bought out my 2014 and been blissfully happy, unaware of what I was missing. Now I'm glad they didn't deal, as I'm thrilled with my 2017.

 

[Mister Dave]

Why switch?

I can't think of a single reason, and I just got a $1K private offer on top of it. Sure, I can get it for a lot less, but my '14 serves me very well and I have plenty of other things to spend money on.

Besides, IMO it's a big step backwards on styling. I'll wait for 2020 or 2022, perhaps seeing a Buick CUV version by then.

 

[llninja]

Also, it makes absolutely no financial sense. (still glad I did it though)

Agreed. I could really use the extra ev range, but put it all into a calculator and there's no ROI other than you want a gen 2 and are willing to pay for it. When going from a gas guzzler to the gen 1, with all the incentives, and nearly $4 per gallon gas at the time, I barely broke even with the drive old or buy green analysis. The go green or go greener doesn't compute.

Plus the goofy lower grill is like a monkey smile with braces. On the other hand, we are already seeing people in this forum finding $20k deals on LT Volts now, just like in 2014-15. Calendar year 2018, when 2019 models arrive as well as cannibalization from the bolt and competition from the model 3 might enable us to see a new premiere for $16k. At that point, I'd be tempted, but I really want a bigger car with cargo. The CT plugin give you bigger with passenger space, but cargo is limited. The rumored Buick CUV would be tops on the list. A Voltec Subyukonade would be a wild wet dream.

 

[El Dobro]

Even with a $3000 private offer, it's not tempting enough to get me out of my Gen I. I'll see what Chevy offers in future Volts (if they do).

 

[canehdian]

Nothing's going to get me out of my gen1 unless
1) it dies in a horrible crash (and I don't)
or
2) the Voltinox (V-quinox?) finally sees the light of day

The current difference just isn't enough to warrant a trade-in.

 

[Foxtrot]

I'm another former owner of a loaded 2014 who traded to a loaded 17 last year. The 17 is just a much better, more enjoyable car for my tastes. I like the looks better. I like the redone controls which are much more intuitive and well arranged. The ACC alone is priceless if you do any stop and go driving. Blind spot detection is another reassuring level of safety. Its faster and handles marginally better. The electric range is quite a bit longer for the gen II. 60+ miles in town. Its just a much improved car.

The only really annoying negative is that the storage area is marginally narrower so our shopping cart for the farmer's market no longer fits there and not has to go in the back seat area. I also took a big hit on the trade-in getting only 16K for a pristine, low mileage car, but for me it has been worth it.

On the other hand if you just want an appliance to get you from point A to point B better than a prius and the hit to your pocketbook is more than you are comfortable with then the Gen I is fine.

 

[Upper5Percent]

I vote with the Gen1 owners holding on to a great car that has no on-going costs to me (at the moment)

Saving my bucks for a Bollinger B1...