[wx4gps]

I was shopping around for a 2nd vehicle, and considering a used 2014/2015 Chevy Volt for under $15,000 or leasing a new volt for 39 months. And I got the latest buyers guide from Consumer reports, stating the newer generation has poor reliability, and I had the impression that reliability has been good on the 1st generation. I know its a new redesigned car, is it best to go with a later first generation then getting a 2nd year 2nd generation in your opinion?

Thanks,

Ron in Kentucky

p.s. There is someone in Georgetown, KY with a volt that I have been trying to flag down to ask how they like there 1st get, but the car as more acceleration then my car and I usually can't keep up with them in my little 4 cylinder CVT I drive now.

 

[hellsop]

I was shopping around for a 2nd vehicle, and considering a used 2014/2015 Chevy Volt for under $15,000 or leasing a new volt for 39 months. And I got the latest buyers guide from Consumer reports, stating the newer generation has poor reliability, and I had the impression that reliability has been good on the 1st generation. I know its a new redesigned car, is it best to go with a later first generation then getting a 2nd year 2nd generation in your opinion?

Thanks,

Ron in Kentucky

p.s. There is someone in Georgetown, KY with a volt that I have been trying to flag down to ask how they like there 1st get, but the car as more acceleration then my car and I usually can't keep up with them in my little 4 cylinder CVT I drive now.

Personal opinion: Gen 2 cars are all ~$25k for LT and ~$30k for Premier. That's a lot more money if you're even considering a Gen 1 as possibly acceptable. The improvements are nice, but you won't see non-salvage ones for $15k until the first of the Gen 2s start coming off of leases. (And in spite of it all, I don't think anyone will ever drive enough gas miles to make up the difference between premium and regular gas if the car price difference is $10k. Not even Erick.) There's nothing lacking in a 2014, and you can use any room in your budget to get a better appointed one. Seat heaters and Bose are nice, y0.

 

[obermd]

The 2016s seem to have had issues. The 2017s, especially the later built ones seem to be rock solid. The problem now is that based on CR's past patterns they won't go back and update their report until at least the 2019 model year.

 

[TheBlueFlash]

Is it just me or does this exact same question get posted like once a week?

I have a 2016 with 23k miles and haven't had a single issue. CR is crap. Blah blah blah. There are many topics on this bro, check'em out.

 

[bjrosen]

The 2016s seem to have had issues. The 2017s, especially the later built ones seem to be rock solid. The problem now is that based on CR's past patterns they won't go back and update their report until at least the 2019 model year.

Ditto on that. The Gen2 is significantly better than the Gen 1, much more electric range, better ICE, has Android Auto. I would never consider a Gen 1 unless you can't afford a new car.

 

[AZ EV Driver]

Wouldn't it be nice if CR would give some detail to reports of "poor reliability". For example, car doesn't move is important, iPhone doesn't function like you want is NOT important, or TPMS reports "incorrect" tire pressure due to lack of proper programming. Yet all could be of equal value in the reliability data as issues.

VIN # B0985

 

[DonC]

This may be an obvious point, but repairs to a first generation Volt will likely be at your expense whereas repairs to a leased Volt will be at GM's. I have a first generation 2011 MY Volt but the second generation does seem better in just about every way. There were some issues when the second generation was first released, but apart from that I can't say that the second generation seems any worse than the first generation, which was above average.

On thing I have noticed is that when people get the Volt all sorts of slightly odd issues get reported as problems, which doesn't happen with an ICE vehicle. I think it's just knowing the Volt has all this new technology that sets people slightly on edge, making them feel that every slight oddity is a forewarning of a catastrophe. Overstated for sure but you get the idea. LOL

 

[firehawk72]

I was shopping around for a 2nd vehicle, and considering a used 2014/2015 Chevy Volt for under $15,000 or leasing a new volt for 39 months. And I got the latest buyers guide from Consumer reports, stating the newer generation has poor reliability, and I had the impression that reliability has been good on the 1st generation. I know its a new redesigned car, is it best to go with a later first generation then getting a 2nd year 2nd generation in your opinion?

Thanks,

Ron in Kentucky

p.s. There is someone in Georgetown, KY with a volt that I have been trying to flag down to ask how they like there 1st get, but the car as more acceleration then my car and I usually can't keep up with them in my little 4 cylinder CVT I drive now.

I am speaking from experience here. I had a 2012 Volt. About the only issue with those that is consistent is the dreaded "Service High Voltage System" which can be bypassed and defeated easily with the WOT sensor for $31 bucks. The older Volts were pretty much rock solid. I would purchase one without hesitation. I traded mine this spring for a 2016. My 2016 has been spectacular so far and there have been very few complaints about them. With CR, which I use and enjoy, is cars get points taken away for very dumb things sometimes. Either way, cars built today are extremely reliable and I would purchase a new Volt without hesitation.

 

[ClarksonCote]

My impression is that most of the reliability issues associated with the Gen 2 Volt were all worked out. There were some prevalent issues in the first year that needed some software updated, etc. and so the vehicle takes a hit on reliability because those updates translate to a service visit in CR's reporting. Generally, I don't think there's any "real" reliability issues on it, anymore than the next vehicle.

 

[obermd]

On thing I have noticed is that when people get the Volt all sorts of slightly odd issues get reported as problems, which doesn't happen with an ICE vehicle. I think it's just knowing the Volt has all this new technology that sets people slightly on edge, making them feel that every slight oddity is a forewarning of a catastrophe. Overstated for sure but you get the idea. LOL

This is so true. Having come recently from an ICE (2012 Cruze ECO manual) there are a lot of differences that you have to get used to. Some made me nervous at first but after a while I realized they were the nature of the beast and not issues.

 

[Rickoshay]

Is it just me or does this exact same question get posted like once a week?

I have a 2016 with 23k miles and haven't had a single issue. CR is crap. Blah blah blah. There are many topics on this bro, check'em out.

I own a 2014 and would not hesitate for one second obtaining a Gen 2. Take CR with a grain of salt. This forum is a better place for feedback imho.

2014 Volt Premium - Safety pkg 1 and 2, Navigation

 

[llninja]

I would ignore and stop reading Consumer Reports. The two times in my early life that I purchased CR's top choice, the products failed 1 month after the warranty expired. I never use CR and instead do online sleuthing across many websites and reviews to come to my own conclusions.

 

[Mister Dave]

Consumer reports reliability reports have reliability issues.

 

[bjrosen]

Look at owner satisfaction on CR, the 2017 rates 5 out of 5. Also look at the detailed reliability ratings, they are for the 2016 not the 2017, almost all categories are rated better, a couple minor things are less than the top mark, nothing is bad. It's not clear how they got their predicted reliability because none of the actual figures that they show are bad, my guess is that they don't like Chevy.

 

[obermd]

I would ignore and stop reading Consumer Reports. The two times in my early life that I purchased CR's top choice, the products failed 1 month after the warranty expired. I never use CR and instead do online sleuthing across many websites and reviews to come to my own conclusions.

And when I purchased their "don't buy" cars they ran for years with very few issues.

 

[CCIE]

The Gen1 Volt is probably the most over-engineered vehicle GM has ever made. That has translated into excellent reliability.


The Gen2 Volt has almost nothing in common with the Gen1, other than the name. And, it had some early issues. But, it seems like they've been straightened out. CR should not have released ratings for the 2016 since there weren't enough shipped to form a statistically significant sample size.

 

[llninja]

Look at owner satisfaction on CR, the 2017 rates 5 out of 5. Also look at the detailed reliability ratings, they are for the 2016 not the 2017, almost all categories are rated better, a couple minor things are less than the top mark, nothing is bad. It's not clear how they got their predicted reliability because none of the actual figures that they show are bad, my guess is that they don't like Chevy.

For decades, CR had a Japanese car bias, even long after the American cars had equalled the Japanese in quality and reliability.

 

[llninja]

The Gen1 Volt is probably the most over-engineered vehicle GM has ever made. That has translated into excellent reliability.


The Gen2 Volt has almost nothing in common with the Gen1, other than the name. And, it had some early issues. But, it seems like they've been straightened out. CR should not have released ratings for the 2016 since there weren't enough shipped to form a statistically significant sample size.

Agreed, 2016 Gen2s were only shipped to a few states (call them beta testers), and it wasn't until 2017 that the Volt was available nationwide. They also made the g2 more and more like a Cruze, less like the unique vehicle the G1 is.

Back to the OP, some of us G1 owners are biased, we love our G1 volts, can't stand the goofy front big smile with braces of the G2, but they are both great cars. The G1 has a quirky dash with way too many touch buttons, and the G2 fixes that dash with something more normal, and adds a 5th seat, for tiny people who like to straddle the hump, and an ACC option for those who insist on it. As for which is better, you have to test drive both and decide. If you can afford a new G2, I'd get it for the new warranty and knowing that it wasn't an abused car. If money is no object, and you are interested in other GM electrics, check out the CT6 PHEV (only available in a handful of states - road trip to Smirna - an Atlanta suburb is the closest location to you)or a used ELR.

As for leasing a volt, I would never lease any car, unless it was super-heavily discounted to begin with and purchasing didn't give you those uber discounts.

 

[marcusm]

My impression is that most of the reliability issues associated with the Gen 2 Volt were all worked out. There were some prevalent issues in the first year that needed some software updated, etc. and so the vehicle takes a hit on reliability because those updates translate to a service visit in CR's reporting. Generally, I don't think there's any "real" reliability issues on it, anymore than the next vehicle.

Bingo no problems at all on our 16s aside from being asked to take them in for software patching.


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[marcusm]

Consumer reports reliability reports have reliability issues.

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