[jupitermoon]

For a 2017 Volt LT with leather and Bose.

Got what I think is a very decent lease deal with absolutely nothing out of pocket.

The car is quite nice. It rides smoothly and seems to have great efficiency. I took possession of it on the 28th of Feb. It had 1 mile of fuel driving on it out of three miles total when I leased it.

So far I'm getting 108 MPGe lifetime and 250+ MPG on the trip. I'm not quite sure yet how to interpret the difference and it doesn't show XX miles/kWh as was being shown on my Spark EV...which I actually liked. Anyone care to explain how to really understand what I'm getting from the point of ownership? I wish there was a way to figure out how much actual total energy is being used over the lifetime.

It's taking a bit of getting used to driving it as I do prefer upright and open and airy vehicles. This is a lot lower and feels more cocooned. The front and rear are also more difficult to judge space and distance-wise.

Four minor gripes I have about the car...

A) the interior seems to be a bit "boomy"...that is to say the tire noise seems to resonate a little more than I had anticipated.

B) The suspension is a bit soft for my tastes and the car floats and wallows a bit more than I'd like over certain terrain. It would be nice if the suspension was a little tighter.

C) When coming to a stop using the brakes, the drivetrain/axle whatever you want to call it seems to have a bit of flex and the car tends to rock back and forth a tad ...i.e. just doesn't feel that tight.

D) I'm getting the impression I'm going to have to charge this thing a lot more often than my Spark if I want to avoid using fuel.

Besides that, I can't complain given the payment I'm paying on this thing with the spec it's got...particularly when factoring in the $1500 state rebate...it's a steal! I struggled to justify it over the Bolt considering it has a gasoline engine which is the part I despise. But the Bolt just seemed to a rip-off at the moment and my priorities in spending $$$ is just elsewhere.

I have to say....I will miss my Spark EV...perhaps one of the best cars I've ever owned.

Here's to the new Volt!

 

[Runion]

A) the interior seems to be a bit "boomy"...that is to say the tire noise seems to resonate a little more than I had anticipated.

------------- My 2017 volt interior seems fine. I was told that the road noise is from the type of tires on the car. they are made for economy roll so the makeup of the rubber does not exactly favor quietness. But my car is almost as quiet as my Cadillac so no complaints here.

B) The suspension is a bit soft for my tastes and the car floats and wallows a bit more than I'd like over certain terrain. It would be nice if the suspension was a little tighter.

------------ My 2017 VOLT suspension seems perfect, actually at times it seems too tight. It has a solid ride and not a lot of give. again, rides much like my Cadillac.

C) When coming to a stop using the brakes, the drivetrain/axle whatever you want to call it seems to have a bit of flex and the car tends to rock back and forth a tad ...i.e. just doesn't feel that tight.

----------- MY 2017 VOLT is very excellant when the brake is applied for regen, or when in 1 or when I use the steering wheel paddle for braking regen. There is no roll or rocking.

D) I'm getting the impression I'm going to have to charge this thing a lot more often than my Spark if I want to avoid using fuel.
----------- The VOLT is not really engineered for total electric running though in the summer I have seen 83 miles average after the charge. The Odometer verifies this and sometimes reads even higher than the GOM.
Good luck if you travel in the Winter when you use the heat, defrosters, heated steering wheel and heated seats. Your mileage range will be cut in half at best and you may need that gas engine/generator to scoot around.

The spark is a different breed of car, the suspension and tires were different so you will feel a different driving experience. Don't look for faults, the VOLT was engineered to be better than the GEN 1. Other than the 5th seat, I think they may have done just that. Enjoy the new car and its new ride charactoristics.

 

[jupitermoon]

I guess expectations are different for different people. I'm not criticizing for the sake of doing so. I like the car and bought it because I did. So I'm happy for sure. Just a few observations.

If I can get 80+ miles in the summer or most other months as I live in the LA area, I'll be very happy as I can EASILY live with that on a daily basis. I am to use less than a few gallons a year if that.

Regarding the braking, I didn't mean the regen is bad...it's actually very good and quite aggressive which I like. I do wish it would bring the car to an entire stop and not move. What I meant, however, is that when creeping along...say at a almost stand still...and I hit the break, it seems to have axle flex or something along those lines. The car feels a tad soft.

For me the ride is soft...and definitely could be a little more taught.

Overall though it's a nice, refined car for the money. I don't think I could get a better car for the price I'm paying per month for this thing.

I'm really glad I got the upgraded sound system. I do enjoy a good sounding system coming from the factory.

I'll post a few pics when I get a chance!

 

[16513]

I really dislike reading comments based on a day or two of ownership. Drive it for ,say, ninety days, then follow up. Also, you can check the forum files for different tires and you can pay to get them and stiffer springs and shocks installed tomorrow. Ride quality complaints on this forum have been very rare and that tells me that Chevy got it right for most everyone.

 

[TheBlueFlash]

Regarding the braking, I didn't mean the regen is bad...it's actually very good and quite aggressive which I like. I do wish it would bring the car to an entire stop and not move. What I meant, however, is that when creeping along...say at a almost stand still...and I hit the break, it seems to have axle flex or something along those lines. The car feels a tad soft.

Are you driving in "L" and using the regen paddle? My 2016 Volt will come to a complete stop at a traffic light if I time it correctly when I am in L and I used the regen paddle.

 

[BAZINGA]

I'm on my third Volt since March 2012 having driven almost 55K miles at OVER 94% all bettery and my only real gripe is is I wish it were a true hatchback/wagon. We have a dog and she can't jump into the rear hatch area because of the HIGH lift over. So we had to buy a Equinox.

May I suggest checking your tire pressure. I run mine at 38 PSI (set COLD) and that seemed to "tighten up" the cars handling.

Welcome aboard. And consider joining VoltStats.net.

 

[llninja]

You might be able to dampen some of the "boomy" noise with a voltshelf. Contact scarlett1 on this forum. I bought a voltshelf for my gen1 and having the cargo area covered does make the car quieter over bumps.

 

[OoPEZoO]

Definitely have to agree about the soft wallowing suspension. I've had mine since July and have about 16k miles on it so far. Overall, I love it. When I get asked about gripes, the suspension is the only neutral/negative comment I can make. Its not "bad" per say, it just handles like a REALLY heavy FWD economy car......which it is. I mean, its better than my old anemic Corolla, but nowhere near as planted as my old BMW 3-series......both were beat to hell and retired after almost 300k miles.

I will seriously consider a thicker rear sway bar and a set of aftermarket performance shocks/struts if they ever become available for the Gen2 Volt.

 

[bluzer1]

I got mine in mid-November and it turned cold quickly so I can't make a definitive statement yet.

Coming from a quattro before switching to winter tires, I noticed that turn in isn't as sharp and linear. Part of it could be the electric steering. It's slow to start then if you add input it seems to go from understeer to oversteer very quickly. A bit disconcerting but I can adjust.

The biggest issue I notice day to day is the rebound dampening is inadequate. I hope Koni makes there FSD for these struts, I'll be replacing within a few years!

 

[jupitermoon]

Are you driving in "L" and using the regen paddle? My 2016 Volt will come to a complete stop at a traffic light if I time it correctly when I am in L and I used the regen paddle.

Yes I'm driving in L just like I was with my Spark. What I do like is the regen on demand...it's nice and really aggressive and really slows the car down. What I meant by bring the car to a halt is the creep is always there. Once the car does stop or slows to a point where regen no longer works, the car still creeps. I believe the Bolt stays in place if you let go of the brake at a complete stop.

 

[jupitermoon]

Definitely have to agree about the soft wallowing suspension. I've had mine since July and have about 16k miles on it so far. Overall, I love it. When I get asked about gripes, the suspension is the only neutral/negative comment I can make. Its not "bad" per say, it just handles like a REALLY heavy FWD economy car......which it is. I mean, its better than my old anemic Corolla, but nowhere near as planted as my old BMW 3-series......both were beat to hell and retired after almost 300k miles.

I will seriously consider a thicker rear sway bar and a set of aftermarket performance shocks/struts if they ever become available for the Gen2 Volt.

Yes I would totally consider putting nice shocks and struts on this car if it weren't a lease. Lowering it would give it a pretty nice look. But it's good enough for now. I agree it's not "bad." However in comparison to say a Bolt (which actually rides quite nicely and is very firm in comparison). Your description of a heavy FWD car is pretty accurate IMO.

Bluzer has it correct as well...the rebound is weak and creates that wallowing feeling.

 

[jupitermoon]

You might be able to dampen some of the "boomy" noise with a voltshelf. Contact scarlett1 on this forum. I bought a voltshelf for my gen1 and having the cargo area covered does make the car quieter over bumps.

That's a good idea. I will look into that as I feel the booming may be from around there.

 

[Sheldon]

For a 2017 Volt LT with leather and Bose.

Got what I think is a very decent lease deal with absolutely nothing out of pocket.
....
I have to say....I will miss my Spark EV...perhaps one of the best cars I've ever owned.

Here's to the new Volt!

Congratulations, and enjoy your gen2 Volt!

 

[Mike91326]

I guess expectations are different for different people. I'm not criticizing for the sake of doing so. I like the car and bought it because I did. So I'm happy for sure. Just a few observations.

If I can get 80+ miles in the summer or most other months as I live in the LA area, I'll be very happy as I can EASILY live with that on a daily basis. I am to use less than a few gallons a year if that.

Regarding the braking, I didn't mean the regen is bad...it's actually very good and quite aggressive which I like. I do wish it would bring the car to an entire stop and not move. What I meant, however, is that when creeping along...say at a almost stand still...and I hit the break, it seems to have axle flex or something along those lines. The car feels a tad soft.

For me the ride is soft...and definitely could be a little more taught.

Overall though it's a nice, refined car for the money. I don't think I could get a better car for the price I'm paying per month for this thing.

I'm really glad I got the upgraded sound system. I do enjoy a good sounding system coming from the factory.

I'll post a few pics when I get a chance!

I drive from Northridge to Culver City (home to work) which is 56 miles/RT. Most days I can drive 100% EV but I normally have 5 or less EV miles displayed when I get home.

BTW, which dealer did you go to?

 

[jcanoe]

A) the interior seems to be a bit "boomy"...that is to say the tire noise seems to resonate a little more than I had anticipated.

You might want to place some randomly shaped items (not heavy) in the hatch area to break up any resonances. Suggestions: An old blanket, spare tire (if you decide you want to carry this extra weight), small snow shovel (seasonal), reusable fabric shopping bags, plastic tub container for assorted auto essentials.

 

[jcanoe]

So far I'm getting 108 MPGe lifetime and 250+ MPG on the trip. I'm not quite sure yet how to interpret the difference and it doesn't show XX miles/kWh as was being shown on my Spark EV...which I actually liked. Anyone care to explain how to really understand what I'm getting from the point of ownership? I wish there was a way to figure out how much actual total energy is being used over the lifetime.

The EPA MPGe rating of the Volt is 106 MPGe so you are starting off better than the EPA number. My lifetime MPGe after 8 months of driving my 2017 Volt is 95MPGe. There does not seem to be anywhere the Volt displays miles/kwh. You will have to do the calculation yourself from the information displayed on the right side of the the Energy screen. Divide the EV miles driven (since the last full recharge) by the kwh used and there you are.

 

[jupitermoon]

I drive from Northridge to Culver City (home to work) which is 56 miles/RT. Most days I can drive 100% EV but I normally have 5 or less EV miles displayed when I get home.

BTW, which dealer did you go to?

I went to Camino Real Chevy in Monterey Park

 

[jupitermoon]

The EPA MPGe rating of the Volt is 106 MPGe so you are starting off better than the EPA number. My lifetime MPGe after 8 months of driving my 2017 Volt is 95MPGe. There does not seem to be anywhere the Volt displays miles/kwh. You will have to do the calculation yourself from the information displayed on the right side of the the Energy screen. Divide the EV miles driven (since the last full recharge) by the kwh used and there you are.

I'm actually up to 115 MPGe...not bad at all.

What doesn't jive is the on-board calculator.

For example, the on-board computer shows for my particular trip today, I drove 52 miles and consumed 11.3 kWh. That's 4.6 miles/kWh. If I multiply that by 33.7 kWh/gallon I calculate 155 MPGe. This is well above what is being registered on the on-board system (which was 123 MPGe for this particular trip). I am missing something?

I assume if you use gas, then you factor in the amount used (energy used) and add that to the energy used electrically and make a sum of the two.

I think what would have really made this car stand out is a 6.6kW on-board charger....3.3 is just far too slow these days.

 

[jcanoe]

I'm actually up to 115 MPGe...not bad at all.

What doesn't jive is the on-board calculator.

For example, the on-board computer shows for my particular trip today, I drove 52 miles and consumed 11.3 kWh. That's 4.6 miles/kWh. If I multiply that by 33.7 kWh/gallon I calculate 155 MPGe. This is well above what is being registered on the on-board system (which was 123 MPGe for this particular trip). I am missing something?

I assume if you use gas, then you factor in the amount used (energy used) and add that to the energy used electrically and make a sum of the two.

I think what would have really made this car stand out is a 6.6kW on-board charger....3.3 is just far too slow these days.

The 52 miles driven using 11.6 kwh is your instantaneous miles/kwh value. The Volt computes a moving average of your last few charge cycles so it won't move up or down as quickly.

If you use the ICE, and eventually you will if only for engine maintenance mode (EMM), the Volt will alternately display your MPGe or your combined MPG (where it now displays 250MPG+) for that charge cycle. At the left bottom it displays your lifetime MPGe, in the upper right it displays your current EV miles driven and kwh used. In the bottom right it will display miles driven using gas (for that charge cycle and gallons of fuel used, and MPG.)

It takes maybe 6 to 8 miles (10 minutes) for the gas engine to warm up to operating temperature (engine coolant reaches ~190 F) and for the MPG readout to start to level out. Except in cold weather the MPG should be in the low 40s or better. Also, when the gas engine shuts off (either because EMM has ended its cycle or you have changed from Hold to Normal drive mode) it takes a minute or so for the computer to finalize the MPG value up to that point in your trip (you could go back to Hold mode and use more gas before finally plugging in and fully recharging.) If you divide the miles driven on gas by the amount of gas used you will get a different MPG number than displayed. Some say this is due to energy recovered from regen while driving with the gas engine running in Hold mode. You'll cover some of the distance on battery, even when in Hold mode, using the extra energy that regen puts back into the battery. So the Volt may display higher MPG while running on gas than is actually the case.

The 2016/2017 Gen II Volt on board charger is 3.6kw increased from the 3.3kw in the Gen I Bolt. Many people would like to see the Gen II Volt get a 7.2kw charger as is found in the Bolt.

 

[vtech]

To calculate MPGe from the battery kWh, you have to include the charging efficiency factor ~1.2 which means that it takes approximately 1.2 kWh from the grid to put 1 kWh of charge into the battery. 155/1.2=129 MPGe. The full calculation is MPGe = (Miles Electric / kWh(from the battery)) x 33.7 / 1.2. For my car this usually gives within 1 or 2 MPGe as compared to the car's calculator.

If you use gas then the formula looks like this: MPGe = (Miles Electric + Miles Gas) / (Gallons of Gas + (kWh / 33.7 * 1.2))