[DZD]

I'm a confessed Euro car snob - I just "knew" they were better - better technology, better handling, built to last autobahn speeds and miles ahead of Japanese or American cars in terms of innovation and driving performance.

About a year ago - in a bit of an impulse move because I liked the "Star Wars" themed interior and couldn't believe what a great price it was, I picked up a 2013 Chevy Volt.

I really wanted an electric car to try out and I thought I would just sell it in a year or less . . .

Fast forward one year - it's my daily driver - I love zipping around in emissions free, noise and vibration free driving and get free charges via ChargePoint.

One thing I didn't really count on was how much I enjoyed the tech - Yes, the infotainment is laggy, but I love the remote preconditioning via the app even after I cancelled OnStar, I love the automatic door locking, and the dreaded "triple horn" has saved me on those rare occasions that I left the key in the car. I am spoiled by never having to take the key out of my pocket - so much so - that I actually locked the keys in one of my other cars cuz I forgot about them.

Now I'm thinking of getting myself another car and giving this Volt to my daughter. My thought was a VW eGolf or a BMW i3. I attempted to drive the i3 on two separate occasions but as I approached the car - I found my self unable to get in the car - the looks of the thing just just - I have no words.

Finally, this week, I bit the bullet and decided I'm going to drive one - and I did! Good headroom, drove nice, love the default strong regen braking, took it back to the dealer, got out of it, turned to look at it and said - Nope - I can't do it.

There are no e-Golfs around here to drive - and although I'm a closet VW fanboy, I think I'm going to have to go with a Gen 2 Volt - I want the Apple CarPlay and the Adaptive Cruise Control - I really wish it had a sunroof. So now I'm looking for a Gen2 with the ACC (which means 2017 only, grrr). Another option may be a used Model S although they are still out of my price range.

We'll see how this plays out - kudos Chevy - you did good. I hope and pray that you are committed to the Voltec technology and come out with other body styles (CUV, wagon, convertible - a man can dream, right!)

 

[dannycamps]

Every time I have gotten into an "ultimate driving machine" I am severely disappointed by the low tech it has and the all-around plain look of the interior. That being said, my wife recently decided for her next car that she wanted to perhaps go with a BMW,

I told her about the i3 (my daily driver is a Gen 2 Volt and we both like it). She took one look at the i3, turned to me, and said "You're kidding right?"

I really question why BMW made that car so ugly.

 

[caronjeff]

I dumped at least $1000 on brake repair at my BMW dealer in 4 years of owning a 3 series. In 5 years of Volting the brakes are barely worn. I had a Mercedes C series the rear differential howled and was replaced. My Audi had a water leak in the rear glass the dealer took 3 try's to cure. So I concluded that cars are all pretty generic and all have shortcomings.

 

[TheBlueFlash]

I actually don't mind the look of the i3. It is very unique, what else on the road today looks like it? I used to drive a Honda Element back before I got bit by the EV bug, and the i3 reminds me very much of the Element (cool, funky, suicide back doors, lots of passenger and cargo room.) If I hadn't researched and seen that it had so many issues, I might have been tempted to get the range extender model, but the i3 reliability comes nowhere close to what the 1st gen Volt has experienced thus far.

 

[Sean-a-Tron]

You could also look in to the Chevy Bolt. Though those still haven't hit nation wide release.

 

[bjrosen]

The i3 doesn't seem to be competitive with the Chevy lineup. The BEV version only has a 33KW battery vs 60KW for the Bolt, the REX version has a ridiculous 2 gallon tank vs the 9 gallon tank on the Volt. On top of that BMWs are notoriously unreliable and expensive to repair. Aside from Tesla I don't see any other EV that's worth considering aside from the Chevy's and Tesla's are either extremely expensive, Models S and X which are cost more than I paid for my house (in 1983, but still the house appreciated, cars don't), or unobtainable, the Model 3 has a two year backlog. On top of that where do you get service for a Tesla? There are 3 Chevy dealers within 10 miles of me, the nearest Tesla service center is an hour away.

 

[llninja]

Now I'm thinking of getting myself another car and giving this Volt to my daughter. My thought was a VW eGolf or a BMW i3. I attempted to drive the i3 on two separate occasions but as I approached the car - I found my self unable to get in the car - the looks of the thing just just - I have no words.

1 word - Fugly.

As an ex BMW 5 series owner, I agree, the volt is awesome. My only wish is that it came the size of a 5 series or the shape of a wagon or CUV.

 

[Qinsp]

The Volt has turned me into an EV fan. I was all about huge horsepower and the snap and roar of a well tuned V8, which I still enjoy when I can.

But if I have drive somewhere in urban areas, gimme a Volt any day of the week. If the Bolt had ACC, I'd have one of them too.

 

[bjrosen]

The Volt has turned me into an EV fan. I was all about huge horsepower and the snap and roar of a well tuned V8, which I still enjoy when I can.

But if I have drive somewhere in urban areas, gimme a Volt any day of the week. If the Bolt had ACC, I'd have one of them too.

I've been there done that with V8s. My last car was a 2006 Chrysler 300C Hemi, when I bought it my feeling was that everybody deserves a V8 once in their lives, I also figured that it might be the last chance to own one before they were outlawed. That car was a lot of fun until it fell apart (as all Chrysler's do when they are 11 years old), it could pass anything except a gas station. Having done the V8 thing I went in the opposite direction this time and bought a Volt.

 

[viking79]

The Volt was my first GM product as well, and they won me over (not a loyal fan, but I will definitely consider them if they make something I am interested in). I was looking at an i3 back in 2014 and it was too expensive, so I started looking at other EVs and a used 2012 Volt offered EV performance (no tiny traction motor like most other plug in hybrids) for a price far less than the i3. I drove it and a Fusion, hated the Fusion so I bought the Volt. It offers long range and EV performance. Love it. I doubt I will buy another Volt as my next car will be full EV and the minivan will be replaced by the Pacifica hybrid.

As for euro cars, they do tend to have better driving dynamics than the Volt, but the Volt is not terrible, just too numb feeling. It feels incredibly solid though. I also have a BMW z3 convertible ICE, and it is a lot more fun to drive than the Volt on a curvy mountain road and is far more engaging, but engaging is very annoying if you have to drive a long trip or just want a peaceful quiet drive. The Volt easily feels like a luxury car in terms of driving solidity. It does need some suspension refinement in the rear, and a faster model if it wants to compete with a luxury car. Comparing the Volt to coworkers entry level Audis or BMWs and it doesn't feel much cheaper in terms of how it rides (even better in some ways, like silent power).

I think that is my main issue with the Volt, it competes with luxury on price, but isn't particularly fast or spacious. They need to pick which direction they want to go. Do they want to be a luxury car or an economy car, and market it accordingly. To be a luxury car they are going to have to make it faster and offer power seats and sunroof, etc. To make it an economy car, cut the price $10k by making battery half the size and make the interior cheaper, etc.

 

[alfon]

I also became a Chevy fan. Our first Volt, a 2014, was the first new Chevy I have ever bought in my over 50 years of driving. My wife and I liked it so much we traded it for a new 2016 Volt Premier in July 2016, got a great deal with $11,000 off MSRP as well, and as a bonus we qualify for 100% of the Fed Tax Credit.

Now our 2016, actually my wife's daily driver, is approaching 20,000 miles. Just the other day she had to make a trip to Longview, Washington, nearly a 150 mile round trip. When she returned she went 57 miles on electric and the remainder nearly 46 mpg just on gas. My wife does not drive for fuel economy and keeps the AC on low as well. Even if she was driving my daily driver, a 2010 Prius, she probably would have only obtained the same or even less mpg on the Prius. 20 or 30 years ago I would never have even though about buying a new Chevrolet, as my only new cars before our Volt was VW, Honda, and Toyota..

 

[hellsop]

I also became a Chevy fan. Our first Volt, a 2014, was the first new Chevy I have ever bought in my over 50 years of driving. My wife and I liked it so much we traded it for a new 2016 Volt Premier in July 2016, got a great deal with $11,000 off MSRP as well, and as a bonus we qualify for 100% of the Fed Tax Credit.

Now our 2016, actually my wife's daily driver, is approaching 20,000 miles. Just the other day she had to make a trip to Longview, Washington, nearly a 150 mile round trip. When she returned she went 57 miles on electric and the remainder nearly 46 mpg just on gas. My wife does not drive for fuel economy and keeps the AC on low as well. Even if she was driving my daily driver, a 2010 Prius, she probably would have only obtained the same or even less mpg on the Prius. 20 or 30 years ago I would never have even though about buying a new Chevrolet, as my only new cars before our Volt was VW, Honda, and Toyota..

Even using EPA ratings it takes a 200+ mile trip for a Gen 1 Volt to start using more gas than the best rated Prius out there. Gen 2 it's more like 270 miles. That 38 mile head start is a HUGE thing to make up, and it's not rare for a Volt to exceed EPA fuel economy by a handful of MPG.

 

[jbakerjonathan]

I actually don't mind the look of the i3. It is very unique, what else on the road today looks like it? I used to drive a Honda Element back before I got bit by the EV bug, and the i3 reminds me very much of the Element (cool, funky, suicide back doors, lots of passenger and cargo room.) If I hadn't researched and seen that it had so many issues, I might have been tempted to get the range extender model, but the i3 reliability comes nowhere close to what the 1st gen Volt has experienced thus far.

I kind of agree about the look of the i3, that is until I get a look at the rear of the car with the skinny tires. THEN I get a picture of Steve Urkel with his high-water pants and start to laugh - can't help it 8^D If it had tires that were two-three inches wider, the car would look SOOOO MEAN! Of course, that's counter-productive to achieving good range.

 

[llninja]

I kind of agree about the look of the i3, that is until I get a look at the rear of the car with the skinny tires. THEN I get a picture of Steve Urkel with his high-water pants and start to laugh - can't help it 8^D If it had tires that were two-three inches wider, the car would look SOOOO MEAN! Of course, that's counter-productive to achieving good range.

Remember that episode where Uriel got a new set of wheels. It was a BMW isetta!!!! Interesting, just as fugly, and a motorcycle engine on board. The i3 is a reincarnation of the isetta!!!

 

[gjtoth]

Holy moly! I just googled for images of the i3. Dead. That's the only way I'd be caught in it! I showed it to my wife (who thinks everything is "cute") and all she said was, "Eeeeewwwwwwwwwww!"

 

[sparks]

I've been there done that with V8s. My last car was a 2006 Chrysler 300C Hemi, when I bought it my feeling was that everybody deserves a V8 once in their lives, I also figured that it might be the last chance to own one before they were outlawed. That car was a lot of fun until it fell apart (as all Chrysler's do when they are 11 years old), it could pass anything except a gas station. Having done the V8 thing I went in the opposite direction this time and bought a Volt.

My story is the same. My last gasser was a 2005 Pontiac GTO. That's a 6 liter V8 with 400 HP and 400 lb-ft torque. Had to pay gas-guzzler tax at purchase, but it was worth it. It had a supple, almost luxury-car ride, and when you punch it, the engine and transmission reaction was almost immediate -- much faster than (say) the Infiniti M45 I leased before the GTO.

I went from the GTO to a 2011 Volt and have chosen to drive electric ever since. But I will never regret my GTO days.

 

[Stockholm Volt]

I've been there done that with V8s. My last car was a 2006 Chrysler 300C Hemi, when I bought it my feeling was that everybody deserves a V8 once in their lives, I also figured that it might be the last chance to own one before they were outlawed. That car was a lot of fun until it fell apart (as all Chrysler's do when they are 11 years old), it could pass anything except a gas station. Having done the V8 thing I went in the opposite direction this time and bought a Volt.

Wait, what? Did I just post this? This is me exactly, except my ride was a 2007 300C. I loved that car until it turned 9 and started to come apart at the seams. Now, I've been bitten by the EV bug and is loving my 2017 Volt. How funny. I could have written your post. LOL

 

[obermd]

I just spent a week driving a BMW 3 series and couldn't wait to get back to my Volt. I was the same way with the Cruze ECO MT - much preferred it to the BMW.

 

[freshcut]

wow, not good news for the 300C. One of my coworkers has an '08 300 and recently has had to do some pretty expensive repairs, with more on the horizon, including struts. I've rarely heard good news when it comes to Dodge/Chrysler products, and personal experience with Ford left a bad taste in my mouth. I have had 3 VERY reliable GM's though and although I wouldn't exactly call myself a "fanboy", it's definitely the only domestic manufacturer I would purchase new or used from.

 

[bjrosen]

Wait, what? Did I just post this? This is me exactly, except my ride was a 2007 300C. I loved that car until it turned 9 and started to come apart at the seams. Now, I've been bitten by the EV bug and is loving my 2017 Volt. How funny. I could have written your post. LOL

The 300C was my third Chrysler so I knew going in that the car would only be good for at best 100K miles but Chrysler's offered a lot of car for the money. The 300C was a Mercedes E Class mated with a honking big American V8 in a very cool package. It was AWD and it's handling and acceleration were great, much better than the Volt's, all that for $40K. It was the only car that I ever owned where hotels parked it out front with the Porsches and Mercedes. Given my past experiences with the LeBaron GTS Turbo and the Concorde I knew there would be one big repair under warranty and then it would be fine until around 100K when everything would fall apart, the only thing I didn't count on was that my dealer, who and a reasonable service department, would go away and I'd end up in the hands of the Dodge dealer next door who's service department was staggeringly incompetent. Prior to the Chryslers I had a Chevy Citation that blew it's transmission at 80K miles and a Ford Maverick that literally rotted away at 90K miles (the shock mounts had separated from the body because of all the rust). Because of the Citation I didn't step foot into a Chevy show room for 30 years, the reason I did so this time was because there was a Chevy dealer across the street from another equally incompetent Chrysler dealer who had just given me the news that my 300C needed another $3400 worth of work including two catalytic converters. The Volt was the reason I bought another Chevy, I wouldn't have considered any of their ICE cars because Chevy doesn't offer AWD. Lack of AWD on the Volt is a major deficiency but I was willing to live with it because electric drive is so impressive.