[seeforyourself]

Hi guys, how are you?

So I am considering on leasing a new PHEV vehicle. I have already test drove the Ford Fusion Energi and fell in LOVE with it. The thing that is making me look at this car currently is the range. This has more than double the range of the Energi and is smaller. I have to drive from Long Island to Manhattan (NYC) twice a week, so i would love a PHEV.

Long Island is totally flat, no hills or incline/decline, so what can I expect with the range? I heard that they always advertise less range than a person might get.

Also another big issues is potholes. How are the tires with handling them? The parkways are absolutely crazy with potholes, along with the rest of NYC.

Also, how is the ride quality in the car? Is it stiffer than the Ford Fusion? I don't want to test drive it yet because I'm already be harassed by the Ford dealer lol. I am thinking about buying the car in the summer, so I don't want to be constantly called.


Lastly, what are good payments for this car? The car comes out to like 25k after the Federal and NY's tax rebates.

 

[Neromanceres]

The EPA rating is 53 miles electric. Typically in the summer you should be able to do north of 60 miles and in the winter about 40 miles electric. This of course is speed dependent as well. Anything above 50mph starts to significantly degrade you range and it will degrade exponential with speed. At a steady 50mph in summer the Volt will do 70 miles EV range for example. In the winter if you leave the cabin heat off and just use the heated steering wheel and seats you should still see close to 50 miles EV range. Personally I'm seeing 60 miles of range now in April. Which will get better with the summer coming.

One thing with the Volt is unlike the Fusion Energy full performance is available with out the gas engine. In the Volt you can stomp on the accelerator and go right up to 100mph (max limit) in all electric glory.

As for ride the Volt doesn't have a hard ride. It's a little soft but not floaty. Tire pressure will also effect the ride. But this will be a compromise on your part. Softer tires = less EV range and vice versa.

I've hit some big potholes and bottomed out the suspension a couple of times with no damage (while driving in Detroit no less which have horrific roads).

 

[BAZINGA]

The Volt is superior to the Ford. But many of your questions can be answered by a test drive. Suggest searching your local Chevy dealers and arranging a test drive. My winter range never fell below 40 miles, and I easily get 60+ miles in any month not winter. So 7 or 8 months a year I easily beat the EPA rating.

Good luck.

 

[jcanoe]

You really need to drive the 2017 Volt to decide for yourself if the seat is comfortable, ride and passenger space meets your needs. I came from a Ford Fusion, non-hybrid 2011, and the Ford had more room front and rear and a huge trunk (you lose a good amount of trunk to the battery in the Fusion Energi and Fusion Hybrid.) I have not looked back with any regret on my decision to move to the Volt. 90% of my driving has been electric, I have purchased less than 20 gallons of regular gas in 9 months since I bought the Volt. You will need a place to plug in the Volt at home to charge the battery, it is nice to be able to plug in at work too if you can. This can be a 110V circuit, 8 amp is the default setting. It will take as long as 19 hrs for a full charge of the battery at the 8 amp setting, less if you plug in to a 110V circuit that can support 12 amps. If you get set up for a 240V circuit you can fully recharge the Volt approx 4.5 hours. Aside from the electric driving benefit my favorite Volt feature is the adaptive cruise control (only available on the 2017 Volt Premier model as an option)

For twice a week, couldn't you take the LIRR?

 

[Coppersnowboarder]

I never understand why people lease a vehicle. Consider used vehicles. My 2013 Volt Premium is currently running about 85 MPG lifetime consumption, with 4,000 miles of the past 20,000 miles being entirely using gasoline to the generator. Under the best conditions, I get 50 miles of all-electric transportation. In winter, I get closer to 32 miles from the electric charge and the engine kicks-in when the temperature hits the teens or below. Today, after 18 months of ownership, I finished paying-off the loan. Now, my Volt is "free" transportation. Generally, I purchase about 2 gallons of gasoline per month.

 

[NinjaVolt]

I considered the Energi as I really like the quality and feel of my Mustang and F150. Controls though not identical would have a similar layout and feel. Although the current Fusion is getting dated it appears to be a solid original design and has been updated. My feeling is that is was never really designed as a PHEV from the get go which limited its battery range and sacrificed trunk space. I leaned more towards the current Sonata PHEV (and its cousin the Optima) as it was a newer design with a bit better battery range.

I suspected that both of those cars would not give sufficient battery capacity to stay off of gas most of the time with my family's use and that was the whole point in considering a PHEV.

So the Volt won mainly due to its range, design as an EV (I.e. battery is down low vs in the trunk) and its overall owner satisfaction rating. I have been very satisfied so far with this decision and we have only used gas 1 day (less than 4 liters) out of 2 weeks of ownership.

What I don't like? Some design compromises (5th seat size, rear view visibility) and corporate decisions (no Homelink).

So if battery range rules get the Volt and see if the others catch up...

 

[Sean-a-Tron]

The only benefit I see to the Fusion Energi over the Volt is that it has more amenities.

Here's why I think the Volt is superior to the Energi (Aside from EV range).

1) The Volt can operate at 100% performance entirely in EV mode. The Energi has to kick on the ICE during hard acceleration.

2) The Volt may be smaller but it has more cargo space. (10.6cu ft vs 8.2cu ft)

3) The Volt gets the maximum EV tax credit of $7,500. The Energi gets $4,000.

4) The Fusion Energi looks just like a normal Ford Fusion aside from a badge and charger port. The Volt at least has a unique look. Looks are subjective though!


The Energi does get better combined range of roughly 600 miles.

I haven't driven a Gen. 2 Volt yet but my 2014 Gen 1 Volt has a surprisingly smooth ride. It's certainly no Cadillac but for what it is it's quite comfortable. Even on long trips I haven't found any gripes with it.

 

[NinjaVolt]

Fusion Energi is a "real" 5 seater if you need that capacity for more than "just in case"

Fusion also has Homelink...sorry I couldn't resist.

 

[llninja]

A coworker of mine bought the fusion energy, and she regrets it. Get the volt, it's well worth it. Just remember you can beat the EPA rating if you drive it like a grandpa, you can ruin it driving like Jeff Gordon, and the it goes down even more when it's cold.

Plus, don't lease...

 

[O'Dell]

I came to my 2017 Volt from a 2014 C-Max Energi - different car but basically the same drivetrain. I won't say anything bad about the Energi, because it served me well for 2 1/2 years, and had the space I needed at the time while the Volt did not. Personally, I think the Fusion is a great looking car, but I will gladly give that up for the EV range of the Volt. Let me say that I have 10 years experience with hybrids, and 3 1/2 years driving Plug-in's, so I do know how to operate them. I greatly exceed the EPA ratings. The Energi was rated at 19 miles EV, but I consistently exceeded 32 miles, since we don't have much cold weather around here. I average low to mid eighties with the Volt nine months a year, dropping to mid to high seventies in the cooler weather.

I had used no gas in the nine months of Volt ownership up until last Saturday, when the car went into it's Fuel maintenance mode. It will use the old gas requiring a refill with new. It does this about once a year to protect the vehicle.

No question, I would recommend the Volt.

 

[BryanC]

Just my feedback:
Currently I have a 2016 Fusion Titanium Hybrid. Before it, I had a 2012 Volt w/all the bells except for the upgraded stereo w/navigation. The Fusion is larger and feels more "plush" (e.g. all-window auto-up, sunroof, cooled front seats, & power seats) but I am glad the lease is ending and I will purchase a Volt to replace it. I like everything about my Fusion EXCEPT my lifetime MPG of 45.3 (too low for anyone who has owned a Volt) and the limited power of the electric motor. If I want to stay on electric as much as possible, I have to drive like there are eggs under my foot when pressing on the gas. This feeling of babying the accelerator has kept me from looking at other PHEVs because it gets in the way of me enjoying driving. I really miss the instant torque of my Volt.
Again, the Fusion is really nice but it was a stop-gap for me until I could get a 2nd gen. Volt.

 

[alfon]

The 2017-17 Chevy Volt pretty much beats the Ford Fusion energi hybrid. I can only compare to our 2016 Volt. We have averaged over 150 mpg lifetime now approaching the 15,000 mile mark. Electric range has varied to a low of 40 miles in the dead of winter, and over 60 miles in the summer. MPG when using the 1.5 gas engine has been over 45 mpg, Volt Stats has lifetime on gas 44.83 which is conservative. Our last trip of nearly 170 miles with 4 adults aboard in a trip to the Portland Oregon area via Hwy 26, sea level to 1642 feet and return netted us 41 miles on electric and 48 mpg just on gas. I doubt if the Ford Energi could have done the same.

 

[Bacardi]

The next time the dealer calls you, don't ignore it, answer the phone and tell the dealer to stop calling or you won't consider buying from them...

Simply test drive the Volt and even the Bolt since you're there, no matter how it goes, give a fake phone number (to avoid them pestering you) and don't even bother talking numbers, say neither interested you even if you loved it...

Once you decide which vehicle, trim and options you like, email the ten closest dealers, haggle over email to save hours and even days of time and buy from the cheapest...

 

[DonPal]

The 2017-17 Chevy Volt pretty much beats the Ford Fusion energi hybrid. I can only compare to our 2016 Volt. We have averaged over 150 mpg lifetime now approaching the 15,000 mile mark. Electric range has varied to a low of 40 miles in the dead of winter, and over 60 miles in the summer. MPG when using the 1.5 gas engine has been over 45 mpg, Volt Stats has lifetime on gas 44.83 which is conservative. Our last trip of nearly 170 miles with 4 adults aboard in a trip to the Portland Oregon area via Hwy 26, sea level to 1642 feet and return netted us 41 miles on electric and 48 mpg just on gas. I doubt if the Ford Energi could have done the same.

Our 1 year old 17 volt with 15000 miles has numbers not quite as good as yours but good enough in those departments. The open question is 2nd Gen long term reliability compared to the Fusion and others when it comes to the bottom line. It looks like the Volt may cost us $400/month after trade, incentives, etc. if.....nothing big occurs over the next 6 years and 100,000 miles. Get an answer to that question and things would be clearer.

 

[snic]

Hi guys, how are you?

So I am considering on leasing a new PHEV vehicle. I have already test drove the Ford Fusion Energi and fell in LOVE with it. The thing that is making me look at this car currently is the range. This has more than double the range of the Energi and is smaller. I have to drive from Long Island to Manhattan (NYC) twice a week, so i would love a PHEV.

Long Island is totally flat, no hills or incline/decline, so what can I expect with the range? I heard that they always advertise less range than a person might get.

Also another big issues is potholes. How are the tires with handling them? The parkways are absolutely crazy with potholes, along with the rest of NYC.

Also, how is the ride quality in the car? Is it stiffer than the Ford Fusion? I don't want to test drive it yet because I'm already be harassed by the Ford dealer lol. I am thinking about buying the car in the summer, so I don't want to be constantly called.


Lastly, what are good payments for this car? The car comes out to like 25k after the Federal and NY's tax rebates.

I've had a '16 Volt for a bit more than a year, and also live near NYC. You can expect the electric range to be significantly lower than 54 miles in winter, sometimes not even more than 40 if you use the climate controls to keep the cabin at a reasonably warm temperature. Get the heated seats option; you won't be sorry. (Leather seats are also very nice and a huge improvement over cloth in this case.) You can also expect it to get a bit more than 54 electric miles in spring and summer, when you aren't using heat. A/C reduces the range only a tiny bit compared with heating.

As for potholes, I know exactly what you mean - they are a disaster around here. So far the car has handled them well. I've unfortunately hit my share of them, but I haven't noticed any negative consequences like the car going out of alignment. I'd say the Volt handles potholes no worse than any other car.

Ride quality is fantastic. The Volt is a dream to drive. Definitely test it out to compare it with the Fusion.

The major drawbacks to the Volt are that the rear seats feel very cramped (tall people basically cannot sit back there - I'm 5 ft 8 and my head is 1 inch from the ceiling when I sit in the rear seats) and the a/c and heat do not efficiently control the rear temperature. Heated seats for the rear are an option but only for the premium model, which costs $5000 more than the base LT model. The cargo area is smaller than that of most comparable-sized compact cars. So, this is a great car for a New York commuter (carrying at most 1 other passenger), especially if your round-trip is under about 50 or 60 miles (and it's fine for longer commutes as well - it drives well even in ICE mode). But it's not so great for family weekend trips and whatnot.

 

[eric_n_dfw]

I went from a loaded 2013 Volt to a 2014 Fusion Energi SE about 2.5 years ago and posted my experiences here: http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?128977-Test-drove-a-Fusion-Energi-yesterday But to sum up my experience:

Energi Pro's (as compared to the Volt) for me:

• Cabin space: it's wider and much more leg room, especially in the back
• Power/memory seats & side mirrors (important for those who trade cars regularly with shorter SO's)
• Nicer fit & finish on the interior
• Better styling, especially hood/grill which resembles an Aston Martin IMO (admittedly totally subjective). I don't care about it not looking unique from it's ICE version.
• Unlike what others here have said, I find the hybrid mode MPG to beat what I got in my Volt; I always get MPG in the high 40's on 100% hybrid trips. (and every "professional" review I've read echos this) In my Volt I was usually seeing high 30's to low 40's.

Energi Con's:

• Trunk space: there is hardly any trunk at all; grocery trips are fine (even Costco/Sams Club within reason) and it will hold a couple of pieces of luggage, barely, but it's laughably small. We have an SUV for when cargo carrying is needed, else this car would not have even been considered.
• Needs the gas engine for hard acceleration: in hybrid mode it has respectable git-up-and-go, on par or better than the Volt even, but in "EV-Now" mode it's pretty slow to 60MPH. That being said, it's only a couple times a week that I need it and that engine kicks in quickly.
• Will go into hybrid mode often at 90+ degree (F) to protect the battery from overheating (see my thread above), especially if you drive right after charging up.

My lease on the Ford is ending in August and I will likely go pick up a lightly used Gen 1 Volt and wait for the Gen 2's to start coming down in price on the used market. I will miss the comfort of the Fusion, but I liked the EREV drive feel of the Volt more. (I'll just cram the kids in that back seat!)

 

[Shivetya]

Having just bought a Volt I did want to look at an Energi, the trouble was in metro Atlanta there were none with eighty miles and two dealers I asked would order one but they never carry them. So I didn't go further. My parents regular Fusion is a nice car but Ford wasn't really making a serious attempt

 

[eric_n_dfw]

...Ford wasn't really making a serious attempt

What do you mean?

 

[seeforyourself]

You really need to drive the 2017 Volt to decide for yourself if the seat is comfortable, ride and passenger space meets your needs. I came from a Ford Fusion, non-hybrid 2011, and the Ford had more room front and rear and a huge trunk (you lose a good amount of trunk to the battery in the Fusion Energi and Fusion Hybrid.) I have not looked back with any regret on my decision to move to the Volt. 90% of my driving has been electric, I have purchased less than 20 gallons of regular gas in 9 months since I bought the Volt. You will need a place to plug in the Volt at home to charge the battery, it is nice to be able to plug in at work too if you can. This can be a 110V circuit, 8 amp is the default setting. It will take as long as 19 hrs for a full charge of the battery at the 8 amp setting, less if you plug in to a 110V circuit that can support 12 amps. If you get set up for a 240V circuit you can fully recharge the Volt approx 4.5 hours. Aside from the electric driving benefit my favorite Volt feature is the adaptive cruise control (only available on the 2017 Volt Premier model as an option)

For twice a week, couldn't you take the LIRR?

That would require me to leave my car in Deer Park train station 2-3 days out of the week, no thanks

Just my feedback:
Currently I have a 2016 Fusion Titanium Hybrid. Before it, I had a 2012 Volt w/all the bells except for the upgraded stereo w/navigation. The Fusion is larger and feels more "plush" (e.g. all-window auto-up, sunroof, cooled front seats, & power seats) but I am glad the lease is ending and I will purchase a Volt to replace it. I like everything about my Fusion EXCEPT my lifetime MPG of 45.3 (too low for anyone who has owned a Volt) and the limited power of the electric motor. If I want to stay on electric as much as possible, I have to drive like there are eggs under my foot when pressing on the gas. This feeling of babying the accelerator has kept me from looking at other PHEVs because it gets in the way of me enjoying driving. I really miss the instant torque of my Volt.
Again, the Fusion is really nice but it was a stop-gap for me until I could get a 2nd gen. Volt.

I was hoping that the volt had cooled seats. That's my favorite thing about the fusion, along with the size.

 

[jcanoe]

That would require me to leave my car in Deer Park train station 2-3 days out of the week, no thanks

That's why we always kept an old car in our fleet, to be a "station car." I don't think anyone except people who live on Long Island know about station cars. Our station car was a 58 VW beetle. You could generally count on the station car to get you back and forth to the closest LIRR station.