[wildgoose]

My parent’s car is getting a bit old, a 99 Nissan Maxima. I am thinking about a new car for them. A safe choice would be something like the Camry/Accord, or maybe the Cruze (or a larger Chevy?) if I can get over their non defeatable stop/start feature, but seeing how cheap gen1 Volts are going for (and knowing that it’s such a nice and well built car), I am tempted to get them a used Volt (2-3 year old and about 30k miles? They seem to go for under $15k). They don’t drive much so I think they’ll be on 99% electric with their driving habits.

Would Volt be a good car for older folks? One of my worry is that if they do get into minor traffic incidents, repair on the Volt would be much more expensive than a regular ICE car. Also the volt’s trunk space is a bit small. They sometimes needs to go to the airport to pick up people (The Maxima can fit 2 large suitcase in the trunk plus 3 adult and 2 kids. With the volt it’ll be more challenging.. But this is once or twice a year event…)

What you guys think? A safe ICE car, or the Volt? What would be a reasonable used price for a 3 year old volt around 30k miles?

 

[caronjeff]

How old are you talking? I'm 63 and the 2011 Volt with 92,000 I drive works great for most all tasks. We are in Florida from Michigan and I can tell you it fits a bunch of stuff in the back. Do the parents have a garage with a good 110V outlet for overnight charging?

 

[wildgoose]

About 10 years older. Yes they do have a garage and 110v overnight charging. I may help them install a 220v outlet and get them a clipper creek charger or something if they get a Volt.

Does any of the Volt comes with emergency breaking feature? (My 2013 Volt is the basic model as I was too frugal to pay for any premium features.

 

[erewhon]

I turn 72 this year and have had my 2012 Volt since late 2011. I love that car!

(I haven't had any kids - to the best of my knowledge - but that might not make any difference. )

 

[volt spain]

THE VOLT is a super car, but very LOW TO THE GROUND, getting in and out for elderly people a difficult issue, the human body gets stiff with the passage of time and at age 70-80 mobility becomes a problem...

 

[Steverino]

Are we talking really really old like 53?

Backup, the Volt is a car. Can they drive a car? Can they plug in a toaster? If so, sure they can drive a Volt, haha.

My mother can get into the Volt just fine. Climbing into my Cadillac SUV? Not so easy.

 

[DonC]

You're a nice and thoughtful child. It would be a great car for them. Only reservation, as mentioned by others, would be getting in and out.

 

[DShields11]

I dunno, I'm 67 and have no trouble getting into or out of the Volt. None of my like-age friends seem to have any problems either, and one of them has had both hips replaced. A few times a month, I take my 91 year-old next door neighbor to the doctors offices and he gets in and out OK also. The Volt doesn't seem any lower to me than my friend's Honda Accord which I've driven and ridden in a few times. As to damage repair costs, the insurance rates aren't vastly different from any other car, so I wouldn't think costs are all that much higher either. I think the Volt makes sense for any age, especially for those who don't drive very far or that often.

 

[charliebrown]

IMHO the biggest problem they may have is the limited rear view. But if you get them one with a backup camera, that won't be an issue.

 

[BillG]

IMHO the biggest problem they may have is the limited rear view. But if you get them one with a backup camera, that won't be an issue.

What he said. Don't get them any car that doesn't have a backup camera. All the other available safety options are going to be a plus, too.

 

[G-PA]

How much different is it getting out of the Volt compared to Camray/Accord/Cruze, the other cars the OP is considering? An inch?
Why not have mom and dad visit a dealer and test drive a Volt? That would seem like a reasonable plan. In the alternative, why not let them choose their next car?
The other point about an accident, heaven forbid, is useless speculation. Could be the Camray gets hit in a manner that is expensive to repair. C'mon, man.

 

[srmarti]

You have to take into account your parents health and how much they still drive. My parents are in their 80s and get in and out of my Volt (dad needs a little help). My mom's 90+ aunt gets in and out of the Volt with not too much trouble. Some people have difficulty with visibility, others not so much. None of them still drive, but like the car. I agree with letting them test drive the car to see if they like it or not.

 

[srmarti]

About 10 years older. Yes they do have a garage and 110v overnight charging. I may help them install a 220v outlet and get them a clipper creek charger or something if they get a Volt.

Does any of the Volt comes with emergency breaking feature? (My 2013 Volt is the basic model as I was too frugal to pay for any premium features.

My 2014 anti-collision will beep and kick it out of cruise control but won't stop the car. Think you have to go to Gen 2 for that?

 

[Mcgsp]

Like others I've had people in their 70's riding in the front and back seats and so far had no issues with them alighting from the vehicle. Driving electric will be a bonus for your parents. Of course maintenance is less for the Volt.

My only caveat is the wide A pillar on most new cars including the Volt. It may take time getting use to. Where some people will compensate right away others may not, which could have potential issues for the driver. Just something to be aware of for drivers use to less obtrusive pillars.

 

[stingray]

Im 85, my wife is 82 . We love our 2017 Volt Premier with all the safety features and ACC. WE also love the Red color.

 

[O'Dell]

THE VOLT is a super car, but very LOW TO THE GROUND, getting in and out for elderly people a difficult issue, the human body gets stiff with the passage of time and at age 70-80 mobility becomes a problem...

I beg your pardon. I just turned 77 and have no problems with my Gen 2 or my two German two seater, retractable hardtops, whether the tops are up or down. They are a lot lower than the Volt.

BTW, I had my AMG at the track last fall and hit 154 on the back straight and the previous summer driving my 500 HP Corvette I topped 160 on the same straight. This spring I plan to see what my BMW M Sport will do.

 

[Joe67]

My parent’s car is getting a bit old, a 99 Nissan Maxima. I am thinking about a new car for them. A safe choice would be something like the Camry/Accord, or maybe the Cruze (or a larger Chevy?) if I can get over their non defeatable stop/start feature, but seeing how cheap gen1 Volts are going for (and knowing that it’s such a nice and well built car), I am tempted to get them a used Volt (2-3 year old and about 30k miles? They seem to go for under $15k). They don’t drive much so I think they’ll be on 99% electric with their driving habits.

Would Volt be a good car for older folks? One of my worry is that if they do get into minor traffic incidents, repair on the Volt would be much more expensive than a regular ICE car. Also the volt’s trunk space is a bit small. They sometimes needs to go to the airport to pick up people (The Maxima can fit 2 large suitcase in the trunk plus 3 adult and 2 kids. With the volt it’ll be more challenging.. But this is once or twice a year event…)

What you guys think? A safe ICE car, or the Volt? What would be a reasonable used price for a 3 year old volt around 30k miles?

Should be just the same as any other vehicle for them. Define 'minor traffic accidents'? Significant front end impact does get expensive, but everything else is just like similar sized cars really.

 

[Joe67]

I beg your pardon. I just turned 77 and have no problems with my Gen 2 or my two German two seater, retractable hardtops, whether the tops are up or down. They are a lot lower than the Volt.

BTW, I had my AMG at the track last fall and hit 154 on the back straight and the previous summer driving my 500 HP Corvette I topped 160 on the same straight. This spring I plan to see what my BMW M Sport will do.

While that is excellent for you, certainly not the norm

 

[Jmaj]

You'll want them to demo the Volt. All the issues described above plus another, is the seat comfortable? I was 58 when I got the Volt and I never got completely used to the seat, the seat back arch just wasn't quite right and there's no lumbar adjustment to fix it.

My first choice for a generic elderly couple would be a small CUV. My parents did that with a used Honda CRV and it proved to be perfect for them.

Edit: the Volt has a high lift over to get stuff into the hatch, too.

 

[Raymondjram]

I have no EV, but I have read the specs for the Volt since 2010, and for the new Bolt Ev since 2016. The Bolt EV is taller and higher from the ground, so the seats are higher, and getting in and out is easier. Have them visit a Chevy dealer and do seat tests on both. If they drive less than 50 miles a day, then I recommend the Bolt EV, as a Level 2 EVSE can recharge the used miles overnight.

I am 65 and I can still drive low seat sedans, but my mother and mother-in-law are both over 88 years, so I ride them easily in my Equinox. Unfortunately for me, the Equinox, which is GM's best CUV and second best selling vehicle*, isn't hybrid or EREV yet.

Edit: Here is a review of the Chevy Bolt Ev by a TM Model S owner:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news...-tested-by-tesla-model-s-owner-his-assessment

And this is his review on the easiness to get in:
"First thing I noticed about the Bolt was how easy it is to get into.

My major beef about the Model S is the too-small front door. For tall guys like me, who put the seat all the way back, getting in requires an awkward move around the B-pillar, which to my thinking is about 3-4 inches too far forward.

The Bolt, by contrast, has a nice wide driver’s door. And the higher ride height makes it even easier to climb in."

So a Model S owner has proven that the Bolt EV is a better "senior" vehicle" than his Model S.


*Chevrolet Equinox deliveries in the United States totaled 22,464 units in February 2017.