2016 Chevrolet Volt Review

Discussion in 'In the News' started by xcel, Dec 20, 2015.

  1. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    [​IMG] The Volt story continues to improve.

    [​IMG]Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Dec. 20, 2015

    2016 Chevrolet Volt – New 2nd generation begins at $33,195 incl. the $825 D&H charge. From the plug it provides an EPA rated 53 all-electric mile range and 43/42 mpgUS city/highway as a hybrid vehicle on the gas engine. With the Federal Tax Credit of $7,500 and California offering $1,500 in incentives plus single passenger HOV use, under $25k will be easy to find. TrueCar is already pricing it at almost $2,500 off retail so below $20k into the new year – for those that qualify for all the incentives – would not be out of the question given the nations low gasoline prices right now.

    On the eve of driving a 2016 Chevrolet Volt for a week long review, it might be best to go over a few of its award winning attributes.

    Does anyone remember when the 2016 Gen 2 Chevrolet Volt was released in Detroit just over 11-months ago with an estimated AER range of 50 miles and a 41 mpg combined rating? Here is the deep dive into the technology and features of the brand new second generation super saver we wrote up from the show.

    2016 Chevrolet Volt Details Released!

    Both the AER and hybrid results were improved upon in May when we also became aware of the lower price.

    All-new 2016 Chevrolet Volt Price Drops $1,175 - Now $33,995 to start incl. D&H

    At the time, my own thoughts is it is finally competitive as a compact hybrid with a little more room, enough efficiency, using lower cost regular fuel and at a price that finally makes sense after the tax credits have been added.

    And of course our coverage of the LA Auto Show where the Volt won the GCJ's Green Car of the Year award.

    LA Auto Show Update: Green Car of the Year Finalists Announced and the 2016 Chevrolet Volt Green Car of the Year award announcement

    2016 Chevrolet Volt Interior

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    The new more efficient two-motor drive is 100 pounds lighter, the battery capacity of 18.4 kWh is larger by 1.3 kWh and is 20 pounds lighter. At the time 41 mpg combined rating was also damn impressive.

    2016 Chevrolet Volt Monroney

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    It is official!​

    The final EPA certified results came in at 53 miles of all-electric EV range (AER) and 43/42 mpgUS city/highway.

    GM states that 80 percent current gen Volt owners complete their daily grind(s) on domestically sourced electricity. With the 53 mile AER, the company expects that 90 percent of an average owners daily travails will be completed from the plug.

    This means the average Volt owner “WILL travel well over 1,000 miles between gas station refueling. Mark my words.

    The second gen Volt’s new 1.5L range-extender was also designed to use regular unleaded for an even lower total cost of ownership. Thank you GM!

    2016 Chevrolet Volt

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    With 53 miles of all-electric range, few will ever see just 42 mpg no matter how far beyond the plug they drive and this is in fact the beauty of the PHEV. It does not require planning for long distance travel but it does supplant the use of fuel even when you do.

    According to Chevrolet, typical Volt buyers trade in a non-GM product 70 percent of the time, the highest of any Chevy nameplate. The number one trade-in for the Volt is the Prius. To date, more than 80,000 first-generation Volt owners have driven hundreds of millions of EV miles. Those owners who charge regularly can expect to drive an estimated 1,000 miles or more between fill-ups, based on GM internal results.

    WardsAutos 10 Best Engines for 2016

    The all-new 1.5L Voltec propulsion system in the 2016 Chevrolet Volt was one of ten award winners of WardsAutos 10 Best Engines for 2016.

    WardsAuto reviewed 31 engines from 11 automakers in this year’s competition, which looked at power, fuel efficiency, new technology and refinement, and compared it with data for similar engines and propulsion systems.

    The second generation Voltec propulsion system - includes the drive unit, range-extending engine, power electronics and battery - is lighter, more powerful and the package is even more fun to drive according to Wards Autos Drew Winter.

    The two-motor drive unit is up to 12 percent more efficient and 100 pounds lighter than the first-generation. The ability to use both motors helps deliver a 7 percent improvement from zero to 60 mph (8.4 seconds) according to the company and outlets that have already experience the all-new Volt first hand.

    Early Pre-Drive Conclusions

    It still has provides just 90 cu. ft. of passenger volume placing it mid-pack of the sub-compact B-segment offerings. From our Review of the Gen one, it was simply too small to call it even a four seater. The Gen two is larger by a small amount and is speced for 5 although that is wishful thinking. And the first gens interior storage mess. Loved the informative displays however and the screenshots of the Gen 2 show it to be even better.

    New Regular unleaded fuel, lower price, much higher EPA and a lot more range should kick it up a notch as well. I also remember it being noisy on the first gens 1.4L engine. With the new lower NVH tuning, that problem should have been worked on too.

    12 to 13 hours on a Level1 and 4.5 hours on a Level2 from flat is very reasonable. No Level3 option although SAE Level3s are nowhere to be found anyway.

    Finally exterior/interior looks. I have only sat in them, not driven but it has that sleek modern racey look both inside and out.

    Wayne
     
    Airbalancer and Mendel Leisk like this.
  2. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi All:

    Today's ride is courtesy of GM in the form of a 2016 Chevrolet Volt in the chart topping Premiere trim.

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    As written in yesterday's rehash of the overviews and previews we have written on this super fuel saver, this is the all-new second generation. Boy has time flown by...

    It is $1,175 less expensive then its predecessor from 2015 and in the fully loaded trim, a whole lot less expensive than the fully loaded Volt from 2011.

    From the 35-mile, then 38-mile AER of the first Gen, 53-miles of non-gasoline fueled goodness is now available. Even long distance journeys will receive a nice efficiency boost from domestically sourced plug power!

    2016 Chevrolet Volt

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    At the Goodyear Blimp base.​

    The Volt has gone on a diet as it is lighter - 100 lbs lighter from the Premium fueled 1.4L to the regular unleaded fueled 1.5L of today - providing a nice bump in straight line performance while also improving city and highway fuel economy.

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    While driving on the all-new 1.5L I4 and reconfigured 2 motor full hybrid system, owners can expect a 43/42/42 mpg city/highway/combined result over the EPA vs the previous gens 35/40/37 mpg city/highway/combined rating from the 2015 1.4L. This is a big deal folks and propels the Volt from an efficient PHEV contender to a world class offering GM can build when they place the full effort behind this halo car.

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    Premiere trim ($37,520 to start) includes 17" alloys, Heated manual folding side view mirrors, cloth textured headliner and sun visors with lighted vanity mirrors, auto dimming rear view, soft thick leather wrapped wheel, leather seats, hi-res 8" display with Navi, supposedly a Qi wireless smartphone charger - checking that out in a minute, Apple CarPlay with Android Auto coming, On-Star with a 4G hotspot and 2 USB ports.

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    A Driver Confidence 1 pkg. ($495) adds Blind Side, Lane Departure and Rear Criss Traffic Alert.

    A second Driver Confidence 2 pkg. (also $495) adds Lane Keep Assist, slow speed Auto Brake, Forward Collusion Alert and intelligent headlamps.

    The MyLink radio ($495) includes the Navigation.

    With the $825 D&H, this little beauty runs at $39,830. If you qualify, a $7,500 Federal Tax Credit, Calif. Residents get a $1,500 rebate from the state sales tax, and most dealers have already pulled $3k from the price of the base, this brings the car down to just over $20k! That is a bargain if you qualify for all the "stuff".

    Now if I have locked in Hold mode after picking up the super car - 52 miles of AER indicated and I hope to see that or maybe 51 from a normal vampire fall off, we can complete the calibration drive as a full Hybrid without any BS to get the offset.

    Topping off was so easy compared to all the Nissan's we have cycled through the past few weeks. From full, I added 1.6 gallons to the lip, closed it back up ran it back and forth a few times, added another 9-thousands and she is good to go.

    Short drive to the Shell on the 110 and Torrance Blvd. reveals the Volt team really took care of NVH. As in a lot! As in I could not hear the 1.5L. And it was running for a short period during my short Hold mode test too.

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    This is the Premiere trim but outside besides the polished wheels the base looks just as good. It is still tight inside and access to the USB and 12V outlets are still constrained but far better than the last Gen.

    A ton more to add but I am actually kind of excited and hope we see > 65 mpg vs. the mid-50s that the 2011 provided us in charge sustaining mode so many years ago. :)

    Wayne
     
  3. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi All:

    Wayne, RTFM next time!

    Someone in the Volt Powertrain Group thought it was a good idea to resort to normal mode when you specifically chose Hold mode prior to stopping to answer a few e-mails and phone calls at a Rest Area and rebooting??? SOB. :( :( :(

    I did not catch it until about three miles down the road from the Rest Area when I saw a SoC pip dropout. Mountain mode will not let allow it to charge back up either! The entire morning’s calibration run is wasted. Think of a 2,000 word write-up over 8 hours and your computer crashes. That is what just happened here.

    Damn it GM, when someone selects a mode, let the Volt hold the mode through a reboot. There is no way I can redo the calibration drive today as there is 30 to 35 mph winds forecast for later this afternoon let alone afternoon traffic on the 5/405. 8 hours wasted and 5 gallons of fuel for the two top offs.

    While I am on a rant, where are the instantaneous fuel and energy consumption displays? Total power out does not mean a thing as the conversion to instantaneous "fuel" efficiency is not linear!!! :(

    And how do you reset the overall central displays away from a previous charge. I have a short mix of Press Fleet Handlers and my own on the main screen and unless I connect it up to power somewhere for a reset, it is a jumbled up mess with who knows who driving it before along with my own drive.

    The next time the Volt team designs displays, please please please speak to a few pros to improve the customer experience. Making pretty displays is a far cry from making really good useful ones that are also pretty. :(

    An entire day and fuel thrown away for nothing in return other than going for a drive at 04:30 am this morning and driving back to San Diego in a cool car. :( :( :(

    2016 Chevrolet Volt

    [​IMG]
    Carlsbad Shell on Palomar Airport road and the 5.​

    One of the few things I have a handle on from thus drive is the odometer is 0.0095 short. 83.5 miles indicated with 84.3 miles actually driven.

    [​IMG]
    See the missing pip from the SoC indicator? :(

    The all-new 2016 Chevrolet Volt in charge sustaining mode is also less efficient than the 16 Sonata HEV, 16 Sonata PHEV-27 in charge sustaining mode, 15 Accord HEV, and the 2nd, 3rd, and now 4th Gen Prius on this same calibrated drive route.

    But, there may be a way out as the "Hold Mode" sure did screw up the Volts Hybrid functionality so this has yet to be flushed out.

    [​IMG]

    I am headed home to top the charge off, place it in Hold mode "AGAIN" and drive 30-miles to my San Diego RT city loop tomorrow once the weather calms down to find out what the new pack and drivetrain architecture are worth. The 35-mile AER 2011 Volt allowed 75.5 miles on a single charge so I have to assume the 53 mile AER pack should allow well over the century mark. If only this calibration drive from Torrance was not wasted today. :(

    Wayne
     
  4. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi All:

    More cool stuff in the 2016 Chevrolet Volt...

    Here is the body to roof seam. It is body colored but not that cheap rubber strip that many OEMs still use.

    [​IMG]

    This blue metal flake color stands out too.

    Next up are two feature lines in the roof. Never noticed them at the shows and reveals that GM is moving forward with design as well.

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    Next up is this lightly illuminated deep blue LED lightpipe across the front doors and in the rear rear handles. Notice all the switches are Backlit too? Not sure if they are while on the road but I will let you know.

    [​IMG]

    Wayne
     
  5. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi All:

    On another more positive note, when leaving a stop sign on a steep 8 to 9 percent grade to my home, the front wheels chirped. That is not happening in any other hybrid I normally drive as they do not have the balls to do it. ;)

    Wayne
     
  6. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi All:

    Today's 2016 Chevrolet Volt highlight.

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    Look at these classy body colored inlays in the chrome handles. One of many advanced design touches.

    Wayne
     
  7. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi All:

    What one $58 USD cart of #groceries looks like in the hatch of the 2016 #Chevrolet #Volt.

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    $58 does not go as far in Southern #California as it does in #Illinois and I was stacking coupons and deals too.

    Then again, it is almost #Christmas and it is 61 degrees F tonight so there will unnecessary #gas and #electricity consumed to stay warm as there would be back in Illinois either.

    Is the glass 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?

    Wayne
     
  8. EdwinTheMagnificent

    EdwinTheMagnificent Legend In His Mind

    1/2 full. We're looking at a possible 61 deg ( record ) high today.
     
    xcel likes this.
  9. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi All:

    Cruising around Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano with the 2016 Chevrolet Volt waiting for the roads to dry before performing some Electric range testing.

    Might as well take a few shots along the Pacific while I am here right?

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    I stopped at Imperio Nissan of San Juan Capistrano to top off the Volts pack from their Level2s before heading out so I may as well give this dealership a few accolades.

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    No Titan XD's on their lot that I could see but they have everything else including the all-new 15 Murano, refreshed 16 Altima and the all-new 16 Maxima. And of course a few Leafs hanging around the lot with the 2 years of no charge charging promotion highlighted in the entry way.

    [​IMG]

    Some good prices on Versa's, Sentra's, Altima's and Rogue's on their home page too.

    Lounge is stocked with complimentary fruit, popcorn, donuts, cookies and a variety of coffees. I can vouch for the oranges. ;)

    [​IMG]
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    Volt is fully charged and the displays and Garmin reset.​

    Wayne
     
  10. I like that they dropped all the touch button bs on the center stack. Don't know if I like the looks yet its growing on me.

    You need to do cold weather testing so you can curse at the stupid Engine Running Due To Temp non sense too.

    Drive mode defaults back and iirc on gen2 the charge setting defaults to 8 amp on level 1 too. At least they added the location based charge settings
     
    xcel likes this.
  11. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi All:

    The 2016 Chevrolet Volt just keeps on going and going and going.

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    Traffic sucks and I think I will stop for a bite in a few but in the heavy stuff, the Volt on its plug can rock its EPA rated 53-mile AER.

    Wayne
     
  12. alster

    alster Well-Known Member

    Wayne, why does the computer readout state 68 mpg when you went nearly 84 miles on a little over 1 gallon of gas?
     
    xcel likes this.
  13. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi Alster:

    It used a few miles of EV which is not included in the aFCD calculation. I did not catch it until it was to late. :(

    Wayne
     
  14. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi All:

    2016 Chevrolet Volt is good for 111.9 actual miles vs 111.0 miles indicated on a single charge.

    [​IMG]

    The last 10 miles were nail biters of course. Afternoon lunch stop, numerous relief stops, a few pic stops, ton of lights and traffic to begin and even a few miles on the 5 for good measure round out a day in the life of GMs most efficient offering to date. The Spark EV notwithstanding.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    A few final thoughts... I wish we had a lot less elevation delta's here in Southern California as working the 100 to 200' elevation delta's again and again and again is a real bear with the Volt.

    Interesting enough, I started at the Nissan dealership at 107' ASL and finished on an overpass at 96' elevation ASL so no help from topography.

    Someone on a nice lazy flat stretch of round trip roadway during daylight hours in the summer is probably going to pop the second gen through 125 miles on a single charge pretty easily.

    Wayne
     
  15. alster

    alster Well-Known Member

    Wayne,once again great write up, and thanks for explaining the 68.9 mpg figure. Some forum members on other car sites have mentioned when
    you fill up the tank to the brim this could cause damage to the fuel system / engine. I know why you use this method to be 100% accurate in your
    calculations and to attest to the accuracy or not to the onboard generated mpg readout. Have you ever had any issues filling the tank to the brim since
    you have been using this method?
     
    xcel likes this.
  16. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi Alster:

    It can damage the evap systems indeed! I have never had an issued although there is always a risk depending on how the evap piping layout was designed. I only complete this for my technical measured runs but for general driving, the need is not as urgent.

    I hope that helps?

    Wayne
     
  17. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi All:

    The 2016 Chevrolet Volt Review continues...

    Bri, my son Scott's GF, is about 5'-1" and fits well in the rear with the driver seat setup for him. He is is 5'-8".

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    Bri said, "The rear seats are great for small people, bad for big people."

    She added that the bolstering in the shoulders and the seats would impinge on larger passengers as well.

    Ingress/egress from the rear seats is hard even for her.

    And finally she liked how the central digital display is located lower within the dash instead of raised and set within with an instrument hood. Given her height, she is not looking over the wheel to see the road ahead and/or having to raise the seat to uncomfortable levels.

    One additional item she noticed, the lower dash rolls toward the firewall quickly leaving crush space just in case the worst happens. Many cars lower dash are more vertical and further down before rolling back and with her so close to the wheel, an accident is going to bust up her knees.

    Wayne
     
  18. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi All:

    The second gen 2016 Chevrolet Volt Review continues...

    My son and I complete a competitive comparison with his daily driver, the previous third gen Prius PHEV-11. I added my own comparison commentary within as well.

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    Seating position - second gen Volt's leather vs third gen Prius' cloth, no contest. Volt wins.

    For my 6' frame, the ergonomics including seat travel and telescopic wheel reach place the win clearly in the Volt's roundhouse.

    Seat comfort? Second gen Volt's are softer. My son is on the fence regarding bolstering.

    Thick soft leather wrapped wheel buries the cheap POS poly wheel in the third gen Prius.

    Elbow contact on the window sill and center console goes to the second gen Volt by miles. The third gen "Prius' center console pad is like a concrete slab."

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    The center console is placed pretty far back and when fully opened, it is hard to close since it is behind you.

    Auto up/down windows are far too touchy on the Volt by comparison to the third gen Prius,

    The second gen Volt's front doors are located such that when exiting or getting in, you scuff the door/speaker covers.

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    Manual seat adjustments on both but the seat belt on the second gen Volt is too close to the seat back recline lever.

    Audio system sounds quality in the second gen Volt is far better.

    The second gen Volts 8" central display is fantastic. Hi-res and detailed color reproduction, dynamic rear view camera guidelines and larger field if view is far superior to the POS wash out in daylight display in the third gen Prius.

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    The Display Audio controls are confusing. From goofy icons to actions, it may take some time to get used to. When adjusting the Volume and HVAC controls, a pop window comes up in the central display covering up what you may need for NAVI etc. This is neither good nor bad, just different.

    The second gen Volts upper dash soft plastics are superior as is the chrome and piano black vent and trim. Miles ahead.

    Ride and handling? Oh boy. The second gen Volt is steer where you want to go. The older third gen Prius PHEV is turn the wheel and hope you can miss the iceberg 1/4 mile ahead. Just kidding but you know what I mean.

    Second gen Volt's Digital displays are just OK. Third gen Prius' upper central display keeps my focus on the road better due to its location and there is more useful information within. Volt's high quality colorful display is prettier.

    Second gen Volt's Push Button angled toward the driver and behind the wheel. An ergonomic mess vs the third gen Prius' off to the right of the wheel and accessible.

    USB ports? The third gen Prius' are behind you in the center console. A mess. Second gen Volt's are in an OK location but buried in that nook below the central display.

    Rear cargo/trunk? Second gen Volt is small and the security sheet/cover is BS compared to the roll up and real security cover in the Prius.

    Electric range? Third gen Prius' 11 is no match for the second gen Volt's 53 miles. Not much more to add to that.

    Engine on the third gen Prius is a lot more efficient. 40 mpg run to a Starbucks and back in the second gen Volt. Third gen Prius is in the mid to high 50s on that same run.

    When the engine kicks on in the second gen Volt, it is more subtle than in the third gen Prius. The third gen Prius is just loud.

    Compared to the fourth gen Prius, a lot closer in most respects.

    Pretty good overview IMHO.

    Wayne
     
  19. alster

    alster Well-Known Member

    Wayne, hello again and Merry Christmas. In gas engine mode only, hold mode, what type of mpg where you getting at 55 mph on the highway. We have a 2014 Volt and usually get 40 mpg on the highway a little more in summer and a little less in winter, of course with premium gas. It was a positive move on GM's part to use the 1.5 engine to operate on 87 octane (regular) instead of 91 Premium.
     
    xcel likes this.
  20. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi Alster:

    I plan on heading out to complete another calibration run with the pack drawn down to nothing as it sits in the drive right now. Once that is complete, I can build the steady states maybe tomorrow night to answer that exact question. I hope. :)

    Wayne
     

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