If you happen to’re scratching your head whereas taking a look at footage of the 2019 Chevrolet Volt pondering, man, that appears an terrible lot like final yr’s automotive, you are not going loopy. Whereas some mid-cycle refreshes are largely restricted to design tweaks, Chevy’s 2019 mannequin yr replace as a substitute focuses on making the Volt a good higher plug-in hybrid.Beneath the skinMuch as I might have appreciated to see a number of visible adjustments, actually, a design replace wasn’t important. The Volt definitely is not off-putting, with its Cruze-like entrance finish and silver grille inserts giving it type of a Transformers vibe.
Packed inside the physique is a carryover powertrain, comprised of a 1.5-liter I4 gasoline engine, 18.Four-kilowatt-hour battery pack and electrical motor, for a mixed output of 149 horsepower and 294 pound-feet of torque. The EPA says the 2019 Volt has an all-electric driving vary of 53 miles, which bests different PHEVs just like the Hyundai Ioniq (29 miles), Kia Niro (26 miles) and Toyota Prius Prime (25 miles). Issue within the gasoline engine and the Chevy’s driving vary grows to 420 miles.A brand new 7.2-kW charger is among the many extra substantial 2019 mannequin yr adjustments, accessible as a $750 choice on the bottom Volt LT mannequin and normal on my Premier trim tester. It drops 240-volt charging instances from Four.5 hours to 2.three. These planning on powering up on a regular family wall outlet nonetheless need to strap in for a 13-hour wait.
For metropolis commuting, the 53 miles of electrical vary appears very a lot in attain. The brake regen parts replenish the battery alongside the best way, inflicting electrical vary to drop slowly. Much more vitality recuperation is feasible utilizing the on-demand regen steering wheel paddle, although it intervenes sharply sufficient to make passengers’ heads bob ahead when activated. Pedaling round in Regular mode presents a delightful mixture of gallop off the road and thrust to whip previous slower visitors, whereas not decimating battery cost. What’s going to make electrons disappear at an alarming fee? Sport mode, with its extra hyperactive acceleration. Fortunately, a Maintain mode can be utilized to take care of the battery cost on longer stretches of freeway cruising, for instance, letting the range-extender gasoline engine do the heavy lifting, saving electrical energy to your stop-and-go stuff. A 53-mile electrical driving vary is spectacular, however it shortly disappears on the expressway.
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Not-so-dynamic handlingThe Volt’s vigorous powertrain is matched with a delicate and largely comfy chassis. Trip high quality on smoother roads is great, making for a nice and quiet round-trip from Detroit to Columbus, Ohio. The suspension simply takes the sting off of impacts from occasional bumps. Nonetheless, unhealthy pavement with consecutive potholes and poorly packed patches trigger the again finish to skip round, revealing the shortcomings of the torsion beam rear suspension.Tipping the scales at three,543 kilos, the Volt isn’t any light-weight and is way from a corner-carving fiend. There’s some dive beneath braking, lean by means of corners, imprecise and flippantly weighted steering and low-rolling-resistance 215/50R17 Michelin Power Saver A/S tires. The Volt is a wonderfully succesful every day commuter for rounding common turns and cloverleaf interchanges usually, however pushing the envelope could have the entrance tires washing out earlier than lengthy.Cabin makeoverHeading inside, the largest information is the up to date tech within the heart stack with Chevy’s Infotainment three system housed in an Eight-inch touchscreen. Graphics are crisp with intuitive menus and snappy response instances. On my Premier tester, navigation is normal, as is an eight-speaker Bose audio system, Wi-Fi hotspot and each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The cabin structure is unchanged, however heart stack tech is up to date with the newest Chevy lnfotainment three system.
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The Premier’s wi-fi cost pad can also be relocated from beneath the armrest to a extra handy location on the base of the middle stack. Different cost factors embody two USB ports and a 12-volt outlet up entrance, whereas backseat passengers have a 12-volt outlet between the seats. On the protection entrance, the backup digital camera is now a higher-definition unit and a brand new pedestrian alert system with exterior audio system emitting a refined tone at low speeds are normal. Ahead collision warning with low-speed computerized emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning with lane-keep help and rear cross-traffic alert can be found as choices.
The remainder of the Volt’s cabin is unchanged, with a relaxed seating place, satisfactory room up entrance and first rate legroom in again, although rear headroom leaves lots to be desired. Within the very again there is a 10.6 cubic toes trunk that may deal with weekly grocery journeys, however folding down the rear seats enabled me to cram 4 packs of Owens Corning R-13 insulation into the hatchback.Folding the Volt’s rear seats down will allow you to carry a variety of fiberglass insulation.
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How I would spec itI all the time like making an attempt to save lots of a couple of bucks when constructing my superb autos. Within the Volt’s case, its $34,395 base value, together with $875 for vacation spot, climbed a bit too excessive with choices. After including the 7.2-kilowatt onboard charging system and heated seats and steering wheel to deal with Midwest winters, the worth financial savings over the $38,995 Premier model that will get these gadgets normal is not drastic. The Bose sound system and wi-fi cost pad additionally included on the Premier are good bonuses.The one choice I am going to add is the $990 Driver Confidence II Package deal largely for blind-spot monitoring and rear cross visitors alert. That brings my Volt Premier’s price ticket to $39,985, which barely undercuts the $40,830 tester pictured right here.Stepping as much as the Premier trim stage is value it for the sooner charger and creature consolation options.
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The plug-in hybrid champWith its 2019 updates that deliver sooner cost instances and stronger infotainment tech, it is much more troublesome to miss the Volt in terms of plug-in hybrids. Mix that with its 53 miles of electrical driving vary that bests all of its opponents, and you’ve got a really interesting electrified automotive. Downsides? The Volt is a bit boring to have a look at and has the next beginning pricing than the $26Okay Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid, $29Okay Niro Plug-in Hybrid and $28Okay Prius Prime. However these two shortcomings could also be value it to some who like the concept of realistically making few and much between gasoline station visits with out ever struggling the vary anxiousness that comes with a full-fledge EV.