Volt 2.0 Less geek, more go
Reinvented plug-in hybrid packs more power with lighter battery
QUEBEC CITY— Even on a grey, drizzly day, the hills and valleys south of Quebec City are ablaze with autumn colours.
A narrow road winds past pastureland, and, at regular intervals, quiet towns strung along rivers are dominated by church steeples.
It’s a relaxing landscape, and one that’s perfectly in sync with the car we’re previewing. The 2016 Chevrolet Volt is an easy, comfortable car to drive. Its placid manners give little evidence of the technological wizardry that makes it go.
The new Volt is a complete reinvention of the car that, back in 2010, created a whole new vehicle category: a plug-in hybrid with enough battery-powered capacity for most driving and a gasoline engine for longer trips.
At the time, it looked like a revolutionary leap for General Motors; or, as skeptics saw it, a long, dangerous crawl out along a narrow branch.
The Volt still hasn’t been duplicated. No other car in its class compares with its combustion performance
It hasn’t been a huge seller. About 100,000 have moved off dealers’ lots in North America — a small blip in the total car market. But it has been popular with its owners and has moved a long way from radical toward mainstream acceptance.
Generation Two should hasten that shift.
From behind the wheel, it’s still unmistakably a Volt — solid, heavy, easy to handle under all reasonable driving conditions and styles, and quiet.
But almost everything about it is different. Only a handful of parts are carried over from the first generation, and improvements are everywhere.
Both the drivetrain and battery pack are lighter, more efficient and more powerful. The battery-propelled range has increased to about 85 kilometres, from 60.
The car has been redesigned inside and out. The exterior is less quirky; more handsome. The interior is larger and holds five passengers instead of four. The seats are more supportive and the controls are easier to manage.
All this is offered at a price that, although still more than the mass market will probably pay, is slightly lower than the previous generation.
The Volt still hasn’t been duplicated. No other plug-in hybrid offers its length of all-electric range combined with effective internal-combustion performance.
Our preview drive through Quebec, the province that accounts for half of Volt sales in Canada, suggests it has just widened the gap.
Volt buyers are younger than average Chevrolet customers and higher in education and income. Of crucial importance to GM, nearly 70 per cent of those buyers aren’t previous Chevrolet owners.
The average Volt is driven solely on battery power nearly two-thirds of the time. That ratio should increase with the 2016 version’s added range.
There are two trim levels: The LT is $40,090 before incentives. That price includes a $1,600 destination charge. The Premium, at $44,190, adds leather seating, ultra bright alu- minum wheels, park assist, a premium sound system and wireless phone charging. Useful safety and navigation packages available with the Premium cost another $2,000.
Apple CarPlay lets Volt occupants use an iPhone through the infotainment system and control it by touch, voice or buttons. The Premium model includes a wireless charger for smart phones or other mobile devices.
As before, the Volt comes with three years of GM’s OnStar system, connected to a 4G LTE network.
Navigation is part of a $795 package available on the Premium model.
Most driving aids are available as Premium options. They include blind spot, lane-change and rear cross traffic alerts in one $575 package. Another $575 adds forward-collision alert, lane keep assist, lowspeed front automatic braking and a following distance indicator.
The original Volt was meant to stand out as a declaration of something new.
For 2016, the design is toned down to appeal more to the mainstream market. It’s a bit longer and lower with more fluid and deeply sculpted lines. Although quite pleasing, it now resembles every other car on the road.
Still, it retains styling cues from the first generation model, including a black insert with the Volt name near the front mirrors, the glossy black appliqué across the back and the high roofline.
The less clunky grille incorporates active shutters for better aerodynamics — helping retain the relatively slippery 0.28 drag coefficient.
The Volt now seats five, instead of four, although the new middle-rear position won’t be comfortable on long trips.
It boasts a bit more interior room, a big cargo area and a redesigned dashboard and front console. After consulting with current owners, GM has reconfigured the controls for the entertainment and heating/air-conditioning systems.
The interior materials feel upscale, and the redesigned front buckets are supportive and comfortable. For Canada, a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated front seats are standard.
And coffee-loving drivers can now extract a cup from the front-console holder without going through manoeuvres worthy of a contortionist.
The Volt travels on battery power until electrical juice is depleted, and then internal combustion takes over. The increased range lets it manage most everyday driving without gasoline.
In performance, there’s little difference between electric and gasoline propulsion: The motor provides more torque for acceleration. Both are smooth and sufficiently powerful, and it isn’t obvious which is running.
The battery pack, under the rear passenger compartment, creates a low centre of gravity for confident handling.
Electric range is variable. I travelled 57 kilometres before depletion; others got 90. It depends on how you drive.
Regeneration on demand increases engine braking to minimize brake wear and replenish the battery. It adds fun and efficiency to a unique vehicle that feels remarkably familiar.