2016 Chevrolet Volt Review: Electricity + Snow = Surprise [Video]

2016 Chevrolet Volt

During a time when crude oil and gas prices are at 12-year low point, sales of EV cars are losing ground despite improvements in range, driving characteristics, and style. Good times or bad times, one way of spending less on fuel and doing your part to reduce filthy emissions is to drive an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid. The 2016 Chevrolet Volt is an extended-range electric hatchback starting its second generation, and has been vastly improved over the first-gen. The all-new 2016 Volt is sleeker, faster, can go farther unplugged — and is slightly less expensive than last year’s model.

Almost everything is new with the redesigned 2016 Chevy Volt. It still is an electric vehicle with a range extender engine, but now the Volt’s range has improved almost 40 percent with an electric-only range of 53 miles and extended range of 420 miles with the help of a re-engineered Voltec powertrain. The 149 horsepower rating of the new engine isn’t different from the previous generation Volt, but it’s the 294 lb-ft of torque is what really gives the 2016 Volt a real kick in acceleration.

Styling of the new Volt is crisper, more rakish, and shares a lot visual cues with the rest of the current Chevrolet lineup. Inside, Chevy has given the new Volt an intuitive cockpit with more conventional knobs and switches to control the radio and climate functions. A crisp, bright touchscreen sits predominately on the center console and is responsive to the lightest touch when accessing the infotainment, navigation and vehicle settings.

In this TFLcar video review of the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Volt, Nathan takes the extended range EV for a drive in the Colorado snow and explains all the new tech.

SPECIFICATIONS: 2016 Chevrolet Volt Premier

  • Base Price: $38,345
  • Price as Tested: $40,825 (does not factor in federal tax credit of $7,500 or state, regional or local tax credits)
  • Engine Type and Size: 1.5-liter, DOHC, 16-valve cast aluminum inline 4-cylinder with continuously variable intake and exhaust cam phaser, direct injection and electronic throttle control
    • Horsepower (bhp): 101 @ 5,600 rpm
  • Electric Drive: Twin motor arrangement, 110 kW Voltec electric drive system
    • Power: 111 kW / 149 hp
    • Torque: 294 pound feet / 398 Nm
  • Transmission: Voltec Electric Drive System
  • Drive Train: Transversely mounted front engine / electric Front-two-wheel drive
  • Wheelbase: 106.1 inches
  • Curb Weight: 3,543 lbs.
  • EPA Mileage Estimates: 42 combined mpg city / highway / 106 mpg-e
  • EV range (city): 53 miles based on estimated fuel economy
  • EV extended range: 420 miles  on fully charged battery with full gas tank
  • Drag Coefficient: 0.28
  • 0 – 60 mph: 8.4 seconds
  • Top Speed = 98 mph electronically limited