Chevrolet Volt (2012): Full Review – Part 4

Audio sources include Bluetooth hands-free calling (but not audio streaming), a USB port with iPhone/iPod connectivity, an auxiliary audio input, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, AM/FM radio, and a single-slot CD player. Out of the box, the Volt ships with a standard OnStar telematics connection and three years of service that includes turn-by-turn navigation. To initiate a trip, you must first call OnStar to request a destination and, although the directions are viewable on the Volt’s display, you don’t get a scrollable map.

The driver can setup his/her own navigation system by storing maps in the local storage that Chevy has clocked to 30 GB. SirusXM offers a satellite navigation system for a separate package, three months free upon the purchase of the car though.

Though it is not the most efficient one but it is better than calling OnStar and it also has scrollable maps.

The screen nestled in the dashboard is 7 inches diagonally and offers all the basic information that is required to for driving the car. However, the colour combination is old-school, and somebody seriously has to tell Chevy that the oomph in blue and yellow has worn out. The capacitive touch has good sensitivity so it is all good to handle the screen, at least better than handling the horde of buttons right beneath it.

Cabin

A normal sedan has four seats, officially, including a bench in the rear that can accommodate up to five people, unofficially. However, Chevy had been so busy sprucing up the cabin that they nestled bucket seat all around, including the rear. This brings down the number of occupants to four, which is inconvenient for a car that has a huge footprint.

Moreover, the rear is not at all separated from the cabin. There is no discerning point in the car to separate the cabin from trunk.

Final Take

Though the cabin tech leaves a lot to be desired with all those ubiquitous and ambiguous capacitive buttons and touch screen with an interface not better than a cell-phone from the 90s, its power train overshadows all the cons.

It is silent and very comfortable to drive until you divulge yourself into changing radio or looking at the navigation system.

The Chevy Volt is an overall package of reliability, efficiency and above all effectiveness.

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Posted by Usman Khalid on Jun 20 2012. Filed under Automobiles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.