2014 Chevrolet Volt, Serious Fuel Economy for Long Commuters

While not the flashiest car to look at, the 2014 Chevrolet Volt does have some sporty appeal and offers owners the ability to save a ton of money at the pump with the use of a fully hybrid engine. It is one of the few cars on the market that offer an electric motor that can actually run at highway speeds for a decent distance, approximately 30-40 miles, before the gas powered engine kicks back in and starts to recharge the electric motor.

As promised by Chevrolet, the Volt is as green as a car can get with the fuel economy, but also offers an attractive style that doesn’t make shoppers shy away by being too geeky or overdone. Because this car uses both a fully electric motor and a gas powered engine the owner is not limited to city driving or only short stints allowing it to be used as a great commuter car, for long trips, or running around town as needed.

With no major upgrades for 2014, the Volt is virtually the same as the 2013 model, according to Miami Chevrolet. Driving this green car offers a quick and quiet acceleration that is a shock at first. Offering a nicely tuned suspension and electric power steering the Volt handles very well in all road conditions and can leave traffic behind or zip through it around town, whichever is needed. Add to all this, a quiet cabin by way of great insulation and noise reduction technologies and the car is a very pleasant and comfortable ride for anyone in the front seats. Unfortunately the Volt has very little space in the backseat that is situated for only two passengers to ride, which needs to be a consideration for anyone looking for a family vehicle, but other than this, the car is a real pleasure to take on the road.

As the most interesting part of the car, the power plant is equipped with an AC synchronous electric motor/generator with a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 1.4-liter inline four-cylinder gas powered motor that acts as a generator and range extender. The gas powered engine takes over one the electric power is depleted and both continues to propel the vehicle down the road as well as recharging the electric motor battery pack for the next round of use.

This power pairing brings in a decent 149 horsepower and a surprisingly high 273 lb.-ft. of torque. This setup carries an average range of 38 miles for the electric motor and an additional 380 miles for the gasoline range extender. This equates to 93 mpge for the equivalent for the electric motor and 35 city/40 hwy mpg for the gas engine.

With four operating modes the engine can be used however needed in Normal for efficiency, Sport for better acceleration when needed, Mountain to handle the grades offered by steep inclines, and Hold that allows the electric motor to be preserved until the driver wants to use it, possibly in town where the fuel mileage is lower for the gas engine portion.

Offering an interior that is fully contrasted in either bright white or dark colors the interior is actually really appealing to almost any crowd and not just those looking to see how green they can make the car. Two LCD screens are situated to offer all the information and control the driver needs at any point. The front seats are nice and comfortable, but as mentioned, the rear leaves a lot of comfort to be desired and is much more suitable for children than adults.

The outside of the Volt offers a great looking vehicle that doesn’t get too showy, but rather offers the function of aerodynamics to really help the engine any way it can. With great lines and a closed grill the Volt shows up with a sporty look as well as a nice design that is very pleasing to the eye and once again isn’t as typical of a green car as competitors are. Adding to the sporty feel is the rear spoiler that actually does add to the functional rear hatch by helping to slice through the wind. Even the wheels help to cut through the air with a light weight star spoked design and use of Goodyear Fuel Max tires.

A host of great standard features are included in the Volt including touch sensitive climate, audio, and driving controls, an eight-year 100,000 mile warranty, air conditioning, keyless entry, power mirrors, locks and windows, a charge cord for a standard outlet, a touch screen audio system, 17-inch wheels, electronic traction and stability control, anti-lock brakes, eight air bags, USB connectivity and five years of OnStar service. This makes the Volt one of the well-equipped green cars on the market today.

Optional features found in the Volt lineup include leather seating, heated front seats and center armrest, rear parking assistance, a rearview camera, front parking assistance, lane departure warning, collision warning, a Bose premium sound system, MyLink, a 240-volt charging station, a navigation system, and a 30GB hard-drive for music and navigation information storage. After all these additions it’s hard to think the Volt is a green car because it throws away the stigma that a green car has to come without a great set of equipment, but this one sure does. Most of the optional features are package based, but a few of them do come as stand-alone features.

Offered at a starting price around $35,000 the Volt is not cheap, but between the tax credit and the fuel savings becomes a much more affordable vehicle over the life of the car. Bring the car up to a fully loaded version and the price increases to come in around $40,000 which is not a bad increase in price for all the added equipment and features offered on this great green car. When looking for the best green car that doesn’t come off as atypical offering the Volt is the choice to make every time.