If you are looking into adding a car with
electrification as one of your daily driving options, you surely have been
attentively watching how charging times have improved drastically. Updates for
the 2019 Volt give even faster 240-volt charging times, and the electric range
within is beginning to really overshadow our competitors satisfyingly. The
folks at the Cnet.com Roadshow blog did a piece last week
highlighting the Volt's refresh for next year, and all of the exciting and
Eco-Conscious reasons that you would want to own one.
The first thing that expert writer Jon Wong
noticed about the new Volt is the front-end and silver grille inserts: they
give the Volt a bit of what he deemed a “Transformers vibe,” and we feel this
is a suitable comparison for our favorite and very futuristic offering. Tucked
inside the body is a carryover powertrain, made up of a 1.5-liter inline-4,
18.4-kilowatt hour battery pack and electric motor, for a combined output of
149 horsepower, and 294 lb-ft of torque. EPA-rated mileage sits at a quite
lofty 53 miles, which daringly champions over rivals such as the Hyundai Ioniq,
Kia Niro, and the Toyota Prius. For the most part “doubling down” on mileage,
this alone will be a massive selling point for many in the current climate.
Once you factor in the gas engine, the range is
upped to 420 miles, and the brand-new 7.2-kw charger lays down a very
impressive 240-volt charging time, from 4.3 hours all the way down to 2.3. If
you are planning on deriving the necessary juice for the journey from a
standard wall outlet, you'll have a 13-hour wait, which can still work for
those turning in during a night of rest before prepping for the day that lies
ahead. The staff at Roadshow felt that the handling on smooth
roads was excellent, on a jaunt from Detroit to Columbus, Ohio. The suspension
very easily took the edge off of impacts from the usual bumps, and enjoying the
benefits of its mileage on longer-distance trips will be one of the best
qualities the Volt offers.
Excellent additives like an 8-inch touchscreen
were greatly enjoyed by the Roadshow crew, offering very crisp
graphics, intuitive menus, and fast response times. One great reason to opt for
the Premier trim is that navigation is standard, as well as Apple CarPlay,
Android Auto, and the all-important data gleaning Wi-Fi hotspot. Within this
trim level, the wireless charge pad is relocated conveniently from under the
armrest to a more convenient location right at the base of the center stack.
There are two USB ports, as well as a 12-volt outlet up front, and those in the
backseat have access to a 12-volt outlet between the seats. The backup camera
is now an HD unit, and the pedestrian alert system has external speakers
equipped as standard.
Forward Collision Warning with low-speed automatic
emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning with lane keep
assist, and rear cross-traffic alert are available on the safety front,
assuring you that every drive you take you will be covered with the utmost in
high-tech protection. With all of these updates as well as faster charge times
and better infotainment tech, the Volt commands a very exciting and futuristic
presence here at West Chevy, where
we invite you to come down and check out electrified options this holiday
season!
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