The Futuristic-Looking Chevy Volt

While driving around town in the futuristic-looking Chevy Volt, people rolled down their window to ask, “how do you like that car?” I really enjoyed driving this vehicle with its two gorgeous computer displays. I felt like I was on a cartoon episode of the Jetsons, with my fancy car with touch-screen, great music and navigational aids. We enjoyed the opportunity to drive it for the weekend courtesy of Chevrolet and Klout Perks.
 
I interviewed my friend, Doran Toledano, an avid car enthusiast, about the Volt. In his words:

The steering felt nice, the suspension was smooth, the interior was comfortable and roomy, especially as I am 6 foot 2. The driver’s side and the navigation screen have good quality and are well positioned. High enough to see while driving, the older Chevy cars has the screen too low for easy viewing. The acceleration the car has for being electric was pretty strong and worked well. If you need to cut someone off, it is not a problem. The one problem is behind the back driver door there is a blind spot because of the pillar. For four seats, it is really spacious especially the trunk. Everything about the car is clean– not too much sloppy plastic,  the joints are good, not like a Mercedes but it is good. The steering is nice and smooth compared to BMW, which is a bit, more rough. This car has really smooth steering. 
 


From the paperwork about the car, for $45,000 I think it should have electric seats. The warranty is really good on the car.  It has a futuristic look with all the screens and I liked it. I would recommend it for someone who mainly drives less than 36 miles a day. The electric part does not work more than 36 miles. It is good if you drive locally to a friend’s house or the supermarket but not for driving across country. I think for $45,000 to save $5 it is not worth it. The Honda Accord is $23,000 and that car gets about 32mpg highway and you have to figure out how much you are saving.

I could get you a 2005 Civic for $5000 and save you $40,000. 
 
The car could be worth the money if you use for the right reasons. It is a great car. Chevy has really improved in the last few years and is developing in a great way.

Doran helped me think about the positives and negatives of this vehicle. He recently sold both of our cars as we are headed abroad for a year. If you want help buying or selling a car, please contact him at Doran Toledano on Facebook.

I did have a few 21st century problems with the car. I knew that I could not charge the car from my condo as that would require an extension cord and the car must be plugged directly into an electric socket. My husband had the idea to use a socket by the condo complex pool so we plugged in the car and went for a walk. When we got back, we found a note on our car that said, “If you charge your car here again, it will be towed.” Several residents had complained to the HOA president that we were stealing electricity. A friend suggested that we park the car in an electrical charging spot at a local garage, but the outlet there didn’t fit the Volt. Long story short, driving an electric car entails a certain amount of inconvenience!

I enjoyed driving the Volt and appreciated Chevrolet giving me the opportunity to test-drive it for the weekend. Enjoy all your journeys!

Video Tour of the Chevy Volt

Article first published as The Futuristic-Looking Chevy Volt on Technorati.