http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/ Engadget Comments for 2011 Chevrolet Volt gets taken for a test drive http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/because hybrid cars are designed for low-resistance, sports cars are designed to produce down force as well as low drag. the tear-drop shape is most aerodynamic shape known, and the closest modern cars can get to that with safety regulations and a practical seating layout is the shoe-shape. at least chevy gave it a star trek guise to hide the ungainly figure, i must say it looks great in person ]]>Nov 30th 2009 10:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 10:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 10:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/volt-concept-reality_opt.jpg]]>Nov 30th 2009 11:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Dec 1st 2009 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Totally agree, but the concept was definitely not as aero as this thing... which looks very Euro-cool in its own right. Props to Chevy for making cars exciting again.]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Kamm Tail:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Don't you just hate that?]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/
At least they changed it a bit so it doesn't look exactly like a honda civic anymore]]>Dec 1st 2009 5:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/1064/hellvolt.png]]>Dec 1st 2009 3:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 10:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/
um its a GM, the batteries are probably the ONLY reliable part on thier POS cars...

Just buy a Honda civic and call it a day.]]>Nov 30th 2009 8:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 9:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Dec 1st 2009 12:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Dec 1st 2009 2:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/
Please, don't add to the marketing hype of "230 MPG" because you'll never see that.]]>Nov 30th 2009 8:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/
i gotta agree with this. they should change it to how far you can go on the city/hwy tests till your batteries+gas run out. whatever distance you cover is your new rating. so if your rating is 600 thats how far you went on one tank/battery in miles. 2 ratings one for city and one for highway. screw this bs mpg crap. ]]>Nov 30th 2009 8:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 9:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/The average American commute to work is about 25 minutes per day so a lot of people will see the advertised milage for the bulk of their daily travel. ]]>Nov 30th 2009 9:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 11:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Average daily driving distance for an American is 30 miles per day per person. Also, the average 2 way commute to work is 32 miles both ways. So yes, you can get those mpg ratings depending on your situation and driving habits.]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Its the same math used for global warming prediction.]]>Dec 1st 2009 8:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/
Basically I see this as a step in the right direction, but nearly where development should end.]]>Nov 30th 2009 8:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 9:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/
No, there's a way of calculating the equivalent as MPG.

http://gm-volt.com/2009/08/12/how-the-volts-230-mpg-designation-was-calculated/]]>Dec 1st 2009 8:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/
http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/quick-spin-2011-chevrolet-volt/#22

Also, the backend looks a bit like a short Pontiac Aztec.]]>Nov 30th 2009 8:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 9:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/
It's idiotic to say you'd "never buy a domestic automobile again." Do you honestly think that all foreign automobile companies are so much nobler than American? Many Japanese and German companies certain had their fair part in WWII. Or really any more reliable (one check to recent consumer reports will prove that false) - and certainly by historic accounts any modern car by any maker is leaps and bounds more reliable than any maker from the past.

and if you weren't aware, just about every automobile maker on the planet has received bailouts from their respective governments (http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/daily-news/090304-Toyota-Honda-Mazda-May-Ask-for-Government-Bailout/
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f37/mazda-shut-out-bond-market-now-seeks-japanese-government-bailout-76782/) - so to fault GM or Chrysler for that would be false - it would be ludicrous to support foreign companies that receive money from their government and scoff at our own for the same reason.]]>Nov 30th 2009 8:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/
Seems pretty short sighted to say you'll never buy a domestic car. Just as short sighted as someone who says they will never buy a foreign car. Let the competition build the best car and buy that regardless of where their operations happen to be.]]>Nov 30th 2009 9:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 9:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/whoooaaah.. Where are you coming from? You read alot into my post.

@(Unverified)
Fair enough. I wouldn't dismiss the fact that there COULD be a car eventually created by a domestic car company that I could potentially be interested in. There have been times certain cars peaked my interest (couple of offerings from Saturn, maybe 1 or 2 from Ford), but for now, it all seems very improbable.

I have owned 10 cars in the last 8 years. Yes, 10. Let me list them for you in chronological sequence. 1996 Hyundai Elantra (utter crap). 1994 Mazda mx-6 v6 (Basically a ford probe), 2000 VW Golf GTI 1.8t (probably my favorite in the list), 1992 Nissan 240sx, 1993 BMW 318i, 2000 VW Golf 4dr (2.0), 2004 Audi A4 (1.8t), 2007 Nissan Altima 2.5, 2004 Nissan 350z, Current car = 2008 Mazda CX-7.

I shop long and hard for all my cars. I'm a car slut, but there are 2 key factors I always look for. 1. Reliability, 2. Resell value. Let me tell you my friends, domestic cars are making improvements with no.1, but are getting worse in no.2. Do the research, drive the cars. Fit and finish on american cars vs most japanese (sans Mitsubishi), and most german is horrendous. At one point, Dodge used the same plastic knobs in the 13k neon as it did in its top of the line Dodge Viper. There's so much overhead on making a domestic car, they skimp on materials and finish. Time is the test that tells all. Drive in a 2000 Chevy Cavalier (if you can find one that runs), and then a 2000 VW Golf, or even a 2000 Civic. Show me the motor, the internals, the car interior, everything, and tell me that domestic cars are competitive.

Even Mazda manages to push out better cars then their domestic big brother, Ford. It's because the engineering and design, for the most part, stays in house at Mazda Japan.

It's not really about where the car is manufactured. Toyota and Honda all have plants in the US. VW puts cars together in Mexico. What matters is the philosophical differences in US car design vs Japanese and German car design. Go to Europe and drive their equivalent of the 15k sub compact car. Your jaw will drop at the difference in quality and refinement.

Not talking out my ass here. Talking from 100% what I have learned in my car experience. Not from internet forums, not from what "they" say.]]>Nov 30th 2009 9:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/
Sure, domestic auto makers of 2000 made shitty cars across the board. But they're getting better. I think what others have tried to explain is that proclaiming that you would never buy another domestic car, then laud one for "looking great" is a loaded statement. I think the volt is an attempt by a major domestic auto manufacturer to be more progressive and appeal to people [like you] who have scoffed at the chintzy quality of their older cars -- most people have owned a car harkening back to the ubiquitous cavalier (mine being a 92 ford tempo) and shook their fists at American cars vowing to never again be plauged by a cut-rate electrical system or poorly engineered front suspension. But that was nearly 10 years ago. Today is a different ball game. I see a lot of potential in American cars these days.

And btw....I've owned 2 pontiac grand prix GT's since 2003 and have not had a single problem related to quality in 6 years. I bought both brand new, an '04 and an '06. The first held enough value to be traded in without the loan going upside down, so will the second, both over 70K miles and I kept up on the maintenance (oil changes and regular service). In terms of resale value, that's all I care about. I understand that you are not talking out of your ass. But your opinions about that can't be made into blanket statements that probably do not apply to everyone. Just sayin...

I've also owned VW's ('89 Jetta GLI and '95 Jetta GL), and they were awesome until they got wrecked, the GLI had 200K miles on it. But I get as much quality from my American cars that I got from my German cars. My dad is still driving his '98 buick, with 180K miles on it. So to me, it's all relative. I am however, quite happy with how much better the build quality has gotten with American cars -- the new 2010 Buick Lacrosse being an example. I test drove one while my pontiac was getting serviced. That thing is nice, it reminded me of my Aunt's Lexus - really nice.

I've owned a ford, a chrysler, VW, and pontiac and though the ford and chrysler both sucked (tempo and town & country), my newer pontiacs were/are great. VW is too rich for my blood these days. So my next car, which needs to be an SUV/CUV will be from whichever auto maker that offers the best car for the money. I'm looking at a mazda CX-9, honda pilot, and chevy traverse. So far, the mazda wins in the price department. We'll see.

I don't buy cars based on quality 10 years ago. My mom had an '88 hyundai excel, it was the bane of her existence - the thing was a piece of crap, made out of hotwheel parts - she hated it, and vowed never to buy one again. A couple of months ago, she got a 2010 hyundai elantra and loves it. Talk about a comeback.]]>Dec 1st 2009 7:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/
You do know the the CX-7 is a Ford Edge right?

BTW, I own an 08 as well. I LOOOOVE that car!]]>Dec 1st 2009 12:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/Nov 30th 2009 8:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/2011-chevrolet-volt-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/GM sure changed their minds about being domestic and joined Toyota and Honda for that look that says Hey l'm a eco friendly green vehicle...]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:25AM