Consumer Reports New Cars – November 2019

V I TAL STATS

OVERALL

SCORE

ROAD-TEST

SCORE

Price as tested

$43,155

Trim line Premier

Drivetrain

200-hp electric

motor; 1-speed

direct drive; FWD

Range 250 miles

Reasons to Buy

Long range

Quick

acceleration

Agile handling

Quiet cabin

Elevated driving

position

Reasons to Skip

Spongy-feeling

brake pedal

Choppy ride

Uncomfortable

driver’s seat

Cheap interior

quality

Long charging

times

30 NEW CARS CR.ORG/CARS

On the Road Charged and Ready

THE CHEVROLET BOLT is

a relatively affordable electric

vehicle with a robust driving

range and a fun-to-drive char-

acter. Even in the face

of new competitors, it still

stands out.

The Bolt is built around a

60-kWh battery pack that sits

under the car’s floor, helping

the car achieve a 250-mile

cruising range in our tests—

more than some pricier

EVs. Still, it took us 10 hours

on a 240-volt connector

to charge from empty. The

upside is that the Bolt’s

range is so robust, most dri-

vers won’t need to charge

from empty very often.

Step on the throttle and

the Bolt’s electric torque

immediately makes itself

known. With 200 electrified

horses on tap, this small

hatchback accelerates with

gusto, running from 0 to

60 mph in a scant 6.8 seconds.

That heavy, low-mounted

battery contributes to the

Bolt’s planted feel despite its

tall stance. The car is eager

to tackle a curvy road and

is actually fun to drive.

But the ride is stiff and gets

choppy over rough roads.

An elevated driving posi-

tion, plus an expansive

windshield and tall front side

windows, make the Bolt

feel open and airy. There is

good room up front, but

we didn’t like the narrow,

thinly padded seats. Even

the top Premier trim lacks

adjustable lumbar support.

Overall, interior quality is

on the cheap side—especially

given the Bolt’s price.

The rear seat has good

space and a completely flat

floor. Unlike some other EVs,

the Bolt has good cargo room.

A 10.2-inch touch screen

displays comprehensive

energy consumption data,

and audio and phone func-

tions can be performed via

steering wheel controls

and viewed in the cluster

between the gauges.

Advanced safety and driver

assist systems are available

on both LT and Premier trims,

including FCW, AEB, and

BSW. However, none of these

features are standard.

BEST VERSION TO GET

We’d go for

the LT with the

optional Driver

Confidence and

Driver Confidence

II packages,

which offer a lot

of safety and

convenience

features for the

money, as well as

DC fast-charging

capability.

Chevrolet

Bolt

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