The Volt is an electric car for drivers who don't want to be limited by battery range. It usually allows you to drive gas-free for 35 miles, however the exact number depends on weather and driving style. In our testing, it ranged from 20 to 50 miles. When the battery is depleted, a backup gasoline engine kicks in to keep the electric motor running. This allows you to keep driving for up to 315 more miles before refueling. If you charge every night and your daily drive fits within the battery's range, you might never need to buy gasoline.
Running on electricity alone, the Volt cost about four cents per mile at national-average electric rates -- much less than required to fuel any gas-powered car. Actual cost will depend on your electric rates, which vary greatly from state to state. Driving on the highway also diminishes the battery's range. We got our longest electric-only drives on rural roads at around 45 mph. The Volt is amazingly inexpensive to run on short trips, but when the gas engine kicks in and trips reach around 70 miles, traditional hybrids catch up. That's partly because the gasoline engine requires premium fuel, which strikes us as out of step with what Volt buyers might expect.
Beyond that, the Volt is quiet and slick to drive, though it has a few quirks.
First of all, this compact hatchback seats only four, as the battery pack consumes quite a bit of space between the rear seats. Passengers in the back will also find headroom tight and footroom almost non-existent.
Second, the interior controls are a jumbled mess on the center of the dashboard. Worse, they're capacitive switches that often don't respond as you expect. We also found the car's electric heater couldn't get the cabin warm on cold winter days. GM has since updated the Volt so it runs the gas engine to provide some heat when it gets too cold out -- even if there's plenty of charge left in the battery.
The Volt rides smoothly and handles responsively enough, though you'll never mistake it for a sports car. The front seats are roomy, comfortable and supportive. The interior is also well-finished.