BoltPals:
I have had my Bolt for 3 days, and I think the car is terrific. I thought I would jot down some impressions after reading numerous likes and dislikes in this forum.
I have 3 years of EV experience with my 2013 Nissan Leaf. I really liked that car. It did what it was designed to do quite well. The 80 mile or so range made the car the commuter that it was, but I did have fun driving the 65 miles or so from the NorthBay into San Francisco regularly, and charging there. All in all, learning about the range and other issues with the Leaf was just terrific. I thought Nissan did a good job there.
I now have the 2017 Bolt LT with convenience package, Driver assistance package 1 I think they call it, and the quick charge. I would have been happy with just the convenience package with the seat heaters and steering wheel heater, but the one in stock had the other two options. So, I went with them.
I think the car is excellent. I drove 175 miles yesterday picking up a kid at the airport, and a bunch of other errands, with mixed highway, city driving, some climate control, and when I got home the car had 85 miles of range left. Remarkable. The increased range is a game changer. So much different than my Leaf. Makes one consider a longer drive, but alas, the quick charging infrastructure is just not there. That is OK with me. I'll take the Subaru when going 500 miles! But it is tantalizing to consider how much closer this car is to a gas burner in that way.
The car handles nicely, and has a more taut suspension than the Leaf. I am particularly fond of the 1 pedal driving. Took just a short time to get used to it, but wow, a much nicer way to drive, especially in traffic. That was B mode in the Leaf, but even better in the Bolt. It would be nice if the software would allow me to set that as default, but it does not. Perhaps future generations will get that. Gauges are nice, and I have customized the views to my liking. There are a bunch of subtle touches I like with regards to "workflow", such as the fact that favorite radio stations can be side by side whether AM or FM. And, these can be controlled from the favorite paddles on the steering wheel. That will get a bunch of use by me. Lots of subtle things like that I like. I like the lane change warning on the side view mirrors. I had not wanted that feature, but it is actually nice. It shows you if there is a car in your blind spot by lighting up, and blinking if you turn on the blinker. Actually a useful feature.
The charging similarly allows for proximity delay, while being immediate in other venues. Smart.
Many have complained about the seats. I have no problems with them, so I am happy there. And, the auto seat heaters are super nice. My wife is comfortable too. The thin backs make for more space for the passengers. I had 4 in the car today, and they were quite comfortable. The seats are narrow though, and it looks like there is room for more width, so not sure why they decided on that.
I am perfectly happy without factory Nav. They are usually not very good. The nav in the Leaf was not very good. When needed I will use CarPlay, or put the phone in a holder and use Google maps. I always used Plugshare anyway with the Leaf. Doubt I will use public charging much, if ever, in this car.
Complaints? Very few. Would be nice if there were a light in the charging compartment. I looked at the interesting rear view camera in the rear view mirror of the upper trim line. It is actually distracting since you must focus on it up close. I would not use it under that circumstance. Very clever idea though. Some of the user interface of the infotainment system could use some tweaking. Lots of buried menus. No need for that. Look how Tesla or Apple do it.
Still though, all in all, Chevy has a winner here.
I am quite happy to have the car, and look forward to driving it going forward.
I have had my Bolt for 3 days, and I think the car is terrific. I thought I would jot down some impressions after reading numerous likes and dislikes in this forum.
I have 3 years of EV experience with my 2013 Nissan Leaf. I really liked that car. It did what it was designed to do quite well. The 80 mile or so range made the car the commuter that it was, but I did have fun driving the 65 miles or so from the NorthBay into San Francisco regularly, and charging there. All in all, learning about the range and other issues with the Leaf was just terrific. I thought Nissan did a good job there.
I now have the 2017 Bolt LT with convenience package, Driver assistance package 1 I think they call it, and the quick charge. I would have been happy with just the convenience package with the seat heaters and steering wheel heater, but the one in stock had the other two options. So, I went with them.
I think the car is excellent. I drove 175 miles yesterday picking up a kid at the airport, and a bunch of other errands, with mixed highway, city driving, some climate control, and when I got home the car had 85 miles of range left. Remarkable. The increased range is a game changer. So much different than my Leaf. Makes one consider a longer drive, but alas, the quick charging infrastructure is just not there. That is OK with me. I'll take the Subaru when going 500 miles! But it is tantalizing to consider how much closer this car is to a gas burner in that way.
The car handles nicely, and has a more taut suspension than the Leaf. I am particularly fond of the 1 pedal driving. Took just a short time to get used to it, but wow, a much nicer way to drive, especially in traffic. That was B mode in the Leaf, but even better in the Bolt. It would be nice if the software would allow me to set that as default, but it does not. Perhaps future generations will get that. Gauges are nice, and I have customized the views to my liking. There are a bunch of subtle touches I like with regards to "workflow", such as the fact that favorite radio stations can be side by side whether AM or FM. And, these can be controlled from the favorite paddles on the steering wheel. That will get a bunch of use by me. Lots of subtle things like that I like. I like the lane change warning on the side view mirrors. I had not wanted that feature, but it is actually nice. It shows you if there is a car in your blind spot by lighting up, and blinking if you turn on the blinker. Actually a useful feature.
The charging similarly allows for proximity delay, while being immediate in other venues. Smart.
Many have complained about the seats. I have no problems with them, so I am happy there. And, the auto seat heaters are super nice. My wife is comfortable too. The thin backs make for more space for the passengers. I had 4 in the car today, and they were quite comfortable. The seats are narrow though, and it looks like there is room for more width, so not sure why they decided on that.
I am perfectly happy without factory Nav. They are usually not very good. The nav in the Leaf was not very good. When needed I will use CarPlay, or put the phone in a holder and use Google maps. I always used Plugshare anyway with the Leaf. Doubt I will use public charging much, if ever, in this car.
Complaints? Very few. Would be nice if there were a light in the charging compartment. I looked at the interesting rear view camera in the rear view mirror of the upper trim line. It is actually distracting since you must focus on it up close. I would not use it under that circumstance. Very clever idea though. Some of the user interface of the infotainment system could use some tweaking. Lots of buried menus. No need for that. Look how Tesla or Apple do it.
Still though, all in all, Chevy has a winner here.
I am quite happy to have the car, and look forward to driving it going forward.
