Test-sat in a Chevrolet Bolt today. (Test drive, and just as importantly the test-fit in the driveway, is tomorrow.) Compared the outgoing to new models, too (GM dealer has one 2022 EUV and a few outgoing models)
Since this has been a point of criticism ... The seats. The bottom cushions are too flat, lack side bolstering, and the front does not extend far enough forward. BUT, I am coming from a car that (IMO and for a person of my shape and size) has best-in-class seats. Are the Bolt seats all that bad? IMO not really, they're probably "average" and I'm used to "good". I've had cars in the past with unremarkable seats, too. (I've unbolted seats from the floor pan and re-installed with washers under the front mounts to compensate for nonexistent seat bottom cushion angle adjustment. We can fix things if they need to be fixed.)
The base Bolt for 2022 (I think) has cloth seats. What they had in the showroom (one 2022 EUV and one 2021 regular but higher-trim Bolt) both had fake-leather seats, which were slippery. This might be a case where the cloth seats are better, kindasorta compensating for lack of side bolstering on the bottom cushion.
But that's the only negative that I've seen so far. I can "sit behind myself" (can't say that about my current car). Outward visibility is good. My head is just brushing the ceiling in the back seat, but that's okay. The trunk floor has a false floor that you can either install in the bottom against the actual trunk floor to get a deep trunk, or you can install it level with the bottom of the hatch opening with a hidden compartment underneath.
The 2022 Bolt EUV has even more rear seat room, which I don't need. The driver's area (and seats) are identical between the 2022 regular Bolt and the EUV ... GM claims that they've improved the seats; if there is a difference (aside from trim), I would need it pointed out to me. They're still no match for the excellent (front) seats in my Fiat 500.
The floor of the car is higher than what I'm used to ... the battery is under there. Not really an issue, just an observation.
If it's okay to drive and fits decently in the driveway (still allowing me to sneak a motorcycle in and out of the garage) I'm probably going to go for it. And that brings up the next oddity ... pricing.
The first model year was 2017. The battery-pack changeover year was 2019, the 2019 is evidently the fire problem (dealer has a lease-return 2019 that they can't sell because of the recall situation), the newer ones have higher battery capacity and are thus more desirable, and the 2022 comes along with a big MSRP price reduction, leading to an odd situation in which the 2021 regular Bolt that they have in the showroom has a substantially higher sticker price than the 2022 EUV sitting right beside it, and the used-car asking-prices for 2020 and 2021 Bolts is at or above what was on the window sticker for that 2022 EUV and we haven't even talked about EV incentives yet.
Used 2017 - 2018 Bolts seem to be $23k - $26k depending on mileage and condition but those have the smaller battery pack (and still have pending recalls). Part of the deal with the 2022 model is not only the price reduction but GM is also throwing in installation of a charging station at your home. This might be a situation where it makes more sense to just buy (or lease) a new one ...
At the moment this is just mildly-serious pondering. It may yet turn out that I don't like the way the car drives, or maybe the driveway-space situation will be too tight (I'm concerned about the width). Or maybe it just makes sense to drive my current car into the ground (there's a small amount left owing on the loan).
The peanut gallery can skip the suggestions to buy a Tesla. Too expensive, too long, and too wide (aside from other issues). The Kona EV is only available in greyscale and I have never bought a car that was a non-colour and don't intend to start now. The ID4 is too long and too wide (and I don't particularly care for how it looks - I like the Bolt more). The MachE is too long and too wide. There's reason behind currently driving a Fiat 500 and that reason could still scuttle this deal - the Bolt is going to be a much closer fit in the parking space available for it. Won't be an EUV ... it's longer, and in my case, that's a bad thing.
jalopnik.com
www.mychevybolt.com
www.insideevsforum.com
insideevs.com
