Fargoneandout
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2016
- Messages
- 64
Very quick impressions of the Bolt EV after a couple of days of ownership. I am 5'7" and am slight at 150 lbs. 30" waist. My past four cars have been a 2011 BMW 335d, a 2012 BMW 335d Msport, a 2014 Subaru WRX, and a 2014 BMW 328i Msport which I still own. I purchased my Bolt EV LT for under MSRP after placing an order in November. I ordered the vehicle with the false trunk, the DCC fast charge option, Driver Convenience 1 and 2 or whatever they are called. I live in SoCal and drive 7 miles one way to work along 45-60 mph secondary roads with lots of twists, stoplights, and grades, and a short stretch of freeway where speeds are typically 75+ mph. Neither A/C nor heat are usually necessary. I loved the BMWs and the WRX and drove them as they were designed to be driven: fast at launches, fast in the twisties, fast around corners, and fast on the freeways. Before the BMWs and WRX I drove a series of Priuses and even a Honda Fit with the manual, all in search of something easy on fuel. Sadly, while they score high in terms of efficiency, the Prius and Fit are lousy driving cars. Sadly, while they score high in terms of driving dynamics, the BMWs and WRX are lousy in terms of efficiency (to be fair, the 335d's were very efficient for the power they offered but sadly they were highly unreliable, leading to their untimely demise).
With all this in mind I ordered and purchased the Bolt EV in fond hopes of finally finding a car that would be both efficient AND fun. If that is what you are after, then the Bolt EV nails it. Lots of Internet ink has been spilled on stuff I really don't care about so I will only dwell on a few impressions that might aid others and the provide some views on the BMW-versus-Bolt comparison. First, the seats. The seats are fine for me. The bolsters are the kind of bolsters one would expect in something more sporty that econobox which, when I reflected on the thin build of chief engineer (Travel or whatever his name is), makes sense given that he clearly intended to make the car as fun as possible to drive and didn't want people sliding all over the place. There are no hard spots, nothing poking me in the caboose, and while not up to BMW standards, the seats are comfortable enough that they have only drawn my attention when I have wondered why they don't bother me. Next, the tires. Most professional reviews cited the tires as a weakness in terms of driving dynamics. I was so concerned about this in fact that even before I took delivery I ordered a set of replacement summer tires, but after driving around and finding the tires remarkably good, I have come to regret my purchase of the summer tires and may stick with the Michellins.
And what about driving dynamics? Really, really good. Like, remarkably good. I haven't yet had a chance to really try to turn it on its side, but left-right-left agility - I guess this is called turn-in - is much better than I had anticipated, there's no dead spot on the steering rack (does it have one of those??), and it doesn't drift or wallow. It's no BMW, but it is far closer to 'BMW' that I had expected it to be and way better than the vast array of rental cars I drive on business. The steering feel is kind of numb, but it is far more natural feeling than, say, a Prius, and is the superior of the 328i driven in Eco Pro mode and about as good as normal mode. Understeer is palpable during quick cornering but not excessive and on par or superior to other non-sports cars I have driven. My wife's CRV drives like a sack of potatoes compared to the Bolt EV and the reviewers, both professional and amateur, who have praised the Bolt EV's relatively nimble handling and not kidding. Great it isn't, but very, very good it is. Cornering is flat and body roll linear. And what about ride comfort? People who complain about the ride are on crack or their expectations are 'Camry smooth'. The Bolt EV is very composed, with little jostling on uneven pavement, only a tiny bit of secondary bouncing from the rear suspension on washboard bumps, which I expected given the likely need to cut costs and employ a fixed rear transaxle instead of an independent multi-link setup, and a ride that is in many respects as comfortable as my BMWs. It feels different and I can't for the life of my figure out what it is about the Bolt's ride that is different, but it is just different and not unpleasantly so. I feel like there are zero compromises in terms of handling and ride comfort.
And what about acceleration? Well here is where I will take some small issue. It's good mind you, but those expecting a pocket rocket will be disappointed. I guess I was so pleasantly surprised with how the Bolt EV handles and rides that it was kind of a letdown that the Bolt EV only met but did not exceed my expectations in terms of power delivery. The Bolt EV is quick, particularly from 0-40 but it is not fast by any means. Driving my usual commute I was easily able to get out front of everyone when first at the lights, but the lack of aural feedback during acceleration and the vague feeling of the throttle made it feel less quick that it probably is. Some of this may be attributed to the difference in power delivery dynamics between FWD and RWD setups, a difference I noted during repeated test drives of the Mk7 GTI, a car with which the Bolt EV shares a great deal of similarity in the power and acceleration department. I haven't had time yet to learn to extract maximal power and will report back when I have done so, which I will. One note - I can't tell the difference between Sport and normal mode under non-launch conditions but I was pleased to learn that the Bolt EV can be driven in both Sport and "L" regeneration mode.
Some other random likes? Sight lines are terrific, aided by a high seating position, amazing windscreen, and large front and rear windows. Rear seating is capacious for a car in this class and my kids LOVE sitting higher than the me as they can see better. I personally like the two displays - very clear with large letters. I will probably come to miss the iDrive setup in the BMW, with its simple rotate and press knob, but then again the BMW doesn't support CarPlay or Siri and the BMW Office suite of tools is crap. The backup camera is fantastic, giving clear and wide angle visibility, predictive drive path lines while reversing, and amazing screen - way better than the F30 BMW. I had expected the sound system in the LT to be junk, but it's actually pretty darn good and again on par with the BMW. The bass is a bit "boomy", but golly am I glad I didn't spring for the Bose. I love the fact that ground clearance is high enough to not have to worry about scraping the front fascia on those white concrete parking bumpers. I measured the F30 BMW 328i Msport clearance up front to be 5.5 inches and the Bolt EV's at 7.5 inches. As for the interior, lots of folks have whined - yes whined - about the chintzy interior. Baloney. If you like stroking your dash, buy a GTI - those guys looooove their dashes. Sure it has some hard plastic, but its far, far better than the bag-of-Chinese-made-army-figurines that it has been portrayed to be. I was saddened during my buying process by all the negative feedback about the door armrests, expecting them to be quartz like in their hardness. Not true. They are not pillow top soft, but they are soft enough and NOT hard plastic. Finally, the Bolt EV is amazingly quiet both in routine urban driving and on the highway. It's kind of eerie actually zipping along with no noise to speak of or at least less than I have ever been accoustomed to. Quieter than any of my BMW's that's for sure.
Some random things that are not bad, a priori, but will take some getting used to? The side view mirrors seemed to be placed right around the level of my navel when driving, a natural consequence of a low window line. I keep looking about a foot higher and then go, "Oh - there they are." The climate controls are kinda weird, with hard buttons for a few things and a screen for the rest, but that is just a driver's ed issue and not an irredeemable flaw. I get the vibe that the brake lights come on pretty quickly during the regeneration and braking cycle in L mode, since I noticed drivers behind me yo-yo'ing in stop and go traffic. All the same if that keeps me from getting rear-ended for like the fourth time, I guess that's a feature not a bug. While I like the Bolt's ground clearance, I remain incapable as yet of figuring out how short this darn thing is and it has my car proprioreception all bamboozled. I eased it into my garage a couple of times at the speed of snail only to slam on the brakes, park, and find myself with a couple of feet more room before plowing into the wall.
Stuff I just don't like at all? Well the one thing that already has me thinking 'workaround' is the annoying feature that has Sirius XM come on by default when the audio system was on the last time the Bolt EV was turned off. Now dont' get me wrong - I like Sirius as much as the next denizen of the GM world - but the guy or gal responsible for this little "feature" should be offered a smoke, blindfolded, and then be forced to listed to Sirius Channel 1 until they go insane. Oh, and they could have spent a couple of bucks more and printed the Owners Manual on a grade of paper superior to Indian tablet paper, which must have been in long supply over there in Michigan. Other than that, I have little with which to take issue, which is in itself remarkable given that I normally consider myself to have exacting standards.
Am I delighted with the Bolt EV? Yup. Will it prove to be an adequate replacement for my past sporty rides? Yes. The Bolt EV is nimble, quiet, and quick while offering surprisingly over-achieving driving dynamics that place it far about mere grocery getters. I would rate it the clear superior of the GTI and, say, the BMW 320i with standard suspension setup, and the slight inferior of the BMW 328i Msport in terms of handling and comfort and clear inferior in terms of power delivery. All the same, the Bolt EV is every bit the remarkable achievement it has been made out to be in terms of being a terrifically driving small car - even a hot hatch if you like to use those words - while at the same time offering a currently unparalleled combination of effiency and price point. No kidding. I own one.
With all this in mind I ordered and purchased the Bolt EV in fond hopes of finally finding a car that would be both efficient AND fun. If that is what you are after, then the Bolt EV nails it. Lots of Internet ink has been spilled on stuff I really don't care about so I will only dwell on a few impressions that might aid others and the provide some views on the BMW-versus-Bolt comparison. First, the seats. The seats are fine for me. The bolsters are the kind of bolsters one would expect in something more sporty that econobox which, when I reflected on the thin build of chief engineer (Travel or whatever his name is), makes sense given that he clearly intended to make the car as fun as possible to drive and didn't want people sliding all over the place. There are no hard spots, nothing poking me in the caboose, and while not up to BMW standards, the seats are comfortable enough that they have only drawn my attention when I have wondered why they don't bother me. Next, the tires. Most professional reviews cited the tires as a weakness in terms of driving dynamics. I was so concerned about this in fact that even before I took delivery I ordered a set of replacement summer tires, but after driving around and finding the tires remarkably good, I have come to regret my purchase of the summer tires and may stick with the Michellins.
And what about driving dynamics? Really, really good. Like, remarkably good. I haven't yet had a chance to really try to turn it on its side, but left-right-left agility - I guess this is called turn-in - is much better than I had anticipated, there's no dead spot on the steering rack (does it have one of those??), and it doesn't drift or wallow. It's no BMW, but it is far closer to 'BMW' that I had expected it to be and way better than the vast array of rental cars I drive on business. The steering feel is kind of numb, but it is far more natural feeling than, say, a Prius, and is the superior of the 328i driven in Eco Pro mode and about as good as normal mode. Understeer is palpable during quick cornering but not excessive and on par or superior to other non-sports cars I have driven. My wife's CRV drives like a sack of potatoes compared to the Bolt EV and the reviewers, both professional and amateur, who have praised the Bolt EV's relatively nimble handling and not kidding. Great it isn't, but very, very good it is. Cornering is flat and body roll linear. And what about ride comfort? People who complain about the ride are on crack or their expectations are 'Camry smooth'. The Bolt EV is very composed, with little jostling on uneven pavement, only a tiny bit of secondary bouncing from the rear suspension on washboard bumps, which I expected given the likely need to cut costs and employ a fixed rear transaxle instead of an independent multi-link setup, and a ride that is in many respects as comfortable as my BMWs. It feels different and I can't for the life of my figure out what it is about the Bolt's ride that is different, but it is just different and not unpleasantly so. I feel like there are zero compromises in terms of handling and ride comfort.
And what about acceleration? Well here is where I will take some small issue. It's good mind you, but those expecting a pocket rocket will be disappointed. I guess I was so pleasantly surprised with how the Bolt EV handles and rides that it was kind of a letdown that the Bolt EV only met but did not exceed my expectations in terms of power delivery. The Bolt EV is quick, particularly from 0-40 but it is not fast by any means. Driving my usual commute I was easily able to get out front of everyone when first at the lights, but the lack of aural feedback during acceleration and the vague feeling of the throttle made it feel less quick that it probably is. Some of this may be attributed to the difference in power delivery dynamics between FWD and RWD setups, a difference I noted during repeated test drives of the Mk7 GTI, a car with which the Bolt EV shares a great deal of similarity in the power and acceleration department. I haven't had time yet to learn to extract maximal power and will report back when I have done so, which I will. One note - I can't tell the difference between Sport and normal mode under non-launch conditions but I was pleased to learn that the Bolt EV can be driven in both Sport and "L" regeneration mode.
Some other random likes? Sight lines are terrific, aided by a high seating position, amazing windscreen, and large front and rear windows. Rear seating is capacious for a car in this class and my kids LOVE sitting higher than the me as they can see better. I personally like the two displays - very clear with large letters. I will probably come to miss the iDrive setup in the BMW, with its simple rotate and press knob, but then again the BMW doesn't support CarPlay or Siri and the BMW Office suite of tools is crap. The backup camera is fantastic, giving clear and wide angle visibility, predictive drive path lines while reversing, and amazing screen - way better than the F30 BMW. I had expected the sound system in the LT to be junk, but it's actually pretty darn good and again on par with the BMW. The bass is a bit "boomy", but golly am I glad I didn't spring for the Bose. I love the fact that ground clearance is high enough to not have to worry about scraping the front fascia on those white concrete parking bumpers. I measured the F30 BMW 328i Msport clearance up front to be 5.5 inches and the Bolt EV's at 7.5 inches. As for the interior, lots of folks have whined - yes whined - about the chintzy interior. Baloney. If you like stroking your dash, buy a GTI - those guys looooove their dashes. Sure it has some hard plastic, but its far, far better than the bag-of-Chinese-made-army-figurines that it has been portrayed to be. I was saddened during my buying process by all the negative feedback about the door armrests, expecting them to be quartz like in their hardness. Not true. They are not pillow top soft, but they are soft enough and NOT hard plastic. Finally, the Bolt EV is amazingly quiet both in routine urban driving and on the highway. It's kind of eerie actually zipping along with no noise to speak of or at least less than I have ever been accoustomed to. Quieter than any of my BMW's that's for sure.
Some random things that are not bad, a priori, but will take some getting used to? The side view mirrors seemed to be placed right around the level of my navel when driving, a natural consequence of a low window line. I keep looking about a foot higher and then go, "Oh - there they are." The climate controls are kinda weird, with hard buttons for a few things and a screen for the rest, but that is just a driver's ed issue and not an irredeemable flaw. I get the vibe that the brake lights come on pretty quickly during the regeneration and braking cycle in L mode, since I noticed drivers behind me yo-yo'ing in stop and go traffic. All the same if that keeps me from getting rear-ended for like the fourth time, I guess that's a feature not a bug. While I like the Bolt's ground clearance, I remain incapable as yet of figuring out how short this darn thing is and it has my car proprioreception all bamboozled. I eased it into my garage a couple of times at the speed of snail only to slam on the brakes, park, and find myself with a couple of feet more room before plowing into the wall.
Stuff I just don't like at all? Well the one thing that already has me thinking 'workaround' is the annoying feature that has Sirius XM come on by default when the audio system was on the last time the Bolt EV was turned off. Now dont' get me wrong - I like Sirius as much as the next denizen of the GM world - but the guy or gal responsible for this little "feature" should be offered a smoke, blindfolded, and then be forced to listed to Sirius Channel 1 until they go insane. Oh, and they could have spent a couple of bucks more and printed the Owners Manual on a grade of paper superior to Indian tablet paper, which must have been in long supply over there in Michigan. Other than that, I have little with which to take issue, which is in itself remarkable given that I normally consider myself to have exacting standards.
Am I delighted with the Bolt EV? Yup. Will it prove to be an adequate replacement for my past sporty rides? Yes. The Bolt EV is nimble, quiet, and quick while offering surprisingly over-achieving driving dynamics that place it far about mere grocery getters. I would rate it the clear superior of the GTI and, say, the BMW 320i with standard suspension setup, and the slight inferior of the BMW 328i Msport in terms of handling and comfort and clear inferior in terms of power delivery. All the same, the Bolt EV is every bit the remarkable achievement it has been made out to be in terms of being a terrifically driving small car - even a hot hatch if you like to use those words - while at the same time offering a currently unparalleled combination of effiency and price point. No kidding. I own one.
