A local TV station in Utah ran a short but sweet review of the Volt yesterday noting it is “eco-cool,” with one tester saying while driving along, “it blows the Prius away, big time.”
I know, I know. You’re asking where’s the news?
Seriously, the “news” is this is the kind of reporting GM needs more of.
Instead of someone running it out of juice and noting it switched to gasoline in the Lincoln Tunnel as through that were really a problem, or another blogger griping that the included cord was too short and other issues, and then fuming over a pride-upsetting response from GM’s Rob Peterson – this review stayed on message and had lots of good things to say.
“If you haven’t seen a Volt around, you need to get around more,” opens the two-minute video. “Sales are up for Chevy’s plug-in hybrid. Chevy’s loaned us one so we could find out whether it’s cool or not.”
You can watch the video for yourself, but in short, they found it is cool.
“On a full charge it will go 50 miles before it burns any gas,” says the reviewer of the 2012 Volt, having verified a higher range than the EPA’s 35-mile all-electric estimate, and not mentioning that less than 50 miles is easily possible.
The benefits of the Volt’s regenerative braking were touted, as was the $7,600 in fuel savings over five years estimated on the window sticker – which we know can amount to even more, depending on circumstances.
“You can please just about any crowd with this car,” said another tester.
The “boxy” (but highly aerodynamic) Kammback rear and rear window-view were about the only thing about which a slight negative note was heard, but the review that began positively ended that way also.
“I think this car is really cool,” said one person, and another young voice chimed in “I think it’s worth it in the long run.”
GM has a policy of putting the Volt in journalists’ hands and confidently believing in most cases the car will sell itself.
We’ve seen that policy backfire, but this appears to be one of those times when a week-long loan was well worth it by garnering a plausible review that straight advertising – although it has its place – just cannot buy.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 8th, 2012 at 5:55 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
+8
Aug 8th, 2012 (6:24 am)Nice find, Jeff! Here is the text of the KSL TV article which accompanies the video:
“SALT LAKE CITY — Sales are up for Chevy’s plug-in hybrid the Volt. Chevy loaned KSL one so we could find out if it’s cool or not.
It starts with a cool sound. The dash has a slick finish, but plenty of buttons, not just menus.
“At first it looked like a video game, then I got used to it,” test crew member Dick Keele said.
On a full charge, the Volt will go 50 miles before it burns any gas. We checked it out during Salt Lake City commuting. Stop and go isn’t so bad, because it recharges when coasting.
After the electrons are spent, it burns gas with a 1.4 liter engine. The fuel economy rating is like no other, claiming 94 mpg-e, 37 gas-only.
“(It) accelerates beautifully in electric,” said test crew member Karl Huddleston. “It’s a nice car.”
The harder you drive, the shorter the range. For maximum efficiency, keep the green ball in the middle. Even braking hard means you can’t recharge as much as with a longer stop.
Debate rages about battery cost, electrical demand, and all kinds of side issues, but for now, consumers are impressed.”
+12
Aug 8th, 2012 (6:59 am)“…GM has a policy of putting the Volt in journalists’ hands and confidently believing in most cases the car will sell itself.
We’ve seen that policy backfire,…”
The only time I’ve seen it backfire is when the journalist has an absolute ajenda, and only reports parts of any facts…
I have seen many reviews on youtube, most are very positive, if not passionate about the Volt. I’ve seem a couple that are a little negative, but still gave reasons for their findings which still makes them good reviews. if you have an agenda though, the car will produce negatives all the way to the bank as you only say what you dislike.
Of course the “Lincoln Tunnel” review mentioned in today’s poste was just ridiculous as it left the impression there was no generator going to work; until they showed you the actual clip with the battery icon turning over the a fuel one. I had to laugh a bit because I was expecting the car to stop when the reviewer described what had happened but… but the Volt just kept on going like nothing happened; he looked so frustrated for no reason what so ever. I’m so glad he is in on US TV and not in Australia.
+3
Aug 8th, 2012 (7:00 am)The policy of the car selling itself works well for the open minded unbiased crowd, not so much for the h8ing government involvement and anti-Obama crowd.
+2
Aug 8th, 2012 (7:07 am)A week or so ago I noticed NPR’s ad for Volt now says “Volt is an electric car that also can run on gas to go farther”. Before it said that Volt is the new car from Chevrolet that “has 8 airbags”. ???
+6
Aug 8th, 2012 (7:22 am)Chevy has always had to tread lightly in pushing for the saving oil/gas agenda because all their other cars use oil/gas as fuel. Must be hard to say “tell OPEC goodbye” at the same time Silverados are the #1 selling vehicle.
This is just the kind of coverage Volt needs – a public review that shows what the car can do but also doesn’t discourage by talking about price, subsidies, bailouts, politics or “green living”. To me, Volt isn’t green. It’s “intelligent” in how it uses energy. Other cars are wasteful.
Got to the Amtrak train station early today. Sat in my “running” volt listening to XM. All around me, 10-20+ minutes prior to the train showing up, I’m surrounded by people sitting in their idling cars and SUVs burning gas so they can run their radios and a bit of air conditioning. Yes, AC on a 70*F morning with 80% humidity. One pair of people were running their engine with their windows open. The Volt simply used a tiny bit of stored electricity to power the radio and AC. Intelligence and economy is where Volt shines. 10 years from now, it’ll make sense to everyone. Today, it’s a stretch for the masses to understand mainly due to the complexity of the thinking process and cost of entry.
+4
Aug 8th, 2012 (9:12 am)“The “boxy” (but highly aerodynamic) Kammback rear and rear window-view were about the only thing about which a slight negative note was heard”
—————-
To each their own. I actually like the looks of the back end a lot. It’s very distinctive.
+2
Aug 8th, 2012 (9:17 am)It was cool morning for me today too (60 degrees). I set my climate control to “fan only”. This morning’s commute I used only 215w/mile and still drove faster than most others around me.
Anyone know the record for the lowest w/mile?
+3
Aug 8th, 2012 (9:24 am)Thanks!
Hi Xiaowei1 –
I actually linked the one where the Forbes blogger said it “backfired” in his headline.
Title: “Test Drive a Volt, Please! — How GM’s Pitch Backfired”
” or another blogger griping that the included cord was too short and other issues, and then fuming over a pride-upsetting response from GM’s Rob Peterson …”
I never wrote about that fiasco, but it did make the rounds here and there in recent weeks. I had a good off the record talk with Rob Peterson about it …
+1
Aug 8th, 2012 (9:42 am)Nice positive review. And while I’m glad that they mentioned that 50 miles all EV is possible, it would also have been nice, especially since this is Utah, if they had mentioned that the winter months you would see significantly less EV range. You don’t want people to expect 50 miles EV all the time and then be sorely disappointed due to erroneous expectations.
But that is a nit pick and it seemed like a good basic overview of the Volt.
+3
Aug 8th, 2012 (10:56 am)It’s a very nice review. GM could use a lot more like it.
Giving cars to journalists is different than giving them to people who usually test cars. The latter know what to do. The former just feel their way through the process, and they need a lot more hand holding. I have a friend who has a Volt for a week and she has had an interesting experience. The person who dropped it off gave some not very accurate information about charging, and didn’t explain the seat adjustments at all, which are not that intuitive (most will be used to power seats).
GM probably has little experience in this area because most times they’re loaning the cars to professional reviewers who understand cars very well and who can figure most things out on their own. The average journalist is going to be more or less like your average consumer, meaning not any special expertise or experience with cars. I do think that GM missed this distinction, at least early on.
+5
Aug 8th, 2012 (11:54 am)It takes time to make big cultural shifts. This is a good sign of progress. God willing that I’m around 10 years from today, it will really be fun to look back upon what will have happened.
+3
Aug 8th, 2012 (12:01 pm)When you achieve something extremely good… there will always be people who hate you.
Now that the Volt is getting into the hands of 10′s of thousands of owners they are the real salesmen who are making the haters eat their words.
Chevy Volt .. the best engineered car on the road today.
Aug 8th, 2012 (1:05 pm)I agree that the rear of the car is huge. The rear of the Cruze is smaller and visibilty better. I guess aerodynamics trumps looks.
+1
Aug 8th, 2012 (2:56 pm)#13
I hope so.
Aug 8th, 2012 (8:36 pm)To the new “joe” #13, please use a different name. I’m the original joe and have been for many years.
Thanks, joe
+8
Aug 8th, 2012 (9:30 pm)I have spent a month researching the Chevy volt. I take delivery of my 2013 this Friday. This is my first post on any website and feel this is the most intelligent place to do so. In the last 10 years I have owned 4 Porsches (including 3 911 turbos) and two BMWs (including a 2010 M3) The most frustrating thing I read is comparisons to the Chevy cruze (and prius for that matter) in terms of looks and cost. I’m convinced that these comments come from ignorant people that have never driven either and have nothing to compare the volt to. The volt blew me away in terms of fit, finish and drivability. Fully loaded this car has more options than any car I have ever owned. Sit in the car and close the door and that says it all in terms of how solid it is. Expensive why, because it’s a Chevy? I’ve had $25 bottles of wine that are better than $200. Judge things for what they are and not because marketing majors from Harvard told you what to think. Also, I trade oil companies for a hedge fund. Peak oil is here people. $100 oil is nothing. Estimating fuel savings on the volt by extrapolating $3.60 gas for 10 years is the biggest joke running. Volt is here to stay.
Aug 8th, 2012 (10:29 pm)Chipper,
Live in Atlanta, I take it?
+1
Aug 8th, 2012 (10:33 pm)Minneapolis. Ps. Power isn’t comparable I assume that goes without saying. Motorcycles best bang for the buck.
Aug 8th, 2012 (11:48 pm)Great job once again, Jeff. Only a matter of time before everyone agrees with this review’s conclusions. Well, not everyone, I guess.
Aug 10th, 2012 (3:23 am)Welcome Chipper, great to see another convert.
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