Test Drove a Volt Today - BMW M5 Owner

[cab]

Hello All,

My first post to this forum! I've learned (the hard way) I can read a thousand posts, reviews, sit in cars at car shows (all of which I've done) and it makes little difference until I actually drive the car. I post "BMW M5 owner" in the title not to brag or anything (please, it is an '02 model which I purchased a little over 2 years ago for much less than a new Volt), but just to provide a point of reference. I am a BMW fan - not for their "image" - but for their performance. In particular, BMW absolutely EXCELS at ride/handling balance. Great, non-punishing ride that still handles wonderfully. For the E39 M5 (2000 to 2003) Motor Trend indicated things like "Simply the greatest super sedan ever produced" and "Moreover, steering response and feel are spot-on, and the brakes beyond heroic. Even the ride is luxury-sedan-appropriate, despite the ultra-short-sidewall tires. Uncanny.". Luxury features like the full-leather (seats, door panels, console, dash) and alcantara interior don't hurt either.

I've had the M5 for a couple of years and am always on the lookout for my next car. I'm not afraid to buy used and am an enthusiast and DIYER (i.e. I do all the work on my M5), so most issues don't intimidate me. So where do I go from here. I cant afford $100K for a new M5 and even if I could I'd be hard-pressed to. New CTS-V (pricey)? Current gen M3 a a couple of years old? New X3 sport ute? Old School E36 M3? Prius? New Ford Focus ST? Arghhhhh...

Anyway, I've read about the Volt in the mags, am aware of the awards, etc. I started loosely considering a Volt a couple of months ago and started reading here on the forum a week or so ago. I was surprised when I started reading comments like "fun to drive", "best car I've ever owned", and "don't miss my BMW!"

So...the test drive and my impressions:

Exterior Styling
It is what it is - you either like it or you don't. I'm not in love with it (is anyone...I mean it isn't a "beautiful" car), but it isn't offensive and has some "interest". I like cars with interest.


Interior
Pro:
The leather seats were nice and felt reasonably upscale. They were not too firm or soft, and I was able to get comfortable immediately. Lack of power seats is disappointing at this price point, but given that my wife is only about 3 inches shorter than me we usually have a similar seating position. The fore, aft, recline and all-important HEIGHT adjustments were fine.
Overall roominess was fine for front and rear seat passengers (note: I am 5' 7", under 200 lbs so the driver's seat was positioned accordingly). A/C felt decent (90 degress, humid and partly cloudy here today)...I am concerned about ANY car's A/C here in Texas heat (and 90 degrees is a lot different than 100+ we'll be experiencing shortly) - still, no issues today so that's good.

Con:
You can see the economy car roots in the hard plastic door panels, center dash panel (orange peel? really?), cheap switches (steering wheel switches), steering wheel trim, and nav screen. Trunk space behind the rear seats was smaller than anticipated - dissapointing. However, I do realize the flexibility of a hatchback design (esp with the rear seats folded).

Power/Acceleration:
Low speed acceleration is fine, especially in sport mode. Is it an M5? Um...no...not even close really. However, I knew that going in. It feels very much like a modern small turbo engine where all the boost comes in way early.
Freeway acceleration is adequate - not great, not awful - but it definitely suffers here as compared to say my M5 or my wife's Volvo XC60 (325hp turbo 6).

NVH (Noise/Vibration/Harshness)
I'll be honest. I was expecting better here. So many of the comments here tout how quiet and luxurious the car is. Certainly at low speeds on smooth roads that is definitely the case...heck, it is practically silent!. However, in my experience NVH is most important in freeway cruising and on less than perfect roads. The overall noise level on the freeway wasn't silent by any means. It actually seemed louder than my M5 (which admittedly has heavy upholstery and lots of factory sound deadening). Much of that noise seemed to be associated with (in order)"

1. Tire thunk on bumps, expansion cracks, etc.
2. General tire noise
3. Wind noise
4. Electric motor "whir" this one surprised me a bit

For someone coming from a Honda Civic or Prius, the Volt might seem awesome in this area, but it is all relative. The Volt is NOT HORRIBLE by any means, please don't get me wrong - just my perspective.

Ride/Handling
I'll admit it. Sometimes I get tired of the taughter rides of the sports-oriented vehicles I chose to buy (case in point - we bought the sporty R-design Volvo XC60 for my wife 2 months ago and I'll be spending several hours on Monday swapping in the softer springs and shocks from the base model!). Maybe I'm just getting old. Regardless, I did not expect the Volt to handle like a BMW sports sedan, and it doesn't. In all honesty, it is a little more wallowy than I expected. It wasn't some 70's luxo-barge, but just less taught than I expected. It is definitely valved more toward the luxury side of the equation (tire thunk not-withstanding) than sport. Along those lines, short of some sharp impacts it rode reasonably nice and didn't beat me up at all over some less than fun road surfaces. I'm a bit sensitive to this after the XC60 experience I note above. Not bad assuming you go in expecting more luxury than sport.

Braking
OK, this one was weird for me. The low speed brakign felt a bit unpredictable right as I was coming to a stop. Most of us probably let off the brake pedal a tad right as we get close to stopping so we don't jerk to a stop. In the Volt it seemed like the car was trying to mimic the at idle pull of a regular car with an automatic transmission. At one point it actually felt like it surged forward as I let off the brake (when I expected a coastign roll)! I think some of this would come down to getting used to the car's behavior, but it wasn't "natural" feeling to me and had me jerking the car to a stop more than once.

Steering Feel
I'm used to blaise steering feel from most cars these days and the Volt is no exception. I definitely would have preferred a heavier feel though - the Volt's is somewhat loosey goosey compared to a lot of cars.

Overall
First, no one is going to confuse the Volt with a 3 series (or used 5 series) BMW in terms of solidity, ride/handling balance, steering feel, etc. This car simply isn't in that same league. The car drives amazingly normal given that it is an electric car - stunning first attempt from GM - and is definitely the short term future of electric technology.

That is part of the problem though... it drives so normal I was somewhat disappointed if that makes sense. I was expecting this totally unique driving experience, but didn't get it.

I said the Volt is not in the 3 series league, but in some ways it is like these two cars are playing different sports (football vs. golf, etc.). The Volt (as most of you already know) offers something unique. I am not even considering cars like the Prius, Leaf or other "high mpg" economy car alternatives so that alone says something about the Volt

My impressions are ying and yang. I am still intrigued by the car despite its differences and disappointments relative to what I drive now. I looked at BMWs upcoming wave of EVs and immediately dismissed them (because of their "pure electric" nature). I drive an M5 because it is a "super car" you can drive every day...the Volt offers a similar attraction in the "electric world"...an electric car you can drive every day in any situation. If I adjust my priority from sports sedan to something completely different then well...
How much of my infatuation is the "novelty" factor? Not sure honestly. I can tell you that despire what probably seems like a harsh review to most of you, the car is still "on my list"...and that says a lot.

Later and heaven help you if you read this whole thing!

[Slapshot28]

My previous car was '95 540i Sport. It was a great sport sedan, but maybe not as rough and tumble as a newer M5. In any case, my expectations for the Volt were set low, because I bought it 18 months ago, sight unseen, and assumed the worst.

Much to my dismay, I was THRILLED. If you have another chance to drive a Volt, be sure to set it in Sport and Low gear (under all conditions and speeds). If your current M5 is a 6-speed, you will start to feel right at home, and overcome by a sense of calm serenity.

Indeed you have found your next drive. You just may not know it quite yet... :-)

P.S. GM offers a thick rubber mat for the hatchback area. It literally cuts the road noise in half.

[volt11]

To each his own. I can't say I agree with most of your impressions, although some are reasonable enough. Sounds like you should shop elsewhere.

[cnicholson]

@Cab: Your thread caught my eye because I also am a BMW enthusiast and have an M5 (E60). I would not jump in the Volt for a spirited run through the local twisties or for a track day, but for almost anything else I actual prefer the Volt right now. Novelty is part of it, for sure. I love the M5 for when I want to *DRIVE*, but the Volt is just better transportation. The off-the-line torque is fine. So quiet, so poised. No drama.

The E60 has famously anemic torque at the low end, and I just don't always feel like winding up the V10 to >7K RPM to feel the power. I do wish the Volt had more passing power, but off the line and around town is fine.

Plus, and I assure you that I am not an environmentalist, but it is kinda fun tooling around in EV mode instead of the 10-14MPG I get in the BMW.

As volt11 said, the VOlt is not for everyone, so you must follow your heart and mind, but instead of evaluating the cars at the limits, I would suggest asking yourself how you actually USE you M5 day to day and whether a Volt would be a better car most of the time.

My $0.02.

[cab]

@Cab: Your thread caught my eye because I also am a BMW enthusiast and have an M5 (E60). I would not jump in the Volt for a spirited run through the local twisties or for a track day, but for almost anything else I actual prefer the Volt right now. Novelty is part of it, for sure. I love the M5 for when I want to *DRIVE*, but the Volt is just better transportation. The off-the-line torque is fine. So quiet, so poised. No drama.

The E60 has famously anemic torque at the low end, and I just don't always feel like winding up the V10 to >7K RPM to feel the power. I do wish the Volt had more passing power, but off the line and around town is fine.

Plus, and I assure you that I am not an environmentalist, but it is kinda fun tooling around in EV mode instead of the 10-14MPG I get in the BMW.

As volt11 said, the VOlt is not for everyone, so you must follow your heart and mind, but instead of evaluating the cars at the limits, I would suggest asking yourself how you actually USE you M5 day to day and whether a Volt would be a better car most of the time.

My $0.02.

I hear you. To be honest, I'm (almost) factoring the engine performance out of the equation since the Volt appears to be more than adequate in that area. The E39 as you know has more low end than the E60 so the torque rush of the Volt isn't quite as exciting to me. As much as anything, I am trying to decide if I could live with the lower luxury, ride/handling balance and braking feel of the car. I find I really appreciate these things even in a daily driver with traffic, etc. Of course in your case I see you have the best of both worlds (M5 AND a Volt) whereas I would have to give up my M5! ;>

[Ron C]

Nice honest review - thanks for sharing. One thing did catch my eye as a disconnect. You wrote:

So where do I go from here. ... Prius?

Really? I suspect this means you haven't actually sat in one. The difference in construction quality and feel between your current ride and this one will truly amaze you. The mere sound of the door shutting should take away any suspense...

[DonC]

Your post is timely for me. Our Acura RL, our last ICE vehicle, went on the car carrier for its new home today. Originally we kept it for longer trips but after having it sit so long that the 12V battery kept dying we decided that the Volt worked well enough for longer trips that keeping another car was just a waste.

After a year in the Volt and experience with the BMWxi here's my take:

Handling -- The BMW is better. Nothing wrong with the Volt, just that the BMW is better. Just had a lovely suspension, it's the best part of the car.

Braking -- I'll give the Volt the nod here after you get used to it. Like you I found it a little soft as I came to a stop at first. Now it's second nature. I think it's like keyboards -- you like what you're used to but you can get used to pretty much anything. Since I'm now used to the Volt it's what I like.

Noise -- No idea why you think the Volt is nosier. Make that NO IDEA. LOL It's not even close, especially at less than 70 MPH. The BMW is just a lot nosier.

Steering -- I always thought they felt somewhat the same. YMMV.

Interior -- About the same. The BMW has nicer materials but it also has the dumb setup where you have to put the fob in the steering column and iDrive is a travesty. I wouldn't give either one a A but I'd give both a B or B+. I never thought interiors were a BMW strength.

Performance -- For the driving I do the Volt is much quicker off the line and much more responsive in traffic. I've had many BMWs disappear as a small object in the rear view mirror when they thought they'd whip around me from a traffic light. Heck even my wife driving her Leaf has made a BMW have its engine screaming to keep up. The fact is that for low end torque the electrics can't be beat. If I really want to mess with someone's mind there is no better situation than from a dead stop around a corner and up a decent hill. I really miss adaptive cruise control though.

In truth I have found that the closest thing to how the Volt feels when driving is a BMW five series. The heft is about the same and it handles in a similar way. I don't think this is just me because I've had several friends who drive a 5 series make the comment that the cars "felt similar".

Exterior -- The Volt is fine. The 535 is fine. Then again I'm always surprise when somebody says they think BMWs look good. They're fine but nothing special. This may be the only area where I think MB has BMW beat. On the paint job, the Volt has the 5 series beat. The paint job was a big disappointment on the BMW. Really lousy.

Overall -- My conclusion is that people either love driving electric or not. In my admittedly small sample people who are more sensory prefer an electric drive. It's funny though. When my wife first started driving the Leaf she thought it was quite the econobox, which is many ways it is. She was willing to drive it because the Leaf got her into the HOV lane and was much cheaper to operate. But today, as we took the Acura for its last ride to charge the battery before its trip to its new home she remarked that "this car isn't even as smooth as the Leaf". But it took her almost a year to get there. It took me about five minutes. Just depends on your relationship with your surroundings.

[UseLessGas]

cab: you presented a pretty well balanced review, not harsh at all (IMHO). Naturally we can't expect you to be as enthusiatic ;-)

I just want to point out that your experience regarding the braking will change after more time driving any car with regen (regenerative braking). In particular, I like the one-pedal driving experience using "L", where the need for brake-pedal use is significantly reduced in day-to-day driving. Some drivers prefer the coasting "D" provides, with blended regen on the brake pedal. Make sure you try the Sport Mode together with "L" on your next test drive, and spend time "learning" the Volt's "braking".

[MTN Ranger]

One thing to consider is that the BMW i3 REx will be the range extender option that is rumored to be available at launch in 2014. Still a wait, but it's a consideration. It will be interesting what Frank Weber does since he is in control of the i3/8 program.

[Trakehner]

I traded in my 2008 BMW 328i convertible...bright red with red leather interior...it had every bell and whistle you can get on a US Beemer. The back seat on a convertible is useless for passengers if the driver is an adult. The back seat did flip down making for a decent area to put stuff (I hauled bags of horse feed back there). The BMW is a prettier car to me than the Volt. BUT...and it's an Oprah-sized BUT...I decided I wanted better mileage than the 29-32 I'd get in the BMW.

What do I miss from my BMW? Well, the convertible top of course...but I miss the seats, lots more comfortable and supportive than the Volt seats. Other than that, I like the Volt as well if not more...there's a special satisfaction just plugging it in at night and humming along on my trek to work. I just found all sorts of 110 outlets at work, so I can top up the car's battery during the day.

I've got a red 1 ton Dodge diesel dually for pulling horse trailers, my wife just bought a red BMW Z4 with the big engine (a stunning looking car)...I've got my red (see a pattern) Volt and don't miss my BMW at all. It was a bit of a culture shock with the service/sales difference between the Chevy & BMW dealerships (Chevy was pretty unprofessional and the car didn't have an owners manual for a week---someone had stolen the one in the car or they just misplaced it). Love the car though.