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2013 Chevrolet Volt

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As we know, GM has just announced a few small changes for the 2013 Volt.
Among them, a 3 miles improvement for the all electric mode. Not much, but fine…

Worse are the design changes they made to the car. No more black roof or rear hatch trim.
Both of which helped the Volt be a little different.

And the worst of all, as far as I am concerned, is inside where the really cool Black/Tan combo is not available anymore.
(The one I had in my test car a few weeks ago)
Now it seems an all beige interior option replaced it.
Looks like even the steering wheel is beige.

This is a backward move for GM. And it does feel like the old GM where they used to make design changes nobody was asking for. Instead of actually improving the car.

Go figure…

My advice: if you like the Volt, get a 2012 while they last.

Conversation 15 comments

  1. Why does GM make these minimalist changes? They never do a real re freshening with their vehicles anymore.

  3. Dan Akerson has been on a mission to reduce the cost of this car so that is probably what is going on.

  4. God forbid they keep the design cues that make their vehicles stand out.. that top pic looks like any other GM car now. The glossy blacked-out rear panel at least made you wonder if it was glass or something exotic.. now it looks like a boring trunk lid.

  5. Eh. I was never a fan of Chevy's two-tone interiors, and a black roof is a bad idea in the desert southwest. Have they added a sunroof option?

  7. The black roof was cool but I imagine it heated up the cabin a little (and wasted battery power by keeping the climate control working). Hopefully these changes will appeal to the conservative American market and let us see more of these cool cars on the road

  8. Bean counter cost cutting. It's the GM way and why I do not have the confidence to ever have any of their vehicles in my garage.

  9. Hmmmmmmm,

    I find this to be odd. They have given the Volt THREE extra miles of range to 38miles on a charge.

    Hmmmmmm,

    Didn't GM originally say that the Volt can go FORTY miles on a single charge?

    Hmmmmmm,

    So we get three extra miles of range but lose two.

    Things that make you go hmmmmmmm.

  10. Everyone please stop all the whining, including Vince. This is a great car. It it was Toyota, no one would say anything.

  11. Anonymous said…
    "Everyone please stop all the whining, including Vince. This is a great car. It it was Toyota, no one would say anything."

    I disagree. Toyota gets bashed around on these posts as well as every other car maker so get over it.
    Id have a Prius over this as well by the way.

  12. Funny, the Opel Ampera has gone the other way. More interior and exterior options on the 2013 than the 2012.

  13. HA, I'd take this over a Prius anyday of the week.

    If this post were a Toyota, I wouldn't say anything because I simply wouldn't care, because I don't care at all for Toyotas. GM is trying….it could be better, but they put their asses on the line for this car and that is something admirable.

  14. "..Both of which helped the Volt be a little different.."

    Vince, I do not understand why it has to look different. Just in case you cannot find it in the parking lot?

    This "differentiation" is what keeps prices higher than normal.

  15. FusioptimaSX said..
    "GM is trying….it could be better, but they put their asses on the line for this car and that is something admirable."

    GM isnt trying very hard at all. More like flogging a dead horse in fact. The sale figures tell all.
    FusioptimaSX might be in denial.

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