The Chevy Bolt is back for 2027, for a limited time only. I just spent a week driving it around the Bay Area to see if this reborn affordable EV is worth your time.
Overall, I liked the Bolt a lot. It’s a great size for cities. The price is tough to beat, at under $30,000 for a base model. And, crucially, the revived Bolt smooths out many of the roughest edges of the commendable but outdated version that was discontinued in 2023.
The little crossover now claims 262 miles of EPA range from a 65-kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate battery. That’s a boost of 15 miles. It also features 150-kilowatt fast charging, plus the ability to recharge from 10%-80% in 26 minutes. The old Bolt was never a road tripper. The new one makes that much more possible.
But I did also come away with a few small gripes after using a 2027 Bolt RS as my daily driver. Here’s what I liked most about one of America’s cheapest EVs—and a couple of shortcomings to bear in mind.
[Full Disclosure: Chevrolet provided a fully charged Bolt for me to review]
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Source: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
PRO: Punchy Power When You Need It
The Bolt uses a single, front-mounted motor that provides 214 horsepower and 169 lb-ft of torque. That’s plenty enough for this little “crossover” to quickly hustle to highway speeds, make tight merges, or pass slow-moving traffic. A claimed 0-60-mph time of 6.8 seconds means this is no Porsche Taycan. But that’s also a solid two seconds quicker than a gas-powered Chevy Trax.
Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
It’s one of the best features of EVs. Even the lower-cost, lower-powered ones benefit from the instant torque that’s inherent to electric motors. If you’re used to just about any comparable gas car, the Bolt is going to feel fast.
While the steering wheel-mounted paddle that boosted regenerative braking in the old model is gone, I don’t miss it. The Bolt offers up two intensities of one-pedal driving, and lets you turn off the feature altogether if that’s more your speed.
CON: Bit of A Bumpy Ride
But the Bolt isn’t exactly plush on the road. Any car company needs to make trade-offs when creating a budget car, and this is one example. Over rough roads, the Bolt is a bit bouncy for my taste. This isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker and didn’t take too much away from the overall experience, but it was noticeable. It doesn’t help either that the seats are a bit firm, and don’t help cushion blows from the road all that well.
On smooth highways, though, I have no complaints and the Bolt is a nice place to spend time.
Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
PRO: Small On The Outside, Surprisingly Large On The Inside
At 169.6 inches long, the Bolt is a great size for cities. It’s almost two feet shorter than an Equinox EV, and I enjoyed how easy it was to street park.
Importantly, the Bolt still feels nice and spacious inside. I’m a bit over six feet tall, and I wasn’t wanting for space in the front seat. The back was pretty roomy too in terms of both knee and headroom. When I tested the Bolt’s main competitor, the Nissan Leaf, I remember being struck by how cramped the back seat was; it’s not designed for large adults. Not so in the Bolt.
Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
(The numbers back that up; the Bolt has several inches more rear-seat legroom than its rival, 39.1 inches to 31.8 inches. If you’re a rideshare driver, it’s definitely the better option.
PRO: Tons of Interior Storage
Never can quite find a spot for all your junk? The Bolt has a place for that. Its interior is positively brimming with little cubby holes for your sunglasses, wallet, and what have you. There are three stash spots built into the passenger-side dashboard, plus a few more in the center console.
Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
It’s a nice touch for someone like me, who always finds their cupholders overflowing with parking receipts and other crap. One other nice touch: The cupholders are adjustable. You can move a couple of included inserts to different positions depending on how big your cup is that day—or even create a snug spot for your iPhone.
PRO: Google Built-in Infotainment
General Motors’ new EVs notoriously lack Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. I know that’s a bummer for some. But at least the company makes up for it with an attractive, easy-to-use infotainment system. The best part of it is Google Built-in, which brings familiar apps like Google Maps to the Bolt’s center screen. If you’re not going to let me use my phone to navigate, at least give me a navigation system that doesn’t suck. The Bolt, like other new GM products, does exactly that.
Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
You can even bring a full Google Maps view up right in the digital gauge cluster for easier viewing.
CON: A Budget-Feeling Interior
Despite the thoughtful touches and storage options, the Bolt’s interior does come off a bit budget. Of course, this is meant to be a budget EV, so that shouldn’t be too surprising.
Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
The front seats of my tester were wrapped in faux leather, which was nice. But nearly everything up front is made of hard plastic. Ditto for the back seats, where even the elbow rest lacks padding and back-of-seat pockets are nowhere to be found.
Verdict
The Bolt isn’t perfect; no car is. But in an EV world dominated by $50,000 options, Chevy’s little crossover is an undeniably charming addition to America’s car market. It’s just shame that it’s not sticking around for longer. GM will only make the Bolt for about the next year, before its plant space is retooled to make gas vehicles. So if you like what you see—shortcomings and all—you’d better act fast.
Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
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