Driven: The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt Strikes Back
Appearance: Finally, it's not ugly anymore, but why does it look like an angry bird?
I didn't expect-the 2027 Bolt would allow me to look back at it in the parking lot. The previous Bolt? To be honest, it's like a mouse without a soul. But now this car has its front face lowered, its LED headlights narrowed into a slit, and the bumper lines are sharp enough to cut vegetables. The side still had the familiar outline of the hatchback, but the wheel arches were raised and the waistline was raised, giving a posture of "ready to pounce at any time". But that rear window design... well, I might need to get used to it, especially when I look at it from certain angles, I always feel like it's staring at me. But seriously, this time Chevrolet finally gave us a reason to pull out our wallets in terms of appearance.
Interior: Full of technology, but the plastic is still the same plastic
My first reaction when I get in the car: Ho! The huge curved screen in the central control system (yes, now even Bolt has it!) Draw your eyes straight away. The UI responded quickly and supported wireless CarPlay, finally catching up with the times. The steering wheel feels very good, and the padding of the seats is much softer than the previous generation. There should be no back pain for a long journey. But don't be happy too early-the hard plastic on your door panels and the cheapness in the lower half of the instrument panel are like Chevrolet saying,"Just give you a big screen, don't push your luck." Fortunately, the space in the back row is still excellent, the floor is flat, and it is not embarrassing to sit with three adults. The panoramic sunroof makes the entire carriage shine like a greenhouse, which is a surprise.
Open it up: It's great, but why is it a little dizzy?
The moment I stepped on the switch, I couldn't help but laugh out loud-with more than 200 horsepower and instant torque, pushing the car out felt like being shot out by a slingshot. Accelerate 0-60mph for about 6 seconds? It is definitely enough to make the Accord next to it eat dust in front of the traffic lights. The steering is light and the chassis supports it well in corners, not swaying as softly as before. But! The brake foot feels a bit strange. The switch between kinetic energy recovery and mechanical braking is still not smooth enough, especially during stop-and-go periods, passengers are prone to motion sickness. Also, the wind noise during high-speed cruising was louder than expected. Maybe the "Angry Birds" shape brought more air disturbance?
Battery life and charging: I can finally run long distances, but...
The official rated EPA range is 320 miles (about 515 kilometers). I measured it and found that I can run about 290 miles (about 467 kilometers) with a mixture of high speed and urban roads. For a car of this size, it is definitely excellent. What makes me most gratified is the charging speed-the peak value can be reached to about 130kW, and it only takes more than 30 minutes to go from 10% to 80%, which is nearly twice as fast as the old model. Chevrolet also gives you an 11kW home charging module, which is very considerate. However, I still have to complain: the fast-charging curve fell a little early, and it began to slow down after reaching 70%, and the next 30% was simply torture. In addition, at this price point, many opponents have already offered 150kW or even 200kW, but Bolt is still short of breathing.
Price and configuration: Very fragrant, but be careful of optional traps
The starting price for the 2027 Bolt is about US$29,995 (excluding tax and shipping), which is quite competitive in this category. The basic configuration provides large screen, wireless charging, ACC, and lane keeping, which is kind enough. But if you want something that really makes the car "premium"-like a Bose stereo, heated and ventilated seats, 360-degree imaging-sorry, you'll have to pay for a premium or optional package. The top model I tried landed close to $37,000. You can even buy an entry version of Model 3 or ID.4 at this price point. So it's good for money, but it's not crushing. Chevrolet cleverly made the low-cost options attractive, and then used the options to "harvest" those picky buyers.
Summary: Love it or hate it? I have a little
The 2027 Bolt is definitely not a perfect car. Its interior still feels cheap, there is still room for improvement in charging speed, and the brake foot feel needs to be adapted to. But think about it another way-it starts at less than $30,000 and gives you more than 300 miles of battery life, good acceleration, modern aircraft, and spacious and practical space. It's like ordering a burger from a chain fast food restaurant and suddenly discovering that it tastes much better than expected. Although the bread is still a little dry and the patty is still a little thin, it's hard to complain about the price. If you want a fun, practical and inexpensive electric car, the Bolt is worth a test drive. Just don't forget to brake a few more times during the test drive to make sure you can endure the adjustment.
