MotorMouths

This is the most sophisticated, most important vehicle on the road today. For being an automotive pioneer, the Chevrolet Volt is the 2011 Automobile of the Year.

The Volt strikes us as the closest in concept to the winning formula of the Prius. It has big fuel-economy numbers, a unique name and styling, and enough range and people and cargo space.
This is without a doubt the most important new car since the advent of hybrids in the late ’90s, and GM has nailed it.

Congratulations Chevrolet, the Volt is quiet, accelerates well and most important to me, was pretty seamless in the switch from electric to gasoline generated electric power. The Volt was certainly worth the long wait.

The Volt is a car that will make fans feel good about driving and about themselves. If that’s not your cup of green tea, don’t buy it. But if the Volt appeals to you, my hunch is that you’re going to love it more than any car you’ve driven in years.

The Volt is a true technological tour de force. There were huge, huge expectations heaped on this car, fairly or unfairly, and it delivers on every one of them.

The bits that make the Volt go — a gas engine, an electric motor, and a battery — may be humble, but the way that General Motors has put them together could very well change the way America motors, if not the whole world.

A bunch of Midwestern engineers in bad haircuts and cheap wristwatches just out-engineered every other car company on the planet. And they did it in 29 months while GM was falling apart around them. That was downright heroic. Somebody ought to make a movie about the Volt.

Considering all the hype and waiting, I thought the Volt was destined to disappoint. So far, it hasn’t. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how it works under the surface. What matters is how it works out in the real world — and at first blush, it works damn well.

The Volt proved to be a very nice surprise in terms of its smooth, quiet operation, its excellent acceleration, its competent dynamics, and its ongoing economy of operation.

The Chevy Volt is a game-changer. Its mass production and availability to the public at a reasonable price may be pivotal in reshaping the automotive landscape in favour of Mother Nature.

Frugality and fancy new technology don’t necessarily make a good car. I’ll be honest: My expectations were low. After 200 miles of all kinds of driving, I wanted to hug an engineer. The Volt not only drives like a real, grown-up car, it’s actually lively and fun.

Overall the Volt is an impressive ride and considering the technology behind it and its ease of use, perhaps the best vehicle GM has ever built.