Earning a Consumer Report's "recommendation" is a reasonably tough thing to do. That's because it is said to be a publication that upholds true journalism and isn't swayed by no man -- or woman.
So when the Chevrolet Volt made the cut I was conflicted.
There's no doubt that the Volt is a new-age vehicle that offers the best of both worlds; however, is it really in a consumer's best interest at this point? That's where things get a little iffy.
Don't get me wrong, I think the Volt is a pretty damn good offering. I even enjoyed the time I spent with it when I had my press vehicle. The problem is when you look at it from a consumer's perspective because there are a couple of questionable attributes about the Volt -- and any electric vehicle for that matter.
1) No one is entirely sure what will happen when these batteries eventually run out of juice. Some say the batteries are going to cost thousands of bucks to fix, others dispute that.
2) There's been an ongoing debate questioning how well ANY electric vehicle's resale value will hold up. See point number one above for the explanation as to why.
3) Then you have the whole debate about long-term reliability and how expensive it *could* possibly be to maintain an electric vehicle.
Keeping these things in mind,
should the Volt be receiving this "honor" or is Consumer Reports stretching this one a bit?...The Volt, which GM calls a "range-extended electric vehicle," has already earned several awards including Motor Trend Car of the Year and North American Car of the Year, but Consumer Reports' recommendation could have more impact on sales than any of those...
...Consumer Reports hailed the Volt for its fuel economy, quietness, "instant acceleration" and excellent crash-test results. But earning a recommendation doesn't mean the Volt is perfect. The magazine noted poor visibility, tricky braking, narrow driving position and the toll cold weather takes on its electric driving range. Also the Volt seats only four, which is one less than most cars its size...
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