STYLING | 6 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
The exterior is understated and attractive, and the interior is sleekly high tech without being overkill.
LA Times
still handsome and arguably has more flair than the similarly shaped Prius and Insight
Edmunds
On the street, however, the car still doesn't stand out much from any number of nondescript compacts.
Autoblog
The rear view is a bit less attractive than the front and the Volt certainly has that general Prius/hybrid shape.
Cars.com
The Volt concept from several years ago had a radical look to match a radical way of thinking. We wish the 2011 Volt were slightly more distinctive, or revolutionary, in the way of, say, the Toyota Prius, the original Honda Insight, or even the GM EV1.
In profile, we feel the shape just isn't as individual as the cars that compare most closely to the Volt, the 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid and the 2011 Nissan Leaf electric car. Like the Volt, each is a five-door hatchback with a low drag coefficient. And is instantly identifiable at 100 paces. We're not sure the Volt is that distinctive.
It's not that the Volt is bad-looking—and it certainly gets its share of stares on the road. We just wish it weren't quite so slit-windowed and heavy below the beltline.
Up close, however, it's clear that it's a Chevy of a different kind, from the blanked-out simulated twin-bar grille to the high, almost horizontal tailgate with a vertical glass panel for visibility.
Inside, the news is better. The Volt's cabin blends the traditional Chevy twin-cockpit appearance with some new touches, including a vehicle information display screen that's head and shoulders above any other Chevy.
Conclusion
The exterior styling of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt is downright disappointing for lack of being as revolutionary as the rest of the car; but up close and inside, it's closer to a trendsetter.
