Five years after Chevrolet's uncomfortably timed, post-bankruptcy reveal of the original Volt plug-in electric hybrid comes the all-new second-generation 2016 Chevrolet Volt. GM has not only come roaring back from insolvency, but has been posting record profits, and the new-and-improved Volt stands a good second chance at success to go along with this resurgence. The 2016 Volt's revised plug-in hybrid powertrain offers 53 miles of all-electric range—a 25 percent increase over the previous model that should allow most drivers to commute gas-free. When the car can no longer run only on electricity, its new 1.5-liter range-extending engine delivers an EPA-estimated 42 mpg. It still has some flaws, but the 2016 Chevy Volt is a great alternative-fuel vehicle.

Pricing and Design
The 2016 Volt comes in two trim levels. The LT starts at $33,995 and the Premier starts at $38,345. Both are eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500, as well as various state tax incentives. And both come with the Voltec propulsion system that consists of twin electric motors combined with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine/generator that together produce 149 horsepower. The car's 18.4kWh lithium-ion battery powers the two electric motors and can be recharged from the grid or incrementally from the gas engine/generator with regenerative braking. The gas engine also assists the electric motors with accelerating, passing, and climbing steep hills.

The base LT trim comes standard with a 120-volt portable charge cord, 17-inch alloy wheels, body-color exterior power mirrors, LED low-beam headlamps and taillights, cruise control, keyless entry and ignition, remote start, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, an electronic parking brake, an 8-inch configurable LCD instrument panel, Bluetooth for phone and music streaming, and a six-speaker sound system. It also includes the 8-inch Chevy MyLink touch-screen interface with AM/FM/SiriusXM radio, Apple CarPlay compatibility, dual USB ports, and an aux-in jack.

The LT trim can be optioned with a $460 Comfort package that includes leather upholstery, heated exterior mirrors, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. Standalone options for the LT include a $560 eight-speaker Bose audio system, $900 leather seats, and $1,895 17-inch, five-spoke, machined-finish wheels.

The Premier trim adds an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather seats, heated rear outboard seating, wireless smartphone charging, and an automated parking system. Bundled options include the $495 Driver Confidence package with blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and rear cross-traffic alert. The $495 Driver Confidence 2 package (which requires the Driver Confidence package) adds forward collision alert with low-speed automatic braking, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high beams.

Individual options for the Premier trim include a $495 navigation system upgrade for MyLink, $575 ambient lighting, and those $1,895 17-inch, five-spoke, machined finish wheels. We tested the Premier trim with both Driver Confidence packages, MyLink with navigation, $395 Siren Red paint, and a $20 front license plate bracket. With an $825 destination charge, the final sticker price came to $40,245.

While the front end of the 2016 Volt retains a similar look to the previous version, the rest of the exterior styling has been revamped to make the car look more like a modern compact sedan rather than a plug-in hybrid poster child. The interior is more upscale than the previous model, with higher-quality materials and two-tone color schemes.

Inside, the dashboard does away with the difficult capacitive-touch controls used in the first-gen Volt in favor of physical knobs and switches. In the center of the dash is an 8-inch MyLink touch-screen interface that also supports Apple's CarPlay. And while the 2016 Volt adds a third rear seat, bringing passenger capacity to five people, a center console extension makes it almost impossible for anyone other than a small child to comfortably sit in it.

Connectivity, Navigation, and Interface
The 2016 Chevy Volt that we tested features the Chevy MyLink system, along with OnStar with 4G LTE and Wi-Fi hotspot capability. You get OnStar's Guidance Plan, 3GB or three months (whichever comes first) of 4G LTE, and the OnStar RemoteLink app that allows for programming various battery-charging modes in addition to the normal remote lock/unlock and ignition features.

While MyLink only features one streaming music app, Pandora, additional apps (including iHeartRadio, Rdio, Spotify, and Stitcher) are available via Apple CarPlay. CarPlay also supports non-music apps like Audible and MLB At Bat. The OnStar 4G connectivity eventually requires a subscription, but data for streaming content via CarPlay comes courtesy of your smartphone.

The 2016 Volt is one of the first cars we've tested with CarPlay. An iOS device has to be connected via USB and the Projection Mode button selected. This causes the car's 8-inch screen to turn into a large replica of the interface of an iPhone, except that only certain driving-friendly Apple apps such as Phone, Music, Maps, and Messages are displayed, along with CarPlay-supported third-party apps. We experienced no issues pairing an iPhone 5s.

CarPlay's Map app complements—and in some ways outperforms—the Volt's built-in navigation system, since it has connected search capability. But the onboard nav is better integrated into the car and can display maps and directions in the instrument panel display, as well as sync with OnStar so destinations can be sent directly to the car. 

Overall, we found the MyLink system easy to use and responsive for infotainment functions. It also allows access to other useful features, such as charging settings and energy usage info. One feature new to the 2016 Volt is GPS-enabled location-based charging. It allows owners to preset 120-volt charging based on whether they prefer to charge immediately, at a set time for each day of the week, or at off-peak utility rates. The vehicle will then remember the charging location via GPS and default to the right charging setting when it arrives there.

Performance and Conclusions
The 2016 Volt's new hybrid powertrain has the low-end instant-EV torque of the original. According to Chevy, it's almost a half-second quicker from 0 to 60 mph. On our drive, the Volt was responsive, especially in pure-EV mode and when the electric motor kicked in to assist on inclines and grades. It felt composed on curvy back roads with a quiet and smooth ride, and the gas engine's operation is less obvious than before.

A neat new feature, a Regen on Demand paddle, on the back of the steering wheel sends otherwise wasted engine-braking energy to the battery you lift off the gas. In some cases, it can provide deceleration to a complete stop, and is more convenient to use than regen methods in other hybrids.

While the debut of the original Chevrolet Volt came at an inauspicious moment for GM, the introduction of the all-new 2016 version couldn't be better-timed. The market has matured over the last five years, and the improvements to the 2016 Chevy Volt in terms of performance, technology, and aesthetics are likely to attract new buyers. There is still room for improvement, but it's a solid alternative to much pricier hybrids like the 2015 Infiniti Q50S. If you're looking to go electric, the 2016 Volt is a top choice.