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.

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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.