Paul Begley Blog

A 2017 Chevy Bolt EV has replaced my beloved 2005 Saab 92x (aka Saabaru, a Saab badged Subaru WRX) and the best car I’ve ever owned.

When I started researching cars to replace the Saab, we considered buying new and used gas cars, but the market is crazy between supply chain issues and escalating prices. Our newest car is a 2016 Subaru Forester, and we expect to keep it for another 12 years. As we considered EV’s, we feel the landscape will be very, very different in 5-10 years, so we weren’t keen on buying a new car now and we started to look at used EV’s.

In 2014 we leased a Honda Fit EV. It was a Honda special lease program, and we received a free Level 2 charger (we paid for installation). We returned the car because our needs changed and there was no buy-out option for the lease. However, two years with an electric-only car made us EV evangelists (well, maybe I’m the evangelist). For reference, the Honda Fit had a 20 KWh battery, 100 HP, and published range of 80 miles and used a Level 2 charger which we installed in our garage.

Flash forward to 2021. Our EV criteria was a minimum range of 200 miles, a four door hatchback large enough to fit our taller than average family (I’m 6’3″ and 225 lbs.). Looking at used cars, we quickly came to the conclusion that 2017 Chevy Bolt EV’s coming off lease looked like a the best choice for us. We also saw the battery recall putting a dead stop to all resales. At the same time, used Tesla’s were increasing in price and various discounts and promotions for new EV’s were expiring.

One month ownership notes

The Chevy Bolt EV isn’t a Tesla Model 3, but it’s a great EV, a solid car, and a used 2017 Bolt EV Premier is a great value. The batteries and motor are sourced from LG and the balance of the car was designed and assembled by Chevrolet. The controls are familiar, good ergonomics, good visibility, and I particularly like the utility of the car. The rear seats can be folded flat with one hand, and there is a rear storage area behind the rear seats that is covered, but the cover and false floor removed to provide a 12-18″ bin for extra storage. The Premier trim comes with roof rails, and we purchased cross bars for bicycle and roof racks.

• Chevrolet Bolt EV 2017 details
  • 2017 Bolt EV Premier with all features except a sunroof (which we would not use)
  • Premier comes with DC fast charge option (55kW)
  • 27,000 miles
  • Energy Saver A/S SelfSeal 215/50R17
  • Safety features like blind spot detection, front and rear cameras
• The Good
  • Driver seat adjustment and leg room is great for tall drivers. Leg room and headroom for four is good.
  • Overall ergonomics are solid, and we like the tray between the front seats and door storage.
  • The Bolt EV HP and torque are amazing. It’s just fun to drive.
  • Range is quite good – well over 200 miles with normal driving and less than full charge.
  • 200 HP with no turbo lag and a single speed transmission is addicting, and I’ve been driving a WRX for 16 years.
  • “Single pedal driving” – with the transmission in “Low”, you can use regen braking to bring the car to a complete stop.
  • Safety features, including a wide-angle rear-view mirror option that uses rear cameras.
  • Remote start, auto dimming rear view mirrors, automatic headlights, and other convenience features.
  • Bluetooth is rock solid and in-car calls are much better than our Subaru because the Bolt is so quiet.
• The not-so-good
  • 2017 model has 2017 tech
    • Android Auto requires a USB cable (versus wireless)
    • Waze beta has issues although Google Maps works as designed.
    • Wireless charging ‘pocket’ too small for Pixel 4XL
  • DC fast charge limited to 55kW, where newer EV’s are as high as 150kW, which limits long road trips.
  • No spare tire, sealant, and air pump, we also have AARP road service.
  • Ride is a bit harsh, mostly due to energy efficient, low profile tires.
  • Front seats are a tight fit, but not bad.
  • The arm rest is an interference fit for me but has a lot of storage and removable tray.