Quote Originally Posted by DieselDavy View Post
It's funny that in the last couple of weeks I've been thinking about posting here to ask how the Diesel Cruze owners like yourself have been doing with their cars!
I can understand your purchase. Makes sense/cents!
I've not read about the Volt for a few years, (I read about it in the engineering journals at the time it was being designed) so I'm not up to speed on it anymore. What does a road trip look like in one? Does it charge as it goes so you can drive all day?
Dave
We were very pleased with the Cruze, the entire experience during the time we had it. No regrets or complaints. It was sad to see it go, but reality won out.

The Volt got a significant facelift for the 2016 MY, both in the appearance and technology. It's much more refined and "sporty" than what we looked at in 2013. 30%+ greater battery range, and much more efficient all the way around, while much more "luxurious" at the same time. It's worth a serious look if the range and other features work into a strategy. EPA rated range on the battery alone is 53 miles. We range between 48 and 70, depending on driving style and conditions. The lifetime MPG is north of 90 MPG (2200 miles, currently), which takes into account charged energy usage compared with an equivalent cost of gas. This will improve as experience improves. It's a simple matter of efficiently balancing economy with comfort, and battery charging strategies.

Road trips are unremarkable, to say the least. It has 4 driver-selectable drive modes to accommodate just about any condition:

Normal: uses the available battery charge, then switches to the gas engine for power. It charges/discharges the battery as necessary to maintain the most efficient use of energies. The engine will start, stop, rev, idle, depending on the actual energy demands and stored power. We easily get 50 MPG on gas only on the open highway.

Sport: It is what it says. Fast! Quicker than it deserves to be. Fun! Responsive. Aggressive. The car has 2 high voltage traction motors, and usually uses only one at a time. Sport makes them both available, as well as gas engine power, simultaneously. Uses more battery and gas. E-ticket ride, to be sure! A guilty pleasure, at a $$ price. Tesla-mode, as I call it.

Mountain: It will either hold a minimal battery charge (usually about a 10 mile range), or make one, to assist with steep grades. It works like the battery-depleted "normal" condition, except it keeps a charge in reserve.

Hold: It will "hold" whatever battery charge it has, and will charge/discharge as needed to keep up with power demands. It can be selected at any time there is battery capacity available (above zero).