Category Archives: News

Rise up, rise up

Sales of the Nissan LEAF topped 1,000 units in Canada in 2014, a new high for the all-electric vehicle (Image: Nissan)

Sales of the Nissan LEAF topped 1,000 units in Canada in 2014, a new high for the all-electric vehicle (Image: Nissan)

If you’ve see Nissan Canada swaggering around lately, there’s good reason for it.

The Canadian division of Nissan Group – much like its American brother – boasted killer sales in 2014, vastly growing their customer base and setting company sales records. In an economic climate that had buyers demanding “value!”, Nissan offered it with a lineup of competent, ‘smart buy’ vehicles.

Not bad for an automaker that was getting pretty invisible just a few years ago.

If you think of Nissan as the overlooked high school football player who scores the winning touchdown in the last seconds of the game, I think they can be forgiven for any showboating.

In November of this year, the company’s Nissan and Infiniti brands posted a combined 21.5% year-over-year sales gain compared to Nov., 2013. Year-to date, Nissan Canada sales were up 28.2% in the first 11 months of 2014.

These are serious gains – enough to push Nissan into the Number 6 spot in Canada’s brand ranking and capture 6.3% of the market.

On Nov. 13 of this year, Nissan Canada celebrated another milestone when they passed the 100,000 units mark for the first time since entering the Canadian market in 1966.

Canada's cheapest car proved solid and fun to drive, leading to big sales for the Nissan Micra (Image: Nissan)

Canada’s cheapest car proved solid and fun to drive, leading to big sales for the Nissan Micra (Image: Nissan)

Leading the sales surge was the popular Rogue compact crossover (sales up 77.8% year-to-date), the spacious Sentra sedan, and the surprise success of the Micra subcompact, which was touted as Canada’s cheapest car ($9,998) when it went on sale this past spring. A total of 924 Micras left dealer lots in November, with 6,987 sold between April and November.

Even the all-electric LEAF, which has been on the challenging EV market for several years now, posted a 131% year-to-date sales gain, topping 1,000 units sold in 2014.

The automotive landscape at Nissan looks to remain fairly unchanged for 2015 – after all, why mess with a good thing? – but the company will have to keep on its toes to ensure it doesn’t lose any of the ground it gained this past year. With gas far cheaper than it was a year ago, it seems opportune that Nissan’s newest models – the redesigned Murano and next-generation Titan pickup (to be unveiled in January) – are on the large side of the vehicle spectrum.

Having had such success in the small car market, it would make sense that Nissan would seek to make gains in the large vehicle segment.

 

 

Face-off

2016 Ford Explorer: a blast from the past? (Image: Ford)

2016 Ford Explorer: a blast from the past? (Image: Ford)

In November, Ford pulled the wraps off a facelifted 2016 Explorer at the L.A. Auto Show – an event that caused little fanfare.

After all, a mid-cycle update of an SUV unchanged since 2011 isn’t the sexiest thing, especially when there’s a MUSTANG OVER THERE!

Still, the Explorer is a storied nameplate, and a highly visible model for Ford. And changes can make a good vehicle better or worse than before.

I quite liked the look of the newly unibody Explorer when it was released in 2011. Exterior design elements were reminiscent of the Land Rover-Range Rover stable, and gave the utility vehicle a visual sense of luxury and class it didn’t have before.

Driving it revealed remarkably agile handling for such a heavy vehicle, with precise steering, a smooth powertrain, compliant suspension, and every creature comfort a motorist could want. All of this remains for 2016, save for some new engine choices, and a refreshed front end.

The front end is the problem.

Circa-2007 Ford Freestyle (Image: IFCAR/Wikimedia Commons)

Circa-2007 Ford Freestyle (Image: IFCAR/Wikimedia Commons)

Most mid-cycle styling refreshes serve to make an aging vehicle look newer, or at least ‘different’, lest the consumer grow bored. The 2016 Explorer’s new front end – featuring a normally inoffensive chrome mesh grille – actually makes the vehicle look older.

On the night of the reveal, I wasn’t the only commenter remarking on the new Explorer’s resemblance to the 2003-2009 Ford Freestyle (aka the Taurus X). And we all remember (if we brush the cobwebs away) what a forgettable vehicle that was.

In this instance, I think making the ‘safe choice’ for the restyle was the wrong choice. The Explorer’s body still looks good, and the grille was hardly the best part of the 2011-2015 models, but at least it ‘fit’.

The blacked-out grilles on the Explorer Sport looked the best, in my opinion, especially when coupled with those black rims. Outfitted with that trim, it resembled a police pursuit vehicle.

2015 Ford Explorer Sport. Now, isn't that better? (Image: Ford)

2015 Ford Explorer Sport. Now, isn’t that better? (Image: Ford)

Besides the throw-back grille, the 2016 Explorer brings the new 2.3-litre Ecoboost engine into the fold.

Available in the Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, the 2.3 (unlike the previous 2.0) will be offered in 4-wheel-drive models, including those with towing packages.

While the 3.5-litre V-6 remains the standard engine, a 3.5-litre Ecoboost now comes standard on Explorer Sport and Platinum models.

The 2016 Explorer goes on sale in mid-2015.

Is it a sedan…or just a Mirage?

This overseas-market Mitsubishi Attrage is what any U.S.-bound Mirage would look like.

This overseas-market Mitsubishi Attrage is what any U.S.-bound Mirage would look like.

Good news, lovers of diminutive, low-cost subcompacts!

It appears that a four-door version of the Mitsubishi Mirage will eventually find its way to North America to join its 3-cylinder hatchback sibling. News of the addition was leaked to Motor Trend via a Mitsubishi excutive at the recent L.A. Auto Show.

“Rent-a-car companies rejoice,” declared Carscoops.com upon hearing the news.

Their reaction promises to be more animated than that of the general population’s.

The Mirage hatch came to North America in the fall of last year with a low starting price and good advertised mileage – just the thing to combat high gas prices and a stagnant economy.

It also brought a 74-horsepower 3-cylinder engine that left no one’s heart on fire. Still, it sold far more units than, say, a Kia K900 – way more, in fact.

This calendar year, U.S. sales figures show a total of 14,240 Mirage hatchbacks sold as of Halloween, while Canadian buyers snapped up 3,561 in the same time frame.

Since last fall, a far-batter-reviewed competitor has emerged – the Nissan Micra – and oil prices have fallen steeply, which changes the playing field. So far, it doesn’t seem like the bigwigs at Mitsubishi are in much of a rush to get the Mirage sedan to U.S. and likely Canadian) shores anytime soon.

Going by pictures of the Mitsubishi Attrage, which the Mirage is billed as overseas, an improved (front end featuring chrome and actual grille openings) would accompany the new four-door.

 

Links:

http://www.carscoops.com/2014/11/mitsubishi-to-bring-mirage-sedan-to-us.html

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2013/10/mitsubishi-mirage-sales-figures-usa-canada.html

Big time

Besides doing big business, the 2014 Nissan Sentra boasts size - both inside and out - at the top of its class.

Besides doing big business, the 2014 Nissan Sentra boasts size – both inside and out – at the top of its class.

If you’ve been seeing a lot more Nissan Sentra’s plying the roads lately, it isn’t your imagination.

Buyers have been snapping up the Sentra like canned goods before a Category 5 hurricane, giving the traditional compact car players a run for their money.

This is a big step back into the spotlight for a venerable model that had become almost invisible in Nissan’s lineup.

October sales in the U.S. show a staggering 56.3% increase over the same month last year, while year-to-date sales are up 44.7% over 2013. In Canada, Nissan moved a total of 1,372 Sentras off dealer lots in October, compared to 1,178 in Oct., 2013.

One thing I can’t help but notice when I see one is its size. You’d swear it was pushing into mid-size territory. If this were the 1990s, you couldn’t tell me the 2014 Sentra is smaller than a Chevy Corsica or Ford Contour.

(Ah, that long lost ‘lower midsize’ category. May it rest in peace.)

After seeing this sizeable compact eleventy billion times, I figured it was time to get down and dirty and compare measurements, just to see if my eyes were deceiving me.

Sentra sales are up 44.7% over last year. (Image: www.newcars.com)

Sentra sales are up 44.7% over last year. (Image: www.newcars.com)

Dimension-wise, I compared the Sentra to other popular vehicles in its class – the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Ford Focus and Chevy Cruze. Cargo volume was thrown in for good measure, because who doesn’t look a big trunk?

Going by factory spec, it turns out the Sentra is indeed on the large size, coming in at-or-near the top of its class in terms of length and wheelbase.

At 182.1 inches in length, only the Toyota Corolla bests it, and that’s only by five-tenths of an inch. This was somewhat surprising, as the Corolla  in my eyes – appears a little stubby.

The Sentra’s wheelbase, 106.3 inches, was matched by the Corolla and the Mazda 3.

Trunk space, at a generous 15.1 cubic feet, was at the top of the pack. The closest challenger was the Cruze at 15 cubic feet. The other four vehicles ranged from a measly 12.4 cubic feet in the Mazda 3 to 13.2 cubic feet in the Corolla and the Focus.

The Sentra makes no sporting claims in its advertising, preferring to sway car shoppers with value. Offering lots of space for the money is a time-honoured tactic that seems to work well, assuming that the product is at least of fair quality.

With the other brands in a sales tug-of-war fueled by claims of driving excitement (and a healthy dose of name-recognition), it seems the folks at Nissan made a conscious choice to go big, or go home.

 

Links:

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01/nissan-sentra-sales-figures.html

I am the resurrection

Will a $5 billion investment from Ford boost Lincoln's sagging fortunes? Time will tell.

Will a $5 billion investment from Ford boost Lincoln’s sagging fortunes? Time will tell.

There’s been no shortage of spilled ink when it comes to debating the (seemingly) age-old question, ‘What are we to do with Lincoln?’

The iconic 92-year-old brand, once the pinnacle of American luxury, has meandered along on a rudderless path for years, churning out forgettable vehicles while whispers of its impending demise grew ever louder.

Well, it seems that Ford is finally deciding to do something about the wayward marque. New CEO Mark Fields clearly believes in the ‘go big or go home’ mantra, and late last month announced plans to pump piles of money into the Lincoln Motor Company.

Like gasoline through the carb of a 460 V-8, this copious cash infusion is aimed at jump-starting the brand into renewed relevancy.

How much cash, exactly? At least $5 billion over the next five years, according to Reuters:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/24/us-fordmotor-lincoln-idUSKCN0ID2FU20141024

To compete, you need to offer a variety of things that people want, and do it as good or better than the other guys. Like any company with two brain cells to rub together, Lincoln knows this, and the 2014 MKC small crossover is a good example of a move in a more competitive direction.

But one new vehicle doesn’t save a company. The $5 billion will be allocated to freshening up the existing lineup while adding new goodies to the shelf.

The creation of a new, highly-configurable platform to underpin several new models is at the centre of the rebuilding plan. The platform will reportedly be able to accommodate drivetrains utilizing the front or rear wheels (or all of them).

Now that there’s fuel being added to the fire, it should be interesting to watch Lincoln attempt to rise from the ashes.

Lincoln Mk. III (1969-1971) spotted in Prince George, British Columbia.

Lincoln Mk. III (1969-1971) spotted in Prince George, British Columbia.

Whether it will attain past levels of glory remains to be seen, but I’ve got my fingers crossed – like always – for a new flagship Continental sedan, ideally with suicide doors.

I’m never backing down on that wish. And if that’s too much to ask, can we please get a personal luxury coupe?

Class(ic) act

The 2015 Volkswagen Classic offers retro styling cues and more standard equipment at a price that undercuts a stock Beetle (photo: Volkswagen of America)

The 2015 Volkswagen Classic offers retro styling cues and more standard equipment at a price that undercuts a stock Beetle (photo: Volkswagen of America)

If you’ve been waiting since 1997 to get your hands on a special kind of Volkswagen (New) Beetle, your long wait is over.

For 2015, buyers can sign on the dotted line for a VW Beetle Classic – a value-oriented model that offers upgraded standard equipment and retro styling cues at a price that undercuts that of the base model.

Volkswagen of America announced on Sept. 23 the immediate release of these limited-edition models, which they say come in at $1,500 lower than a base Beetle with automatic.

Powered by a 1.8-litre turbo four (the same as the base model), the Beetle Classic’s most noticeable styling departure is its attractive retro wheels, which feature a chrome centre cap, blacked-out spokes and a chrome outer ring. It’s a style I’ve always liked, but I’d never imagined what they’d do for the looks of a Beetle until now.

Besides the new rims (and a decklid spoiler that I find totally out of place on a ‘Classic’ model), the car comes equipped with classy leather-wrapped handbrake lever and shift knob, as well as two-tone leatherette upholstery. A Sirius XM satellite radio and navigation system are also standard, as is a 6-speed automatic transmission.

For a vehicle whose name and historical lineage predates World War Two, it’s weird that an automatic transmission would come standard on this model. However, if you can’t drive a stick but just LOVE Beetles, this is your chance to get what you want while saving money at the same time.

The Classic still has a lower starting price than a base Beetle equipped with a manual transmission.

Volkswagen Beetle sales are not a huge part of the company’s revenue stream, but they do seem to stay consistent over time. The Classic is clearly a way for VW to craft some renewed attention for the model and possibly achieve a sales bump as well.

Being a limited-edition model, buyers can choose from three basic paint colours – black, silver and white – when they slap down their $20,195 (U.S.) for their new retro ride.

Too bad about the spoiler and tranny, though.

 

Links: http://media.vw.com/release/843/

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01/volkswagen-beetle-sales-figures.html

 

Shakedown Cruze

The next-generation Cruze will aim for significantly improved fuel economy.

The next-generation Cruze will aim for significantly improved fuel economy.

Chevy Cruze buyers can expect more choice starting with the second-generation 2016 model.

The GM Authority blog dished out almost all that can be said of the future Cruze last week, revealing that the new car will come with new Ecotec engines (note: pural), less weight, and an optional 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that could be standard on high end models.

A partnership between GM and a Chinese company is behind the creation of this new transmission. The 6-speed automatic and manual will continue to be offered in the Cruze line.

All of these changes to the popular Chevy compact are designed to make the vehicle more competitive, as well as more fuel efficient. Sources are saying mileage gains will be 14 – 21% higher than the first generation Cruze.

That kind of a bump is considerable, given that the original model wasn’t exactly known as a gas guzzler.

Chevy marked a milestone in August, as the 3 millionth Cruze rolled off the GM assembly line in Lordstown, Ohio. When it was introduced in late 2010 as a 2011 model, the Cruze was a significant departure from the bland-as-dry-toast Cobalt that preceded it (not to mention the Cavalier…). Rather than being an also-ran whose only appeal lay in a low starting price, the Cruze offered competitive equipment and technology.

At the time, having a diminutive turbo engine of less than a litre-and-a-half displacement as the volume powerplant seemed daring, but the industry has clearly moved in that direction since then. It helped that summer, 2010 marked a spike in gas prices that continues to this day.

The 2016 Cruze will launch sometime in late 2015.

Links:

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/09/2016-chevy-cruze-to-offer-all-new-7-speed-dual-clutch-transmission/

Soul decision

Socket to me: the 2015 Kia Soul EV (photo: Kia)

Socket to me: the 2015 Kia Soul EV (photo: Kia)

Who’s been lying awake lately, unable to sleep due to the news of a pending all-electric version of an existing car model?

Anyone?

Exhilarating or not, that’s the news surrounding Kia and their funky/cool/edgy/different/fill-in-the-blank Soul. This fall, an EV version of the compact 4-door wagon goes on sale in select U.S. states (hint: mainly northern blue ones), and will be helped along in the Rumbling State by 17 Kia fast-charging stations.

Other states and those living in the white mass north of the border can expect their Soul EV’s to arrive in 2015.

Going by factory glamour shots, funky/cool/edgy/different colour schemes and a front fascia that says ‘no’ to incoming air will make the Soul EV stand out from its gas-sipping brethren. Official media releases claim a driving range of 200 kilometres, agile handling, “class-leading” acceleration, and a top speed of 145 km/h.

(Official blurb here: http://tinyurl.com/lszo9br)

That acceleration comes by way of a 109-horsepower electric motor making 210 lb.-ft. of torque, doled out in a big spoonful by a 1-speed automatic transmission. Contrast these numbers with the base (1.6-litre) gasoline Soul, which makes 130 hp but a paltry 118 lb.-ft. of torque.

The uplevel 2.0-litre rings in at 151 lb.-ft of grunt.

The range of the all-electric Soul doesn’t challenge the Tesla Model S, but it does top that of the Ford Focus EV and Nissan Leaf by a little bit.

Adam Levine in 2013 (photo: Twitter)

Adam Levine in 2013 (photo: Twitter)

The announcement of the Soul EV’s attributes and California charging network comes hot on the heels of a splashy commercial aired during August’s MTV Video Music Awards (aka the #VMA’s – OMG, LOL, WTF!).

That commercial – better known as the newest ‘hamster ad’ – served to pimp a new Maroon 5 track and was accompanied by a cringeworthy media release of its own.

(Strap yourself in and read it here: http://tinyurl.com/o85958f)

While I’m loathe to call any attention to the infuriating and insufferable Adam Levine, I’m linking the commercial here, if only to provide context to the gaspingly earnest media release (“geek chic”??!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYWHsOeDf3M

Despite all of this uber-hip fanfare, the biggest boon to the Kia Soul’s fortunes in the recent past has actually been… (wait for it!)… the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Francis in 2013 (photo: telegraph.co.uk)

Pope Francis in 2013 (photo: telegraph.co.uk)

During a tour of South Korea earlier this summer, the often-unpredictable Pope Francis (who has shunned the Vatican’s armoured vehicle fleet) tooled around in a black Kia Soul. This wasn’t altogether unexpected from a pontiff who previously made headlines for scoring a great deal on a 1984 Renault hatchback.

It has since been reported that the high-profile run-in with the pontiff led to an unexpected payout for Kia.

Orders for the Soul – a niche vehicle on that side of the ocean, too – jumped 62.5% during the week of his visit.

Kia Motors was apparently so tickled by the attention given to the country’s auto industry, they’ve offered to ship the very same Soul to the Vatican as a personal gift to Francis. There, the Soul will join the ’84 Renault and a used Ford Focus the pontiff has recently been seen in.

Pope Francis cruises in a Kia Soul (in Seoul), August, 2014. (Photo: Yonhap/EPA)

Pope Francis cruises in a Kia Soul (in Seoul), August, 2014. (Photo: Yonhap/EPA)

The EV version of the Soul is a welcome development in a vehicle market that has cooled on the whole electric thing over the past year or so. Yes, automakers new to the electric game (such as Kia and BMW) are jumping into the EV fray with their own offerings, while improvements in existing models continue, but some of that excitement that surrounded the EV world circa 2010 is missing.

Maybe this sense of ‘ordinary’ is a good thing, as it shows that these vehicles – and the thought of them – are becoming more normalized and commonplace in the eyes of the public.

 

Links:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-14/latest-popemobile-is-a-kia.html

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/yonhap-news-agency/140821/sales-kias-compact-soul-jump-after-popes-visit

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2014/08/29/2014082901240.html

 

Hybrid theory

Some kind of Ford hybrid will be doing battle with Toyota's Prius starting in late 2018.

Some kind of Ford hybrid will be doing battle with Toyota’s Prius starting in late 2018.

War clouds are gathering, and for once they’re figurative.

If media reports are true (and when are they not?), Ford Motor Company is gearing up to wage battle with… the eco-friendly Toyota Prius.

The Prius remains the ever-popular darling of the green crowd, and is still the first name that comes to mind when the topic of hybrids is brought up. Toyota sells piles of them, and apparently Ford isn’t happy about that.

A shadowy person told Reuters last week that the automaker – which is reasonably good financial shape – plans to introduce a standalone hybrid model in late 2018. A Ford spokesperson then got all cagey when asked about it.

ShadowMan claims the model will be based on Ford’s new global C2 platform, which will underpin the future Focus and Escape. Naturally, every bit of technology (some of which probably can’t even be imagined in 2014) will be employed to wring every last bit of range out of the future ShadowVehicle.

 

Know thy enemy

The Prius family is a big one, having grown to include the regular Prius, a plug-in version, the compact C, and the larger, wagon-like V. All that’s missing from the lineup is a drop-top, a large SUV, and an El Camino-type ‘Ute’.

Still, the Prius clan isn’t immune to market forces – among them, cheaper gasoline and diesel vehicles that return increasingly impressive fuel economy (not to mention competing hybrids). The devilishly handsome folks at goodcarbadcar.net report an 11.2% drop in Prius family sales between July of 2013 and July of this year in the U.S. Year to date, the Prius family is down 11% in U.S. sales.

In Canada, the Prius situation is worse, with July sales showing a 21.4% drop over the previous year, and year-to-date sales down 14.3%.

While these numbers are discouraging, they’re not dire. Over 86,000 Prius models have still found their way into American driveways so far this year.

"Don't you want me, baby?"

“Don’t you want me, baby?”

As for Ford, which is currently pushing the hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of its popular Fusion sedan (and offering the hybrid drivetrain as a no-cost option on their Lincoln MKZ), a certain vehicle seems to have been abandoned in a basket at the neighbour’s front door.

The Ford C-Max went on sale in North America in September, 2012, following years of sales in Europe. The upright, Kia Rondo-ish hatch runs solely on hybrid power (normal or plug-in), but if the goal was to challenge Prius for the hybrid crown, that ball missed the basket by a nautical mile.

Nearly invisible in the marketplace, and tainted by fudged mileage figures that left drivers expecting more, the C-Max saw its total U.S. sales fall by 40.1% year-to-date.

Cracking the 3,000 vehicle mark seems a near impossible task for the C-Max this year. Contrast that with the Prius’ numbers, and you can clearly see a need for a Plan ‘B’.

What this new vehicle will look like when it debuts four long years from now is anyone’s guess, but if it’s designed to beat the Prius at its own game, expect similar body styles and every scrap of technology Ford can lay its hands on.

 

Links: 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/20/us-autos-ford-hybrid-exclusive-idUSKBN0GK28K20140820

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2014/08/usa-auto-sales-rankings-by-make-model-july-2014-ytd-sales-figures.html

Volt 2.0

Next-generation Chevy Volt to debut in January

On sale since mid-2011, a total of 3,394 Volts have found buyers in Canada (as of the end of July, 2014).

On sale since mid-2011, a total of 3,394 Volts have found buyers in Canada (as of the end of July, 2014).

A car that’s still something of a mystery to many is getting a makeover.

General Motors announced on Aug. 7 that the 2nd-generation Chevrolet Volt will debut in January at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The press release – imported straight outta Acme, Michigan – gives little to no details on what changes can be expected with the new Volt, which will go on sale later in 2015 as a 2016 model. Besides a teaser mage of the new Volt’s rear trunklid, there’s no information on range, performance, weight, underpinnings – any of that juicy stuff.

There is, however, much gushing over the current Volt, complete with facts and figures garnered from customer feedback surveys.

“Volt owners are driving more than 63 percent of their overall miles in electric vehicle mode, collectively logging more than 500 million gas-free miles since the Volt’s retail debut in 201o.”

Boy howdy! Those Volt owners sure do like to maximize their use of that battery – it’s almost as if they purchased the vehicle for that specific reason!

Joking aside, the Volt remains a unique and interesting vehicle, albeit one that’s in desperate need of a style injection.  If the teaser image is anything to go by, the public can expect more eye appeal when the wraps come off in Detroit.

The 2016 Chevy Volt is rumoured to be less awkward-looking than the current model.

The 2016 Chevy Volt is rumoured to be less awkward-looking than the current model.

The speculation amongst auto writers is that the new Volt will see a reduction in price (much needed to keep it competitive), an increase in EV range (above the current 38 miles/61 kilometres), and more interior space thanks a reduced battery size. The current 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder generator range extender will likely be ditched in favour of a more fuel-efficient 3-cylinder.

Price has always been a point of contention with the Volt, with many claiming that the vehicle’s higher cost puts sustainability out of reach for most car buyers, limiting possible sales.  There’s certainly truth to this, but, in its defence, the amount of technology packed into the vehicle is significant and prices have come down since the Volt first entered the marketplace.

First retailing for $41,000 in 2010, the Volt’s MRSP is now $34,170 (U.S. market, 2015 model), and that’s before a potential federal tax credit (provincial in Canada) is factored in. Any further reduction in price – plus additional range – will only serve to make the Volt a more competitive vehicle.

Clearly, GM is banking on bigger sales numbers from this improved Volt.

Back in 2011, I test drove a Volt the first week they showed up on dealer’s lots. During a 43-kilometre all-electric urban jaunt, the car impressed with its interior comfort, ride quality and drivetrain smoothness.

Given the Volt’s price at the time, I wrote in my published review:

“This isn’t an electric car for the masses … but it is proof that a quality electric car that drives and feels like a regular luxury car is possible from a mass-market automaker.”

With a lower price (is sub-$30K possible?), Chevrolet will have positioned the 2016 Volt closer to that ideal.

Links:

http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2014/Aug/0807-volt.html