2012
Chevrolet Volt

Starts at:

$39,145

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Consumer rating

Owner reviewed vehicle score

Safety rating

NHTSA tested vehicle score

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Notable features

Now eligible for $1,500 California rebate, single-occupant HOV-lane access

Plug-in battery-electric car

Gas-powered range-extending generator

35-mile electric range

Gas-powered range of 300-plus miles

8-year/100,000-mile battery warranty

The good & the bad

The good

Ride quality

Quiet cabin

$7,500 federal tax credit

Charges on 110 or 220 volts

Remote monitoring with smartphone

The bad

Limited cargo space

Requires premium gas

Rear window wiper needed

Range varies with temperature, terrain

Look, feel of touch-sensitive center control panel

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Available cars near you

$3,300

Used 2012 Chevrolet Volt Base

104 mi away

Safety review

Based on the 2012 Chevrolet Volt base trim

NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.

Overall rating: 5/5
Combined side rating front seat: 5/5
Combined side rating rear seat: 5/5
Frontal barrier crash rating driver: 5/5
Frontal barrier crash rating passenger: 4/5
Overall frontal barrier crash rating: 4/5
Overall side crash rating: 5/5
Rollover rating: 5/5
Side barrier rating: 5/5

Side barrier rating driver: 5/5
Side barrier rating passenger rear seat: 5/5
Side pole rating driver front seat: 5/5

9.4%

Risk of rollover

Side barrier rating driver: 5/5
Side barrier rating passenger rear seat: 5/5
Side pole rating driver front seat: 5/5

9.4%

Risk of rollover

Factory warranties

New car program benefits

Basic

3 years / 36,000 miles

Corrosion

3 years / 100,000 miles

Powertrain

5 years / 100,000 miles

Battery

8 years / 100,000 miles

Roadside Assistance

5 years / 100,000 miles

Certified Pre-Owned program benefits

Age / mileage

5 model years or newer / up to 75,000 miles

Basic

12 months / 12,000 miles bumper-to-bumper original warranty, then may continue to 6 years / 100,000 miles limited (depending on variables)

Dealer certification

172-point inspection

See all CPO program details

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Most recent

By Ethel from Wooster, Ohio

Owns this car

February 6, 2024

I LOVE My 2012 Volt!

My 2012 Volt was purchased brand new on Groundhogs Day, 2012, and is now 14 years old! Knock on wood, I've not had any issues with it except a tire that doesn't hold air as well as the other 3 tires. And once all of the dashboard lights came on to “Check engine”. Turns out that the computer system in the car needed to be

updated, and that was that. I mainly run it on electricity around town and to nearby areas, so the mileage is in the mid-50's. However, it has been driven numerous times from Ohio to Raleigh, NC, to the Outer Banks several times, to Maryland many times, and to the Adirondacks, and often to the Cleveland Airport. So it has been driven decent miles using gasoline as well. My mpg on gasoline is typically 42, but that can vary if driving over mountains vs flat land or city driving vs country roads. It has been a very comfortable car for me. The only downside has been that heated steering wheels were not offered back then. That is the only feature that I wish it had. I've put the backseats down and over the years have transported a kayak, a bicycle, and several other large items. So useful! Heated seats make me so warm that I rarely turn on the actual car heater, which of course, helps save the battery in winter. In the winter, my mileage has been 32 miles on complete battery. But this year, it's gone down to 29 as the battery is aging. However, in the Summer, I easily get 45-50 miles. Your mpg also depends on how you drive the car. I'm not heavy-footed and tend to coast toward a red light rather than gun it then slam on my brakes. What a waste of energy! The battery regenerates while coasting, so I often will coast down hills, too. The Volt has plenty of power if in a situation where you really need a quick blast to get out of a dangerous situation — especially if running on battery. It can be up to 60 in no time! BTW, the Volt's body has held up beautifully! It looks like a new car. It has never been garaged and has sat outside in the elements for the past 14 years. My plan is to run it for many more years until issues begin to arise. But at 55,000, she's still a young pup with lots more vim and vinegar. Fingers crossed! I only wish Chevy had not converted the Volt assembly line to trucks. I think they did the general public a disservice by discontinuing them. I would buy another one if they came back.

Purchased a New car
Used for Commuting
Does recommend this car

Comfort 5.0

Interior 5.0

Performance 5.0

Value 5.0

Exterior 5.0

Reliability 5.0

5 people out of 5 found this review helpful. Did you?

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By Kaleb from New Mexico

Owns this car

July 17, 2023

Long-term woes

When I first bought my used 2012 back in December of 2020 I was ecstatic. I was super impressed with the comfort, build quality, ride quality, and overall performance of the Volt. I was able to get over 35 miles of EV range regularly, and my gas-only MPG was consistently between 40 and 43 MPG. Not long after I purchased my

Volt I started running into bigger maintenance issues. ABS sensor failed twice, coolant sensor failure, HPCM-2 modules needing to be reprogrammed, continuous issues with front struts, thermostat failure + coolant leak, head gasket leak, and most recently DC-DC converter failure which I will expand on. It's arguable that a lot of the issues I have had can be chalked up to the car's age, however I draw the line at the DC-DC converter failure I experienced and I honestly no longer feel safe driving the car because of it. Thankfully I was driving slowly through a (busy) parking lot and the car died while I was moving and completely locked the steering wheel up as I had the wheel turned. I was able to stop the car thankfully, but of course it was now stuck in the parking lot unable to be moved since the wheel was locked. When I was able to get the car boosted, it still refused to drive but it unlocked the steering wheel (however there was no power steering) and we were able to push it into a parking space and waited to get the car towed to the dealership. It cost me just about $2,500 for this repair alone. I bought my car for around $10,200 and after this DC-DC converter failure I have now officially spent more money fixing the car than I paid for it. I went from loving this car to absolutely loathing it, I am sure it was a fantastic car when new but my god please assess the risk(s) you have to take to own one of these. It's a Chevrolet with luxury car repair costs. There is no other car that compares to driving a Volt which is unfortunate, but I will be dumping this car as soon as I can and if that means I have to get a regular gas car or non plug-in hybrid, so be it.

Purchased a Used car
Used for Commuting
Does not recommend this car

Comfort 5.0

Interior 4.0

Performance 3.0

Value 3.0

Exterior 4.0

Reliability 1.0

4 people out of 7 found this review helpful. Did you?

Yes

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FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 2012 Chevrolet Volt?

The 2012 Chevrolet Volt is available in 1 trim level:

(1 style)

What is the MPG of the 2012 Chevrolet Volt?

The 2012 Chevrolet Volt offers up to 35 MPG in city driving and 40 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

What is the electric range of the 2012 Chevrolet Volt?

The 2012 Chevrolet Volt can travel 35 electric-only miles before the gas engine kicks on.

EPA-estimated range is the distance, or predicted distance, a new plug-in vehicle will travel on electric power before its battery charge is exhausted. Actual range will vary depending on driving conditions, trim level, driving habits, elevation changes, weather, accessory usage (lights, climate control), vehicle condition and other factors.

What are some similar vehicles and competitors of the 2012 Chevrolet Volt?

The 2012 Chevrolet Volt compares to and/or competes against the following vehicles:

2019 Chevrolet Spark

Is the 2012 Chevrolet Volt reliable?

The 2012 Chevrolet Volt has an average reliability rating of 4.7 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 2012 Chevrolet Volt owners.

Is the 2012 Chevrolet Volt a good Hatchback?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 2012 Chevrolet Volt. 95.5% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

4.7 / 5

Based on 111 reviews

Comfort: 4.7
Interior: 4.5
Performance: 4.6
Value: 4.5
Exterior: 4.7
Reliability: 4.7

Chevrolet Volt history

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2012 Chevrolet Volt