Hey Tom, Nice to see you made the most of that one Blue sky day we had. I was quietly excited when you wound up the review with still a quarter of the video left. Really enjoyed this one. Thanks for the extra effort. Sincerely Tom from Vancouver BC.
My husband is getting 60-62 miles of range on this baby. He's careful how he's driving, not too fast, and not too slow either. Because of that, we put gas on that car only twice in the 10.5 months we own it (and one time, it was because my in-laws used it to get around -- if it was just us, it'd probably be once a year). We basically treat this car as a fully electric car, with gas as an emergency backup. We also charge it for free in our California town's center (the town-hall installed two free chargers), and just last month we also installed solar panels, so now we can charge at home for (basically) free too.
You used to be one of my favorite car reviewers... and you just keep getting cleaner, more concise and legit, seriously keep up the amazing work man. There may be more detailed reviews out there but nobody gets out more important information in such a short time frame so consistently all while getting some beautiful shots.
+Hector Espinoza Thanks Hector! As a photographer, it's very important for me to get good footage. Working with NYT has helped my producing chops. They are VERY good, I'm very fortunate.
Ok Tom, I totally just used your video for to make a decision. We are picking up a Costco order tomorrow and were debating on whether to take my '16 Volt or my wife's '15 Mercedes ML. We needed to get a package of toilet paper and a package of paper towels, and I wasn't sure how much would fit in the trunk. Driven to the rescue! Thanks man!
Congrats on the ELR. Cadillac's biggest mistake was the price which caused it to be sold at very low numbers and discontinued from production. Impressive that you got it around the price of the Volt you tested in this vid. They should've priced the ELR around $50K before credits.
+dcharizard91 Exactly. GM really screwed up on that one. Ever since the Converj concept from 09 I was in love with the car and was excited like anyone else when they announced it. But when they said that it was gonna start around 75K, while considering that it was basically a Chevy Volt coupe, I was extremely disappointed. Sales never took off, it was a huge waste of marketing money and just a huge waste of such an awesome design.
+noeljf A huge waste of marketing money? They hardly did any marketing at all. Trust me, NO ONE knows what this car is or what it's about. I had a guy scold me for parking in an electric car spot the other day. I just walked over, plugged it in, watched his jaw drop, and walked away. Pretty funny actually.
+Driven Car Reviews That's the beauty of the ELR; it doesn't look like a weird Eco car! I do think that GM lost money on the ELR though...some on marketing for sure when it first was released.
Very good job on the review of the new Volt. The future is here, and it is great. I am among the many happy owners of a generation one Volt. A careful shopper like yourself, I searched online for a premium edition (leather, nav), and picked it up at a 73% discount from original window sticker price.
My roommate and I were talking about how cool this car is only to check my sub box to see this video haha. Have to admit I'm impressed! Also congrats on the ELR, its beautiful
I actually lost respect for Tom finding out he bought an ELR. That was like Homer Simpson's attempt to ruin the Chevy Volt. They took everything awesome about the Volt, ruined it, and charged double for it, lol!
Thanks for the bonus footage of the ELR buy and details on buying and shipping online. ELR is such a brilliant car and there are screaming deals out there, if ya broaden that search range on Cars.com. New Volt update is sooo good too. Even with gas so cheap Volt's formula makes so much sense.
+J Segal Those deals on 2014s are pretty much gone now. When I bought mine in Dec, I had my choice of 10 new ones in graphite. I think there are only one or two now. BTW, I could have bought the car for less than I paid but I liked the dealer and shipping the car from the east coast would have stressed it (and cost more).
+J Segal From what I understand, there were about 2014s 2,400 built (those were sold through last fall since there was no 2015 model). Not sure how many 2016 have been made, they have been tweaked for better performance.
+HackerFish21 I did one about 18 months ago. Do a search on my channel. I still feel the same way- awesome design, overlooked powertrain, killer interior. It's also way overpriced, under marketed and CUE is lethargic. The 2016 model gets more power and a more subtle grille. Mine is a 2014 (there is no 2015).
+sparkss4 Thanks sparkss4! The car has been great. As of 5/4/16, still have yet to buy a tank of gas. I'm thinking about burning it off though just to get fresh stuff in there.
Driven Car Reviews I know I am 10 months late, but I wouldn't worry about the gas going bad. If your ELR has similar software to the 2014 Volt the car will lock out battery function, once the gas gets to a certain age, until you get the tank at least halfway down and than refill it.
awesome review tom I applaud uour purchase the elr looks and cts coupe look like a throwback the old chevy beretta the new volt doesn't look as good as it did last gen hope they will update it soon enough
Another great video tom! I'm never a fan of rear seats that don't fold completely flat. How much more research and design does it take a manufactures to make the floor flat!
This gen.2 Volt is a great car for the transitional period between gas to electric. Too many times I've heard horror stories of Fast DC chargers being broken or their membership cards being unable to be used in different locations. Yes the Volt isn't perfect but it is a massive step up from the Prius & with this much range it is pretty much a full EV for daily use. The only thing that needs to happen now is for gas prices to go back to its supposed prices once the politics behind it blows over. As for your ELR, congratulations. I was one of those who brushed it off as a really overpriced gen.1 Volt but if you can haggle down the prices for one then it is a bargain. The car itself looks awesome & the gen.1 Volt is still a great car, with the ELR adding more power, tech & leather to the mix.
+Trades46 Or, as what happened to me, a Leaf owner unplugged my car because he determined mine didn't really need a charge, I could run on gas if I had to. When pressed, he admitted he did't really NEED to top off his battery, he just WANTED to. It appears gas prices are slowly climbing back, unfortunate for low income people but perhaps good for getting people back to considering fuel efficient cars.
Tom, I've been considering buying a new car from an out of state dealer myself, the price is several thousand less than near me! Did you have to go to WI to actually make the purchase or was it done by digital means of sending the documents back and forth?
+Sean Dwyer Nope, I did it from my couch. Basically, I found cars equipped the way I wanted, and sent out a form letter on cars.com to seven or eight dealers. I had offers within 30 minutes. From there I talked to a few folks on the phone. It took me about 5 days to decide (much of it talking my very understanding wife into it). The actual contract signing was done via FedEx which added a few days the transaction (that could be a specific Wisconsin requirement, other states might allow digital transfer). Also, when shipping a car, be prepared to wait up to two weeks before the carrier picks it since, for efficiency, they pick up when they are headed in a certain area and direction. That said, Centric actually tried to pick it up before the contract was signed and had to come back a few days later. The process was pretty easy, though I have to admit I was worried the car would show up and there would be a big flaw of some sort. There was a tiny scuff on the rear spoiler but only one a Virgo would notice. Anything else?
I'd get a small emergency spare tire and put it into the trunk just for that time you get a sidewall blowout, something an inflation kit just won't fix. This past summer I was cruising through town slowly when suddenly I heard "pewzzzzzzz". I thought I hit a bit of metal strapping that had fallen off of a truck, but I pulled into a parking lot anyways just be sure. Well, the 2 year old Goodyear tires had developed a defect and the 'Lip' on the sidewall had a 2" area that moved up and off of the rim, allowing the air in the tire to 'blast out' of the tire. I had a spare in my car (Corolla) and put it on in just a few minutes. Without that spare I would have been stuck, would have needed an expensive tow. So a spare tire really is a necessary thing, as many people will soon be finding out themselves the hard way.
+Billy Sou You know, pretty well for a woman who hates conspicuous consumption and coupes. It didn't hurt that I had warned her a year ago that I found a used one at a good price I would pull the trigger. She like the electric component too.
The ELR is beautiful. I really like the new Volt, well I did until I sat in the backseat at the auto show. When the rear hatch closes the glass will hit the heads of whoever is sitting in the back which is not ideal.
Speaking about nods to BMW, the backseat reminds me of the 6-Series Gran Coupe, a relatively useless center position. (You can't compare a Beamer to a Chevy, I know).
+i raul Is it really hidden if you could figure it out? Also you are being given content for free, don't you think he has a right to be compensated for his work? You get commercials on TV, the radio, magazines and newspapers, stuff costs money, people have bills.
+venom5809 u get money from youtube advertising(if is not enough go back to tv production) Too much manipulation(and marketing ) these days hidden in reviews. we want professional reviews not mainstream media manipulation for personal deals
+i raul It's not advertising. He mentioned it so that he would not be hiding the fact that he owns a similar car to the one he was reviewing. Owning his Caddy makes him inhertitantly biased on some level and could effect his opinion. He is letting us know so that we can make a better decision about purchasing the vehicle since we understand that there is a slight bias. That wasn't shameless advertising. Give the man some credit. I've been watching his reviews for 10 years now. If he was a sell-out like you claim and not the honest automotive journalist that I know him to be, I would have stopped watching his videos long ago the same way I've done with several other youtube channels.
+headcas620 I kind of understand what you mean but after a few days with the new one I began to see the outgoing model as cluttered, especially the odd trim under the windows. The interior of the new one is quite nice, it got a lot of compliments from passengers (not those in the back seat though). The upside? Bet you can get a screaming deal on a 2015.
![NISAMANEE - TADA (ท้าดา) [ OFFICIAL MV ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hcQHEPMmJpU/mqdefault.jpg)
Hey Tom,
Nice to see you made the most of that one Blue sky day we had.
I was quietly excited when you wound up the review with still a quarter of the video left.
Really enjoyed this one. Thanks for the extra effort.
Sincerely
Tom from Vancouver BC.
In all honesty, Tom your reviews are excellent. One of my favorites. This channel should have atleast 10x more subs. You're so underrated.
+Moaiz Shahzad Thanks! Tell your friends...
+Driven Car Reviews I don't have enough car friends! But I always tell them watch reviews if they're thinking of buying a new car.
My husband is getting 60-62 miles of range on this baby. He's careful how he's driving, not too fast, and not too slow either. Because of that, we put gas on that car only twice in the 10.5 months we own it (and one time, it was because my in-laws used it to get around -- if it was just us, it'd probably be once a year). We basically treat this car as a fully electric car, with gas as an emergency backup. We also charge it for free in our California town's center (the town-hall installed two free chargers), and just last month we also installed solar panels, so now we can charge at home for (basically) free too.
You used to be one of my favorite car reviewers... and you just keep getting cleaner, more concise and legit, seriously keep up the amazing work man. There may be more detailed reviews out there but nobody gets out more important information in such a short time frame so consistently all while getting some beautiful shots.
+Hector Espinoza Thanks Hector! As a photographer, it's very important for me to get good footage. Working with NYT has helped my producing chops. They are VERY good, I'm very fortunate.
Ok Tom, I totally just used your video for to make a decision. We are picking up a Costco order tomorrow and were debating on whether to take my '16 Volt or my wife's '15 Mercedes ML. We needed to get a package of toilet paper and a package of paper towels, and I wasn't sure how much would fit in the trunk. Driven to the rescue! Thanks man!
Just another service I provide. The Volt is the roomiest car we own, it's always doing chores.
Congrats on the ELR. Cadillac's biggest mistake was the price which caused it to be sold at very low numbers and discontinued from production. Impressive that you got it around the price of the Volt you tested in this vid. They should've priced the ELR around $50K before credits.
+dcharizard91 Exactly. GM really screwed up on that one. Ever since the Converj concept from 09 I was in love with the car and was excited like anyone else when they announced it. But when they said that it was gonna start around 75K, while considering that it was basically a Chevy Volt coupe, I was extremely disappointed. Sales never took off, it was a huge waste of marketing money and just a huge waste of such an awesome design.
+noeljf A huge waste of marketing money? They hardly did any marketing at all. Trust me, NO ONE knows what this car is or what it's about. I had a guy scold me for parking in an electric car spot the other day. I just walked over, plugged it in, watched his jaw drop, and walked away. Pretty funny actually.
+Driven Car Reviews That's the beauty of the ELR; it doesn't look like a weird Eco car! I do think that GM lost money on the ELR though...some on marketing for sure when it first was released.
+Driven Car Reviews GM is pretty good at keeping cars a secret through their "advertising".
+1guyin10 Chevy SS comes to mind
Very good job on the review of the new Volt. The future is here, and it is great. I am among the many happy owners of a generation one Volt. A careful shopper like yourself, I searched online for a premium edition (leather, nav), and picked it up at a 73% discount from original window sticker price.
My roommate and I were talking about how cool this car is only to check my sub box to see this video haha. Have to admit I'm impressed! Also congrats on the ELR, its beautiful
I actually lost respect for Tom finding out he bought an ELR. That was like Homer Simpson's attempt to ruin the Chevy Volt. They took everything awesome about the Volt, ruined it, and charged double for it, lol!
Hey Tom. Great Review. Congrats on the new ride and especially that awesome you deal you got...
Thanks for the bonus footage of the ELR buy and details on buying and shipping online. ELR is such a brilliant car and there are screaming deals out there, if ya broaden that search range on Cars.com. New Volt update is sooo good too. Even with gas so cheap Volt's formula makes so much sense.
+J Segal Those deals on 2014s are pretty much gone now. When I bought mine in Dec, I had my choice of 10 new ones in graphite. I think there are only one or two now. BTW, I could have bought the car for less than I paid but I liked the dealer and shipping the car from the east coast would have stressed it (and cost more).
I just hope they build enough that I can find one on the used market in a few years!
+J Segal From what I understand, there were about 2014s 2,400 built (those were sold through last fall since there was no 2015 model). Not sure how many 2016 have been made, they have been tweaked for better performance.
Another great review. I enjoyed the longer in-depth video. Hopefully more of those in the future?
Thanks for the extra info on your ELR. Congrats and good luck w it.
Love your ELR Tom!
Good review! I hope I want one of those as a 2017 model!
When will the review for the ELR be coming out? You have me very curious now
+HackerFish21 Cancelled car.
+HackerFish21 I did one about 18 months ago. Do a search on my channel. I still feel the same way- awesome design, overlooked powertrain, killer interior. It's also way overpriced, under marketed and CUE is lethargic. The 2016 model gets more power and a more subtle grille. Mine is a 2014 (there is no 2015).
+Don Juan Kind of. There will be no second gen.
Very nice video, well done. I noticed your electric seats have just a button, where as mine is a graduated scale, interesting.
Great review, like your style. And your ELR is gorgeous!
+sparkss4 Thanks sparkss4! The car has been great. As of 5/4/16, still have yet to buy a tank of gas. I'm thinking about burning it off though just to get fresh stuff in there.
Driven Car Reviews I know I am 10 months late, but I wouldn't worry about the gas going bad. If your ELR has similar software to the 2014 Volt the car will lock out battery function, once the gas gets to a certain age, until you get the tank at least halfway down and than refill it.
How many kilograms of cargo can Chevrolet Volt 2016 carry?
awesome review tom I applaud uour purchase the elr looks and cts coupe look like a throwback the old chevy beretta
the new volt doesn't look as good as it did last gen hope they will update it soon enough
+Vulgora And you are a bullshit because I will buy the 2017 Volt!
always a great review
Another great video tom! I'm never a fan of rear seats that don't fold completely flat. How much more research and design does it take a manufactures to make the floor flat!
+cody ellis And you are a bullshit because I will buy the 2017 Volt!
+cody ellis My guess in this case it has a lot to do with the battery back.
This gen.2 Volt is a great car for the transitional period between gas to electric. Too many times I've heard horror stories of Fast DC chargers being broken or their membership cards being unable to be used in different locations. Yes the Volt isn't perfect but it is a massive step up from the Prius & with this much range it is pretty much a full EV for daily use.
The only thing that needs to happen now is for gas prices to go back to its supposed prices once the politics behind it blows over.
As for your ELR, congratulations. I was one of those who brushed it off as a really overpriced gen.1 Volt but if you can haggle down the prices for one then it is a bargain. The car itself looks awesome & the gen.1 Volt is still a great car, with the ELR adding more power, tech & leather to the mix.
+Trades46 Or, as what happened to me, a Leaf owner unplugged my car because he determined mine didn't really need a charge, I could run on gas if I had to. When pressed, he admitted he did't really NEED to top off his battery, he just WANTED to.
It appears gas prices are slowly climbing back, unfortunate for low income people but perhaps good for getting people back to considering fuel efficient cars.
Tom, I've been considering buying a new car from an out of state dealer myself, the price is several thousand less than near me! Did you have to go to WI to actually make the purchase or was it done by digital means of sending the documents back and forth?
+Sean Dwyer Nope, I did it from my couch. Basically, I found cars equipped the way I wanted, and sent out a form letter on cars.com to seven or eight dealers. I had offers within 30 minutes. From there I talked to a few folks on the phone. It took me about 5 days to decide (much of it talking my very understanding wife into it).
The actual contract signing was done via FedEx which added a few days the transaction (that could be a specific Wisconsin requirement, other states might allow digital transfer). Also, when shipping a car, be prepared to wait up to two weeks before the carrier picks it since, for efficiency, they pick up when they are headed in a certain area and direction. That said, Centric actually tried to pick it up before the contract was signed and had to come back a few days later.
The process was pretty easy, though I have to admit I was worried the car would show up and there would be a big flaw of some sort. There was a tiny scuff on the rear spoiler but only one a Virgo would notice.
Anything else?
Great review on an amazing car.
The editing on your videos is great! Do you do it yourself?
+JOKBO1 Thanks for noticing. Yes, I cut these on Final Cut X on a MacBook Pro.
Wow, that's amazing. The quality of your videos and reviews has always been great! Keep up the good work, Tom.
I'd get a small emergency spare tire and put it into the trunk just for that time you get a sidewall blowout, something an inflation kit just won't fix. This past summer I was cruising through town slowly when suddenly I heard "pewzzzzzzz". I thought I hit a bit of metal strapping that had fallen off of a truck, but I pulled into a parking lot anyways just be sure. Well, the 2 year old Goodyear tires had developed a defect and the 'Lip' on the sidewall had a 2" area that moved up and off of the rim, allowing the air in the tire to 'blast out' of the tire. I had a spare in my car (Corolla) and put it on in just a few minutes. Without that spare I would have been stuck, would have needed an expensive tow. So a spare tire really is a necessary thing, as many people will soon be finding out themselves the hard way.
Tom, how did the Mrs. react when you got the ELR?
+Billy Sou You know, pretty well for a woman who hates conspicuous consumption and coupes. It didn't hurt that I had warned her a year ago that I found a used one at a good price I would pull the trigger. She like the electric component too.
The ELR is beautiful. I really like the new Volt, well I did until I sat in the backseat at the auto show. When the rear hatch closes the glass will hit the heads of whoever is sitting in the back which is not ideal.
+venom5809 Not Ideal for you maybe. I will buy the 2017 Volt.
You bought an ELR, amazing! Must have been a pretty heavy discount on it. Was it the first one GM sold in 2016? :)
+MiniCactuar Probably one of the last sold in 2015
Am I correct in understanding you got a tax credit for buying a used ELR? Or did I miss something? Thanks! I love your reviews.
It was new.
Speaking about nods to BMW, the backseat reminds me of the 6-Series Gran Coupe, a relatively useless center position. (You can't compare a Beamer to a Chevy, I know).
please do a review on your elr
+chirag garg Here's a link to the ELR review I did a while back. My views haven't changed. th-cam.com/video/osOtjj0Wdxk/w-d-xo.html
review the 2016 civic!!
It just needs a sunroof and it's perfect!
+TJC450 Sadly, not available.
+Driven Car Reviews I know. And it's a deal breaker for me.
+TJC450 I hear you. My ELR is the only car I've ever bought new without a sunroof (or convertible).
+Driven Car Reviews Every car I have ever owned had a sun roof. my 99 Jimmy. My 12 Prius c. My 11 Regal Turbo. I refuse to buy a car with out one. lol
+TJC450 But I refuse to bash you when I buy the e 2017 Volt.
What would you call a Chevy Volt with a Buick badge? The Buick Electrode.
Or Electra?
+TJC450 I like that too!
+TJC450 Electra would be a great name. Historical. Ampera would make it consistent with the Opel /Buick relationship.
+Driven Car Reviews I would love to see a EV Buick. Would really help with the brand.
+TJC450 I don't know. EV sales are tough these days with cheap gas.
Did anyone else cringe when he dropped the charge plug on the pavement?
Wow, posting late I see!
+The anything goes channel Always working...
Keep up the good work :)
u just did a small advertising for the ELR dealer & cars.com so that is why u got it for 40k.
+i raul Even so at most that would only have gotten him a couple thousand off sticker, it's still a great deal and fair price.
+venom5809 yea but still hidden advertising for your own benefit is.
+i raul Is it really hidden if you could figure it out? Also you are being given content for free, don't you think he has a right to be compensated for his work? You get commercials on TV, the radio, magazines and newspapers, stuff costs money, people have bills.
+venom5809 u get money from youtube advertising(if is not enough go back to tv production) Too much manipulation(and marketing ) these days hidden in reviews. we want professional reviews not mainstream media manipulation for personal deals
+i raul It's not advertising. He mentioned it so that he would not be hiding the fact that he owns a similar car to the one he was reviewing. Owning his Caddy makes him inhertitantly biased on some level and could effect his opinion. He is letting us know so that we can make a better decision about purchasing the vehicle since we understand that there is a slight bias. That wasn't shameless advertising. Give the man some credit. I've been watching his reviews for 10 years now. If he was a sell-out like you claim and not the honest automotive journalist that I know him to be, I would have stopped watching his videos long ago the same way I've done with several other youtube channels.
I'd buy a last gen just for the looks. This is terrible. The exterior looks cheap.
+headcas620 And you are a bullshit because I will buy the 2017 Volt!
+headcas620 I kind of understand what you mean but after a few days with the new one I began to see the outgoing model as cluttered, especially the odd trim under the windows. The interior of the new one is quite nice, it got a lot of compliments from passengers (not those in the back seat though). The upside? Bet you can get a screaming deal on a 2015.
Ugh first?!
arrrgh
+Christopher .WalkenPNW Uh... yeah
this car its so so bad and joke its so so bad