The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV has been launched for a base MSRP of $31,500 and comes with a host of interior and exterior changes, making it an even more compelling proposition of the full-electric segment. Being one of the cheapest EV offerings, this compact electric hatchback retains the lightning-fast acceleration from its single electric motor and the decent range of 259 miles, both of which are taken from the 2021 iteration of the Bolt EV.
However, the main changes reside on the exterior and interior front. The exterior design now looks more elegant and futuristic, providing the Bolt EV with some much-needed road presence. The interior gets the same treatment too, and the material quality has seen a massive hike as well. Apart from that, this hatchback comes loaded with all the bells and whistles. Competing with the Tesla Model 3 and the Hyundai Kona Electric, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV.
10 Performance Is Pretty Decent For The Price
The performance sees no changes from the outgoing 2021 model since the same single electric motor producing 200 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque is carried forward. This fully electric hatchback comes mated to an Electronic Precision Shift system and the power is transmitted to the front wheels only.
Like any electric vehicle, the torque is instantaneous, and the passengers would be pushed back in their seats when flooring the accelerator pedal. The torque comes from the get-go, and driving through cities doing quick overtake maneuvers is a very easy affair. The car could also do one-pedal driving with just a click of a button. However, we found the highway drivability to be not as good as the Tesla Model 3.
9 Very Easy To Drive
What makes it a great proposition of the segment is due to how easy and light it feels when going around the congested city street. The acceleration is effortless, and the motor doesn't make any sounds either. The width of 69.5 is the shortest of the lot and the all-around visibility is superb too.
Apart from that, the ride quality of the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV is pliant at slow city speeds, since the suspension hardware is tuned to the softer side. It doesn't pose any problems while driving the freeways, too. With above-average refinement levels coupled with sharp and sure-footed braking performance means that it is a very easy car to drive around.
8 Interior Is Improved From The Previous Generation
The interior design comes completely revamped for this 2022 iteration, and it feels much more modern and sophisticated. Even though the space hasn't seen an increase, the materials used for the construction of the interior panels are of high quality. The entire dashboard and door cards come with soft-touch plastics, making it feel quite rich and premium.
Apart from that, the leather-wrapped steering wheel with the flat bottom surface, contrastive silver and gloss-black elements, a massive 8" digital instrument cluster, and many more add to the ambiance. We also loved the airy cabin and the upgraded seats, which now come with better padding and side bolstering. All the much-needed features are on board too.
7 Exterior Looks Modern
Even though the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV is a facelift of the first generation Bolt, the updated exterior design makes it look like an all-new generation. In comparison to the outgoing 2021 model, this car managed to come out with a new design and that would definitely help to set more eyeballs.
The front end now looks more futuristic due to the striking LED headlight, blacked-out elements, the best-in-class height of 62.8". The side and rear profile also stand out with the help of sharp character lines, decent looking 17" alloy wheels, LED taillights, and a neatly integrated rear spoiler. Overall, the design does stand out quite well and this would lead to more heads being turned while on the open road.
6 Offers A Spacious Cabin
Though the space hasn't seen any changes from the older model years, it is still one of the most spacious offerings of the segment. This 5-seater hatchback could easily compete with the Tesla Model 3 on the space front and even has an edge over it in multiple areas. The front row offered the best legroom of the segment. The headroom and shoulder room are pretty impressive too, and tall Americans wouldn't have any problems.
Even the rear seat is also pretty comfy. The headroom and legroom are better than most of the other offerings, and that makes this hatchback a compelling offering for driving on the freeways for quite a long time. However, the shoulder room turned out to be a disappointment and the fifth passenger would be a tight fit. The cargo capacity of 16.6 cu ft isn't great either.
5 Not The Best Range
The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV comes with no changes to the powertrain and battery packs, and that equates to the same range offered by the outgoing 2021 model. As a result, this fully electric hatchback can do 259 miles on a full charge. This turned out to be similar to the likes of the Hyundai Kona Electric and the Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive variant.
However, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range can travel up to 353 miles on a full charge, making it the best of the segment in terms of range. Apart from that, the Bolt EV now comes with dual-level charging (both 120V and 240V). The Level 2 charging speed is also increased in comparison to the older model years. With the DC fast charging support on board, the car could travel 100 miles with 30 minutes of charging with the Level 3 supply.
4 Comes Loaded With Safety Features
Safety and build quality hasn't seen a compromise with the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV, even with more than $5,000 off the reduced base price. The body is built with high tensile steel and aluminum, and that makes the car feel tough. This would also help in absorbing the impact quite well without transmitting the force to the passenger cabin. Even though the car hasn't been crash-tested by the NHTSA and IIHS yet, the older 2021 model managed to get a good rating in most of the subsections of the IIHS test.
NHTSA gave it a 5-star overall crash safety rating as well. One of the main reasons for impressive safety performance is also due to the long list of safety and driver-assistance features coming in as standard, such as forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist, airbags, traction control, StabiliTrak, etc.
3 A Fast Infotainment System Is Onboard
The 10.2" Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Plus system turned out to be surprisingly smooth and polished. The interface is very easy to use and the icon and menu layout look very premium for the segment too. There were no major lags or stutters when navigating through the menu, and both the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay worked seamlessly.
All the connectivity and entertainment features like voice recognition, in-vehicle apps, connected services, Bluetooth, aux, USB ports, SiriusXM radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto come as standard. The 6-speaker audio system which comes as standard is par for the course too, and the average Joe wouldn't have any issues with the audio quality.
2 Bang For The Buck
Coming in with two trim configurations, namely 1LT and 2LT, this fully electric compact hatchback turned out to be the most value-for-money proposition of the segment. Offered for a base selling price of just $31,995 for the 1LT trim, it manages to come with all the much-needed interior, exterior, and safety features as standard, especially in comparison to the rivals.
This includes the digital gauge display, touchscreen infotainment system, LED headlights and taillights, a host of driver-assistance features, an automatic climate control system, and many more. Even the more expensive 2LT trim also turned out to be loaded to the brim with all the necessary features. All the optional features and packages are relatively lower priced, too.
1 Mediocre Driving Dynamics
The suspension is tuned more for comfort and the drive is not going to excite anyone. With independent front suspension and semi-independent rear suspension, the handling and driving dynamics is a bit sloppy, with quite a lot of understeer when being pushed. The body roll is on the higher side too, especially in comparison to the rivals.
What makes things even worse is the feel and feedback less steering setup. Being an electric power steering, it turned out to be the worst setup of the lot. It is not the sharpest. When taking a corner, all of these contributes to an adequate driving experience and nothing more than that. In comparison, the Model 3 turned out to be the best bet if you want a fun-to-drive moniker.