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Andi Hedrick|Car and Driver

Car and Driver

Timing is an underrated aspect of automobiles. Is a great car truly great if it arrives at the wrong moment? After a week of testing the newest battery-powered machines and evaluating them based on the value, fun, and technology they offer, along with mission fulfillment, we determined that the year's best new EV also happens to be the most accessible option. Just as an affordability crisis is affecting swaths of new-car buyers, the Chevrolet Bolt, perfectly timed with a substantial number of features given its low price, stood above the fray to nab our EV of the Year accolade.

Affordability is relative, of course. One person's inexpensive goods are another's out-of-budget treasures. Nevertheless, at a time when the average price of a new car hovers around $50K, the 2027 Bolt's $28,995 base price makes it about as budget-friendly as a new car can be.

This isn't new positioning; the Bolt has always been a low-priced option among electric vehicles, with the outgoing 2023 model—the final year before its hiatus—starting at $27,495. The reborn Bolt may cost more on paper, but adjust for inflation, and it undercuts its predecessor by over $1000. The price cut is even more pronounced if you're comparing the new car to the old Bolt EUV, from which the '27 model borrows its body panels and underpinnings, even if it skips the EUV nomenclature.

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Marc Urbano|Car and Driver

The revived Bolt uses the EUV's 105.3-inch wheelbase, which nets it an extra 2.9 inches between its wheel centers compared with its non-EUV predecessor. This is a boon for ride quality and also creates a generous rear passenger compartment. This stubby subcompact has enough rear-seat legroom for lanky six-footers to sit comfortably in the outboard positions of the three-across bench even with the front buckets pushed to the far ends of their rails.

The Bolt's spacious and versatile interior may contribute to its cause, but those characteristics play second fiddle to the battery-related enhancements that separate this Chevy EV from the similarly packaged Bolt EUV before it. A peak charge speed of 150 kW is nearly three times quicker than before, thanks to a switch to lithium-iron phosphate battery chemistry. We found that it takes 38 minutes to refill the 65-kWh battery from a 10 to a 90 percent state of charge.

Marc Urbano|Car and Driver

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Marc Urbano|Car and Driver

Driving range is reasonable, with the new Bolt managing 230 miles in our 75-mph real-world test. That tops the EUV by 40 miles and the previous Bolt by 10. Both of those also take a lot longer to put electrons back into their packs.

Lightweight EVs don't exactly exist yet, and our top-spec Bolt RS weighed in at 3793 pounds, although that's over 500 pounds lighter than the rival Nissan Leaf. And the pint-size Chevy does a commendable job of hiding its weight on twistier tarmac. Credit a low center of gravity, light and responsive steering, and a reasonably communicative chassis that affords this Bolt with more behind-the-wheel verve than its shape would suggest. Like the 40-time 10Best-winning Honda Accord, the Bolt proves that the appliance-like nature of a family car does not necessitate dull driving dynamics. And while the 215/50R-17 Michelin e-Primacy low-rolling-resistance tires gave up the gun on our skidpad after hitting a rather low 0.82 g, the all-seasons at least lose grip in a progressive manner that helps reinforce the adage that it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

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Marc Urbano|Car and Driver

The Bolt isn't quick, but mostly in the somewhat absurdist context of today's EVs. The 210-hp front-mounted permanent-magnet drive motor's 169 pound-feet of torque is not a lot by EV standards but is still gutsy enough to push the little Chevy around with reasonable authority. The Bolt makes up for its dearth of twist with a short 11.59:1 final-drive ratio to ensure there's reasonable oomph at the ready. The Bolt's 6.7-second trot to 60 mph is acceptable, and its acceleration on the move is more than adequate for passing slower traffic at city and highway speeds. Boot the right pedal, and a 30–50-mph pass takes a spritely 2.5 seconds, while getting from 50 to 70 mph requires just 3.6 ticks of the second hand.

More on the Bolt EV

Tested: The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt Strikes Back

2027 Chevrolet Bolt Details, Pricing, and Specs

In the Shadow of the Bolt: 2026 EVOTY Contenders

If keeping your hands on the wheel and a foot on the pedal is tiresome, then the Bolt has you covered, courtesy of its available Super Cruise hands-free driving-assist system. Short of Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised), there's no better hands-free option in the business, although you'll have to spend at least $35,655 on a Bolt so equipped.

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Marc Urbano|Car and Driver

The final ace up the Bolt's sleeve, though, is just how easy it is to operate, regardless of its equipment levels. The interior may feature an abundance of hard plastics, but what the cabin lacks in soft surfaces it makes up for in utility, courtesy of a convenient array of storage cubbies and open space. Ergonomics are top-notch, too, and Chevy avoided a common EV pitfall by maintaining physical knobs and buttons for gear selection, wiper functions, and climate controls, the latter of which works with a more efficient heat pump to warm the cabin as opposed to the resistive heater of prior Bolts. Even the infotainment system is easy to operate courtesy of its generally intuitive layout and menu structures and responsive touchscreen commands. Still, we wish General Motors would reconsider its decision to shun Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

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Marc Urbano|Car and Driver

We also miss the old car's steering-­wheel-mounted regen paddle, but there's now more regen adjustability. As with the previous Bolt, one-pedal driving remains but now with three modes. The Off setting mimics what you might expect from an internal-combustion powertrain. Normal gets more aggressive, and High is just too much.

The '27 Bolt's comprehensive glow-up couldn't come at a better time. America doesn't need another hyper-powered, hyper-expensive EV. This Chevy does something no other EV in our market has before: It democratizes modern battery-electric powertrain technology at a sub-$30K price while also offering the core creature comforts modern consumers expect. The fact that Chevy pins a $28,995 price to an EV with a spacious and versatile cabin, solid real-world driving range, spirited dynamics, and a general ease of use makes the '27 Bolt the right EV for right now.

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Specifications

2027 Chevrolet Bolt RS Vehicle Type: front-motor, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback

PRICE Base/As Tested: $32,995/$38,940 Options: Super Cruise package (3-years OnStar One with Super Cruise subscription, driver attention assist, front and rear park assist), $3255; dual-panel panoramic power sunroof, $1495; Technology package (rear camera mirror, wireless phone charger, rain-sensing wipers), $1195

POWERTRAIN Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 210 hp, 169 lb-ft Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 65 kWh Peak Charge Rate, AC/DC: 11.5/150 kW Transmission: direct-drive

CHASSIS Suspension, F/R: struts/torsion beam Brakes, F/R: 10.9-in vented disc/10.4-in disc Tires: Michelin e.Primacy All Season 215/50R-17 95H M+S TPC 4031

DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 105.3 in Length: 169.6 in Width: 69.7 in Height: 63.9 in Passenger Volume, F/R: 55/44 ft3 Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 56/16 ft3 Curb Weight: 3793 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 6.7 sec 1/4-Mile: 15.2 sec @ 95 mph Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.6 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.5 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.6 sec Top Speed (gov ltd): 95 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 179 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.82 g

Interior Sound Idle: 29 dBA/1 sone Full Throttle: 73 dBA 70-mph Cruising: 69 dBA/25 sone

C/D FUEL ECONOMY Observed: 103 MPGe 75-mph Highway Range: 230 mi Average DC Fast-Charge Rate, 10–90%: 94 kW DC Fast-Charge Time, 10–90%: 38 min

EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City/Highway: 120/134/106 MPGe Range: 262 mi