2017 Nissan Pathfinder

The Pathfinder is one of Nissan’s longest-serving nameplates, having been launched in 1986 as a two-door, off-road-themed sport-utility derived from the brand’s Hardbody pickup. With its switch to a four-door body and then, for 2013, the move to a passenger-car platform (the Altima’s) with a transverse engine and front-wheel drive (all-wheel drive is optional), the Pathfinder pretty well traces the trajectory of the genus sport-utility in America. This once rugged vehicle has evolved into a soft, rounded carpool-mobile, no longer tasked with taming the jungle—as the original version did in its launch ad campaign—but with toting kids to school and sports. Four years into the Pathfinder’s latest iteration, Nissan appears to have had a tinge of regret at turning its SUV into the four-wheeled equivalent of mom jeans and, with the mid-cycle update for the 2017 model year, attempts to walk it back a bit. But only a bit.

Can You See the Masculinity?

Nissan restyled the Pathfinder’s hood, grille, headlights, and front bumper; it also tweaked the taillights and reshaped the rear bumper, flattening out some curves and ironing in some creases. But even when looking at before-and-after photos side by side, we were hard-pressed to tell the new one from the old. The company, though, seems to think these barely discernible changes make the crossover look “more rugged” and “more masculine.” Uh, okay.

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More substantive changes were made beneath the skin. The 3.5-liter V-6 gets direct injection, a revised air intake, new pistons, a low-friction cylinder coating, variable intake-valve timing, and a higher compression ratio. As a result, output increases from 260 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque to 284 and 259. As before, the V-6 is teamed with a continuously variable automatic transmission, a technology that Nissan embraces with greater fervor than any other manufacturer. Maybe it’s a result of all that experience, or maybe a CVT is less annoying when hooked to a torquey V-6, but we found the transmission in the Pathfinder to be largely unobtrusive, with simulated ratio changes that help it do a passable impression of a conventional automatic. The V-6’s engine note is still gritty, however, and road noise is prevalent.

Nissan says the extra oomph should trim the zero-to-60-mph time by 0.2 second; we measured 7.5 seconds in our test of a 2016 Pathfinder with all-wheel drive, so figure 7.3 seconds for a similarly fully loaded example of the new model. That would still put it a full second behind the Honda Pilot, but most buyers will find the Pathfinder energetic enough when merging onto freeways or jumping out into traffic. The vehicle’s tow rating is raised from 5000 to 6000 pounds (for all models), while fuel economy stays the same at 20 mpg city and 27 mpg highway for the front-wheel-drive model and 19/26 mpg with all-wheel drive—ratings that are near the top of the class.

Nissan also made some adjustments to the chassis to sharpen responses. Spring rates have been increased by 11 percent up front and 7 percent at the rear, and the steering was given a quicker ratio and retuned for greater buildup of effort as it moves off-center. The revised steering provides a welcome measure of additional heft and responsiveness. While the Pathfinder doesn’t threaten the Mazda CX-9 as the family-size crossover most likely to induce spontaneous bouts of canyon carving, neither does it whine in protest when hustled.

Tech 2.0

No midterm update is complete without new tech features, and the Pathfinder adds adaptive cruise control, which brings with it forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking (all exclusive to the top-spec Platinum). Other new tech items include moving-object detection for Nissan’s 360-degree-view monitor and a motion sensor that opens and closes the liftgate in response to a wave of a foot under the rear bumper (for SL and Platinum models). Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert were already on hand. Inside, the touchscreen grows an inch, to 8.0 inches, and gets new connectivity features, as well as pinch-to-zoom and swipe functionality. Happily, Nissan (for now) continues to resist the call of auto-industry aesthetes and trend slaves to banish all dashboard buttons and knobs; as a result, the Pathfinder’s audio and climate controls are far easier and less distracting to use than those in some competitors. Similarly, the transmission gear selector is a traditional shift lever rather than silly buttons or some trick electronic joystick, but there are no paddles or other provision for the manual selection of ratios. Behind the shift lever, a simple knob allows one to choose front-wheel drive or (if so equipped) four-wheel drive and four-wheel drive lock, with a button for hill-descent control—the lone items of off-road gear.

As before, the Pathfinder’s third-row seat is standard across all trim levels. It’s strictly for small fry, although access is easy (including the unusual and appreciated ability to slide the second-row seats forward even with a child seat installed). Space in the first two rows is fine, but we found seating comfort somewhat lacking; the seats are unchanged from the 2016 model, and we found them overly firm and felt like we were sitting on them rather than in them. All four trim levels get a bit more sugar for 2017. Besides the larger touchscreen, the base S adds Bluetooth, a rearview camera, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a second USB port. Standard equipment on the SV remains the same, but a new Tech package brings navigation, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic alert to this model. The SL now includes the 360-degree-view monitor and moving-object detection, the motion-activated liftgate, and metallic interior trim. The top Platinum level gets LED headlights and new 20-inch wheels.

The Pathfinder’s greater masculinity is mostly imagined but also perfectly harmless. Sensibly, most of the changes here help this crossover carry out its real mission: ferrying kids from one parental-soul-sucking activity to another. That dream of bushwhacking through the jungle? It died a long time ago.

2017 Mercedes-AMG GLS63 4MATIC

Like Rodney Dangerfield, Karl Benz gets no respect. The highly regarded inventor of the automobile, the man who put the Benz in Mercedes-Benz, is no longer associated with the German company’s highest-performing machines—all vehicles formerly marketed as Mercedes-Benz AMGs are now simply known as Mercedes-AMGs. Meanwhile, the company’s most luxurious cars bear the Mercedes-Maybach label.

It’s not just AMG products that complete a rebranding scheme for the 2017 model year as Mercedes’ new hierarchical naming structure for its crossover SUVs, which mimics its sedans and coupes, now is fully realized. Hence the vehicle you’re looking at is not the updated and improved Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG but is instead the new Mercedes-AMG GLS63. What’s in a name? In this case, a lot, and it makes the Mercedes-AMG GLS63 a good deal sweeter than its S-less, Benz-badged predecessor.

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Extra icing is applied to the big Mercedes, but the sweetest dollop sits under the GLS63’s hood, where AMG’s 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine now produces a neck-snapping 577 horsepower, a gain of 27 hp. Torque remains the same at 561 lb-ft. The hand-built engine’s punch is channeled to all four wheels through a quick-shifting seven-speed automatic transmission that can be manually operated via fat metal paddle shifters connected to the back of the GLS63’s meaty three-spoke steering wheel. The result is a behemoth weighing nearly three tons that’s nonetheless able to hustle to 60 mph from a standstill in 4.3 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 12.8 seconds at 111 mph. The GLS63 isn’t just quick, it’s wickedquick, besting the last GL63 AMG we tested by 0.5 and 0.4 second in those metrics. Another perspective: Our 435-hp long-term 2016 Ford Mustang GT, which at 3782 pounds weighs 2076 pounds less than the GLS63, reaches 60 mph in the same 4.3 ticks and needs an additional tenth of a second to cover the quarter.

The GLS63 isn’t shy about telling others what it’s about, either. Compared with its forebear, the GLS63 brings the latest Mercedes and AMG design touches to the seven-seat luxury liner’s exterior. Our test vehicle’s understated black-on-black theme drew little attention from passersby or law-enforcement types, but the burbles and pops emerging from the GLS63’s two exhaust pipes—the quad tips seen from behind are faux —announce that this SUV’s sheep’s clothing conceals a massive wolf that’s ready to pounce.

The snarls are most prominent when the console-mounted Dynamic Select control is moved to the Sport+ setting, which also lowers the ride height, stiffens the dampers for more spirited driving, and quickens throttle response. The selector also offers Comfort, Sport, Slippery, and Individual modes. We mostly kept the GLS63 in Sport+, as Comfort mode wasn’t much more comfortable—we were pleasantly surprised at the reasonableness of the ride quality, given the oversize wheels—while Sport bridged some purgatorial gap that seemed to marry the less responsive throttle found in Comfort with the stiffer suspension setting of Sport+; it was arguably the least desirable of both worlds. (We never needed Slippery mode when testing in summer weather, nor did we use Individual, which allows drivers to tailor their own custom settings.)

The GLS63 overachieves in track tests beyond acceleration. This bulky crossover seemingly bends the laws of physics by skirting our skidpad at 0.91 g and by coming to a halt from 70 mph in 166 feet—bettering the figures we put up in a 2509-pound Fiat 124 Spider Abarth by 0.04 g and five feet. Much credit goes to the GLS63’s 295/40 21-inch Continental ContiSportContact 5 tires. Applaud, also, the Mercedes-AMG engineers who dialed in the GLS63’s Airmatic suspension and signed off on its massive 15.4-inch front and 14.2-inch rear brake rotors.

As expected of a vehicle wearing the three-pointed star on its grille, the GLS63 remains a dedicated luxury machine. Rich leather covers the seven seats, while modern convenience features such as heated and cooled front seats, keyless entry and push-button start, a panoramic sunroof, active cruise control, blind-spot monitors, and lane-keeping assist are all standard fare. Also standard is Mercedes’s Steering Pilot, a semi-automated driving mode that assists in guiding the GLS63 when the adaptive cruise control is engaged but requires the driver to keep hands on the steering wheel lest a warning pop up in the gauge cluster’s screen. Additional features such as heated and cooled front cupholders ($180), manually operated second-row sunshades ($380), and power-folding second-row seats ($400) to ease entry and exit to the standard power-folding third-row seats helped increase the GLS63’s luxury and convenience quotients.

The latest COMAND infotainment system, which includes a touchpad atop the traditional control wheel, provides access to the various systems, but many key features, such as the HVAC and audio controls, are operable via hard buttons on the dash or steering wheel. If asked to nitpick, we could wish the COMAND controller were positioned a little farther forward—it works best for tall drivers who have the seat adjusted to the rear of its travel. We also find it odd that Mercedes doesn’t allow use of the built-in navigation system whenever a phone equipped with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is plugged in. In general, trying to fiddle with the touchscreen layouts of either phone operating system becomes difficult when the user is forced to use the COMAND knob. (Mercedes has yet to add touchscreen capability to its vehicles.) Plus, the heavy bolsters on the front seats that do such a great job of holding occupants in place on our skidpad also make a chore out of entry and exit. Good thing those seats include a standard massage function to relax strained muscles and reduce long-haul fatigue.

Admittedly, these are small annoyances that any consumer looking for a machine such as this one will surely tolerate. Only the Tesla Model X P90D offers a competitive combination of performance and people-carrying capabilities. While the Tesla falls behind the AMG around our skidpad by 0.05 g and needs six additional feet to come to a halt from 70 mph, when properly equipped, the battery-powered crossover spanks the GLS63 in outright acceleration. We coaxed a $133,700 Model X P90D with the Ludicrous Speed option to 60 mph from rest in a mind-bending 3.3 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 11.8 seconds—a full second quicker than this ridiculously quick GLS63 in both measures.

Of course, the all-electric Model X P90D’s EPA-rated 250-mile range can’t compete with the AMG’s 470 miles of highway range, a figure that’s more a testament to the GLS63’s massive 26.4-gallon fuel tank than its fuel economy, which is listed at a thirsty 13 mpg city and 17 mpg highway by the EPA. Still, at a steady 75 mph in our 200-mile real-world highway fuel-economy loop, the GLS63 overachieved by managing 18 mpg. But, in mixed driving, our lead-footed staffers managed just 13 mpg overall.

On the passenger-carrying front, the GLS63’s second-row 60/40-split bench seat can be manually reclined and offers a fold-down center armrest, while Model X middle-row passengers must do without the armrest. Meanwhile, the GLS63’s third row provides 35 inches of legroom and 38.9 inches of headroom, figures that compete with the rear seats of many compact luxury sedans, and a full 2.3 and 1.8 inches more legroom and headroom than the Tesla affords its rearmost riders. Cargo room for the GLS63 ranges from 16 cubic feet with all seats in place to a Cadillac Escalade–like 94 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded.

Our test vehicle also was prewired for a rear-seat entertainment system ($170) and came with a set of wheel locks ($150) to ensure the GLS63’s pretty multispoke 21-inch wheels don’t go wandering off and a trailer hitch ($575) to help take advantage of the 7500-pound towing capacity. All told, our GLS63 cost a healthy $126,880, only $1855 of which was attributed to options. Still, the AMG cost $6820 less than the Ludicrous Speed–equipped Tesla Model X P90D we tested.

True, the Mercedes-AMG GLS63 is silly, expensive, and totally unnecessary; aMercedes-Benz GLS450 offers just as much utility with better fuel economy and performs well enough for anyone who can be satisfied with something less than ludicrous. Even so, we can’t help but swoon over this enormous roadgoing Concorde that effortlessly blends luxury, size, and performance. Sensible or not, the Mercedes-AMG GLS63 deserves respect. We’re tellin’ ya.

2017 Jaguar F-type

Overview: Introduced in 2013 as a 2014 model, the F-type is arguably Jaguar’s first real sports car—as distinct from a grand tourer—since the E-type seduced attendees at the Geneva motor show in 1961. Offered in hatchback coupe and convertible editions, the F-type boasts exceptional rigidity with an aluminum-intensive chassis, an accomplishment by the engineering and development team that necessitates little compensatory bracing for the open-top version. The designers created a head-turning exterior that makes the F-type a contender for best-looking ride in a class populated with several beauty queens. Propulsion comes from one of two supercharged engines, a 3.0-liter V-6 and a 5.0-liter V-8. Both the six and the eight are offered in two states of tune, with outputs ranging from 340 to 575 horsepower. A six-speed manual is available with the V-6, and a rapid-shifting eight-speed automatic is optional with the V-6, standard with the V-8. All-wheel drive is available on higher V-6 trim levels and standard with the V-8. The combination of high chassis rigidity, firm suspension tuning, and exemplary powertrains position this hottest of Jaguars on a par with the best in a distinguished class. Add competitive pricing, and the Jaguar F-type makes a compelling case as a world-class sports car with a British accent.

What’s New: Expanding the F-type lineup at both ends for 2017, Jaguar enhances affordability at the entry level with a $3200 lower price on the base F-type, which costs $62,395; the new Premium trim level adds $5400 and some features that were stripped out of the base car during the pricing discount. Bigger news, however, isthe new F-type SVR, which raises output of the F-type R’s 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 to 575 horsepower, the price to $126,945, and top-speed potential to 200 mph, making this the hottest street Jaguar ever. Jaguar has also managed to expand luggage space slightly in F-type convertibles to just over seven cubic feet from, uh, just under seven cubic feet.

What We Like: Coupe or convertible, the F-type is a piece of extraordinarily beautiful kinetic art. All models share the aforementioned rigidity, and their agility rivals the best in this class. The steering is quick and communicative, the grip is tenacious, and braking performance is outstanding. Power ranges from respectable to potent depending on how much you spend. Acceleration numbers are best with the paddle-shifted eight-speed automatic, but the six-speed manual is exceptionally slick. Interior noise levels are surprisingly subdued—until the driver summons full power, whereupon the exhaust note becomes loudly musical and addictive.

What We Don’t Like: The price for flat cornering attitudes and eager transient response is a stiff ride with head toss on lumpy pavement. The coupe's backlight looks vast outside, but the driver’s rear view in reality seems like a narrow slot that shrinks by about 50 percent when the rear spoiler deploys to show the driver the classic Jaguar leaper backward and upside down. Curb weights tend toward pudgy for an aluminum-intensive car. Also, Jaguar seems to have gotten carried away with exterior identification. There are 10 badges and logos stuck on the outer regions—one on each wheel center, one on each front fender, one on each door handle, one on the rear deck, and one mid-grille.

2017 Lamborghini Centenario Roadster Doesn't Surprise, But Still Wows

After dazzling attendees at the 2016 Geneva auto show with its latest “one-off limited edition,” the spectacular Centenario coupe, Lamborghini has done what we knew it would eventually do: Scalp the thing. It’s no surprise at all. Lambo announced in Geneva that the limited production run of 40 would be split evenly between coupes and roadsters. At least we didn’t have to travel halfway across the globe to see the open-top edition, as it was revealed at the The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering in Carmel, California, during the automotive extravaganza that surrounds the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.



The Centenario, conceived to commemorate the 100th birthday of company founder Ferruccio Lamborghini, uses the mid-engine, all-wheel-drive architecture that underpins the Aventador as well as that car’s naturally aspirated V-12, bumped up to 759 horsepower—19 more than its rating in the Aventador Superveloce. This makes the Centenario roadster the most powerful open-top vehicle ever built by Lamborghini. The redline has also been raised to 8600 rpm. Lamborghini expects that the Centenario will be able to hit 62 mph in 2.8 seconds; keep the pedal on the floor and you could see 188 mph in just 23.5 seconds. As with the coupe, top speed is governed somewhere above 217 mph, but Lamborghini wouldn’t say exactly how far above. It also features Lamborghini’s new rear-wheel-steering system, which it claims both tightens the turning circle and stabilizes high-speed handling. The system’s affect also changes according to the driver’s selection of Strada, Sport, or Corsa driving modes, which also control powertrain behavior, stability control intervention, steering effort, and more.

While the coupe’s dramatic, intimidating body was rendered entirely in bare carbon fiber with yellow accents, the roadster is painted a special matte-silver color: Argento Centenario. Buyers, however, can specify any color they want, including naked carbon fiber with a choice of matte or gloss finish. Despite losing its roof, the Centenario roadster is instantly recognizable, retaining its distinct silhouette, hexagonal side glass, and predatory face. The dramatic grille, slashlike air intakes, and “blown” diffuser (which routes exhaust gases through the center diffuser zone to add downforce) are present and accounted for, as are the dramatic Y-shaped taillamps that slice across the rear, just a couple of inches below the rear spoiler, which extends and rotates up to 15 degrees.

The roof is simply missing, with no alternative configuration to provide for weather or security. This gives onlookers a particularly good view of the car’s interior, with its carbon-fiber sport seats, stitched leather, and microsuede upholstery as well as its 10.1-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Wi-Fi connectivity.

As we reported from Geneva, Lamborghini says all 40 Centenarios were sold before the car was ever shown. The roadster’s $2.23 million price is about a quarter-million dollars costlier than the coupe, which is probably pocket change for many attendees at The Quail, a few of whom, we suspect, are on this car’s owner list. About a third of these cars will come to North America, with deliveries starting by the end of this year and continuing into 2017.

2017 Chevrolet Bolt

Peel back the Chevy Bolt’s androgynous design, and you’ll find a car with more than its share of electrons. In case you haven’t heard, this is a pure battery-powered electric with no combustion to drive you home when the juice runs low. But don’t fret; thanks to its ample electron supply, the Bolt offers a claimed 200-mile range. There’s also plenty of space for passengers and their stuff, and the Bolt’s attitude is highly congenial. We discovered that last item on a 50-mile drive with the Bolt’s chief engineer, Josh Tavel, riding shotgun, absorbing our barrage of questions.



Jab the accelerator, and the Bolt makes good on its name. Chevy says it reaches 60 mph in less than seven seconds, which is quicker than every other pure electric we’ve tested except the BMW i3 and the Tesla Roadster, Model S, and Model X. That said, the seats of our pants suggest that seven seconds may be conservative. Right pedal down, this front-drive hatchback tears out of the hole and scratches for traction in bends. With 266 lb-ft of torque available at just above zero rpm and multiplied seven times by reduction gears, the Bolt has no difficulty going with the flow.

According to Tavel, the 200-hp motor’s output had to be trimmed at times to diminish torque steer. While passing a tractor-trailer outside GM’s ­Milford proving grounds, we feel exactly what he’s talking about. Those who summon all the loose electrons for acceleration will need more than a couple of pinkies on the steering wheel.

Tavel is still tweaking various calibrations since Bolt production and sales are months out, but he’s clearly proud of what his development team has achieved. This 37-year-old engineer began amateur competition at age five on BMX bikes and continued with minimal interruption to his current SCCA Spec Racer Ford campaign. A deeply ingrained racing mentality may be why Tavel hated to sacrifice any torque to diminish tugs on the steering wheel, and why the Bolt’s every motion is well managed when you toss it around. Without imposing harshness, the ride is firm to help keep body roll in check during full-boogie maneuvers. The low-rolling-­resistance Michelin Energy Saver A/S 215/50R-17 tires absorb patched pavement without recoil and break away gently when tasked with a surprise lane change.

Loaded with 3600 pounds of curb weight—56 percent carried by the front tires, according to Tavel—these radials have plenty of work to do, but they feel up to the task. The electrically assisted rack-and-pinion steering is slack-free on-center, quick to respond, and nicely weighted. Walking that fine line between comfort for civilian drivers and engaging dynamics for enthusiasts is no easy feat, but Tavel deserves credit for balancing the two conflicting mentalities.

Of course, he had plenty of help making sure that GM’s latest electric-car project—following the EV1 in the 1990s, two generations of Volts, and the Spark EV—is a ­success. After collaborating since 2007 on OnStar communi­­cations modules, GM signed an agreement five years ago with Korea’s LG Group to design and engineer electric vehicles. Nearly as large as GM in terms of annual revenue, the Life’s Good brand is a world leader in chemicals, telecommunications, and electronics, so its expertise nicely complements GM’s metal-bending and car-marketing skills.

The Bolt is truly global in scope, with GM Korea responsible for basic car design and U.S. engineers handling development. Drawing on its electric motor and control knowledge, GM engineers designed the propulsion system. LG builds the electric motor, power-­inverter module, onboard battery charger, instrument cluster, infotainment system, and the control modules that distribute electrical power, energize the accessories, and communicate with charging stations. LG also manufactures the lithium-ion battery cells in Korea and assembles them into a pack.

When GM’s president announced that the battery pack accounts for 23 percent of the Bolt’s estimated $37,500 base price (before federal tax credits), there was universal head scratching over any potential return on investment. Our guess: The value of zero-emissions credits to be reaped will exceed the inevitable per-unit losses.

The Bolt’s 200-hp permanent-magnet AC motor has a hollow center so that one half-shaft can run straight from the differential to the right-front wheel. The 960-pound heated and cooled 60-kWh battery pack holds 288 cells in a 10-cubic-foot box that doubles as the Bolt’s floor. The 3.9 x 15.3 x 0.5-inch prismatic cells are packed inside 10 modules, four of which are stacked two high under the rear seat. Five support crossmembers, cooling plates, and the pack’s steel bottom help avoid puncture by road debris. In all, the Bolt’s pack carries more than three times the energy provided in the Volt’s battery but without ruining the interior space.

According to Tavel, at least 40 miles of the Bolt’s 200-mile EPA-rated range (which we suspect is also a conservative claim) comes from regeneration, which necessitates recovering the maximum amount of energy during deceleration. Toward that end, there are four regenerative modes. The D shift-lever position stands for both drive and default. Those (like us) who prefer single-pedal electric-car driving will move the lever back a notch to the L position, significantly increasing regeneration down to zero mph. Behind the steering wheel’s left spoke, there’s a paddle to goose regen another notch higher in both the D and L positions. During our drive, the L position felt just right and comparable to the aggressive regen that Tesla provides. While the first bit of brake-pedal travel provides only regen, there’s no weird step-up in effort when the four calipers swing into action as more pressure is applied.

During the conceptual stages of the Bolt’s design and development, GM asked potential customers what sort of vehicle they’d prefer. The near-universal vote was “crossover,” which set the tone for this electric’s general configuration. Frankly, we see little crossover vehicle in the Bolt’s genes. All-wheel drive won’t be offered at launch, and that’s unlikely to change given the size and location of the battery pack. The Bolt’s length and width dimensions fit neatly between the subcompact Chevy Spark’s and the compact Sonic’s. Adding three to four additional inches of height more than makes up for the battery pack in the floor: The tall ceiling and upright seating yield 94 cubic feet of passenger space and 17 cubic feet of cargo room behind the split-folding back seat. Both those figures top the Sonic’s by a few cubic feet.

Yardsticks aside, the Bolt feels roomy, able to swallow everything short of four-by-eight building materials. Entering the front seat is a horizontal slide, with little up or down translation necessary. The rear bench is chair high with ample footroom, thanks to the flat floor, and minimal center-console intrusion. While there are three belts in back, there’s only enough width to carry that many kids. Two adults fit nicely with the center armrest deployed. Front-bucket backrests are a thin design to maximize kneeroom, and there’s a flat panel in the trunk with three-way versatility: It can be removed, mounted at an angle to segment cargo items, or placed flat over the subfloor cavity. Tavel pleaded no comment when we asked the purpose of the spare-tire-shaped well at the bottom of the cargo compartment. (In the event of a flat, tire sealant and re-inflation are your only salvation.) The obvious conclusion is that this new BEV2 platform has obligations beyond this car.

The Bolt’s bright-eyed dash has a 10.2-inch reconfigurable touchscreen in the center and an eight-inch electronic cluster behind the wheel providing essential vehicle information. Even while the car is in drive, the inside mirror can display a wide-angle camera feed to improve rear visibility. An OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi connection provides access to the world at large. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity, automatic climate control, and a nav system specifically tailored to EV needs are all in the car we’re driving, but Chevrolet hasn’t announced exactly what gear and trim will be standard and what will cost extra. It’s also too soon to judge fit, finish, and upholstery quality because those parts are still subject to fine-tuning.

For any electric car, your getting-home anxiety is inversely proportional to both maximum range and battery-charging convenience. Plugging into a 120-volt outlet is convenient but ineffective for replenishing range within an average human’s life span. The better choice is the optional 240-volt AC charger fed by a 32-amp circuit at home (or work), which, according to Chevy, replenishes 25 miles of range per hour and tops off a fully depleted pack in nine hours. Another option is SAE Combo DC quick charging that adds 90 miles of range in a half-hour. Compare that with a Tesla Supercharger, also DC, which adds 210 miles of range in only 40 minutes. At the beginning of this year, there were 253 Supercharger locations sprinkled across the continental U.S. versus 387 SAE quick-charge locations concentrated on the coasts. While that sounds like a win for Chevrolet, it’s difficult to predict who will have the infrastructural upper hand when that other affordable electric, the Tesla Model 3, arrives in 18 or 24 or 36 or so months.

According to Tavel, Bolt manufacturing and deliveries are scheduled to begin before the end of this year, giving Chevy a solid start over the Model 3. Will the Bolt give Elon Musk night sweats? Or will the nearly 400,000 customers who’ve plunked down deposits for the next Tesla prove the wiser? We’ll be back when that answer is in hand.