2011 Chevrolet Volt

Pros: Very well appointed interior (this is a Chevy?) especially with the premium trim package.
Great in-car tech
Consistently getting 100mpg+ on a combination of gas and electric (all the benefits of electric with none of the drawbacks)
Surprisingly versatile

Cons: Small back seat
iPod does not pause when Nav is talking to you
Handsfree phone takes WAY too many steps to make a phone call
The white console trim and funky door trim (IMHO) tries too hard and is ugly - order the dark trim it is a lot nicer
Glove box is

Summary: We've had the Volt for about 1,500 miles now, and we are one of those early adopters for whom the car has exceeded expectations. The is the first GM I've bought since I owned a 1974 Opel GT when I was a kid in high school in the 80s.

It is a fantastic little eco-sports sedan. We are in warmer climates (Texas) and we get a consistent 40-45 miles on our charge (the lower when we are at freeway speeds). With the premium package the interior etc. looks and feels like any high-end sports sedan we have owned (BMW, etc.).

Aside from some badge snobbery, I think this compares extremely well to a BMW 328. It is about the same size (interior and exterior) and comparably equipped (with nav, bluetooth, leather, heated seats, backup camera, etc) they both retail for $43k MSRP but the Volt gets a $7,500 tax rebate that brings it down to $36k. Yes, the BMW gets through the quarter mile two seconds faster than the Volt, but the trade-off is that the BMW only gets 18 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. Meanwhile our Volt is averaging well over 100mpg, getting a consistent 42mpg when it is on gasoline only. Put another way, In the first 1,500 miles I have burned through 14 gallons of gasoline (mostly because I've done several road trips) at a cost $50 plus about $30 in electricity or $80 total. In the 328 we would have spent about $240 in gasoline over the same drive period.

I suppose if you are looking for a $20k car you should not be shopping for BMWs or Volts. But if you are looking for a sedan in the mid 30's, after 1,500 miles I cannot think of any other model we would rather own. This has completely changed our view of GM cars (no offense to the long-time GM fans out there).