2012 Chevrolet Volt

The 2012 Chevrolet Volt (Base MSRP: $39,145) carries forward mostly unchanged from 2011 -- and it's still the best plug-in hybrid car you can buy, experts say. The new-for-2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (Base MSRP: $32,000 to $39,525) gives it some competition this year, but the Volt can run much farther on electricity alone: 35 miles, according to the EPA, versus 11 miles for the Prius Plug-in.

Cheaper for 2012, the Volt loses $1,135 off of its sticker -- but it also loses its standard Bose stereo and on-board navigation (those are options now), although the standard OnStar system does include turn-by-turn navigation. The 2012 Volt does get some new standard features, including updated keyless entry/ignition and MyLink, which provides smartphone integration, Bluetooth streaming audio and voice control for phone and audio.

The Volt qualifies for a federal tax credit up to $7,500 -- more than the $2,500 max for the Prius Plug-in -- and both cars qualify for additional thousands in tax credits in some states. The Volt can run an EPA-estimated 35 miles on its electric motor before the gas engine kicks in. That way, it uses less gas than a non-plug-in hybrid like the 2012 Toyota Prius (Base MSRP: $24,000 to $29,805), but the Volt can still travel as far as you like on gasoline, unlike a pure electric vehicle such as the 2012 Nissan Leaf (Base MSRP: $35,200 to $37,250) which has an EPA-estimated range limit of 73 miles.

This year, General Motors asked Volt owners to bring their cars to the dealership to fix two problems (neither was a formal recall). GM replaced the Volt's included 120-volt portable charger with a thicker cable after some owners complained that the original chargers overheated and melted. GM also reinforced the Volt's battery pack after a Volt caught fire several weeks after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash-tested it. NHTSA investigated the fire, concluding that the Volt is no more likely to catch fire than other cars.

EPA Fuel Economy Estimates

• Fuel source: Electricity / gas

• City: 95 mpge / 35 mpg

• Highway: 93 mpge / 40 mpg

• Combined: 94 mpge / 37 mpg

NHTSA Safety Ratings

• Front Impact: 4 stars

• Side Impact: 5 stars

• Rollover Resistance: 5 stars

• Overall: 5 stars

IIHS Safety Ratings

• Front Offset Impact: Good

• Side Impact: Good

• Rear Impact: Good

• Roof Strength: Good

• Named 2012 Top Safety Pick

For additional details, see our review of the 2011 model

The Chevrolet Volt has seen only a few feature changes since it debuted in 2011. For complete details and an analysis of what experts say about this plug-in hybrid car, please see our report on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.