2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV Interior and Cargo

The quality of the interior is the most significant black mark on the Bolt's otherwise impressive resume. It's hard plastic everywhere you look and touch. The headliner looks like it won't last all that long, and there are buttons under the infotainment screen that serve no purpose. The base LT comes with Dark Galvanized Gray Cloth with Sky Cool Gray accents as standard. The Premier model upgrades to perforated leather upholstery in three color combinations. You can choose between a solid Dark Galvanized Gray interior or a mix of Dark Galvanized Gray and Sky Cool Gray.

When you open the trunk, you realize why the rear seats are so spacious. The trunk was made smaller to devote more space to the second row. The Bolt only supplies 16.9 cubic feet of space, which is small compared to its rivals. The Nissan Leaf boasts 23.6 cubic feet, while the Hyundai Kona takes second place with 19.2 cubic feet. The only competition the Bolt manages to best is the Tesla Model 3, which only has 12.3 cubic feet of space in the trunk plus another 2.7 cubic feet in the frunk. The Bolt's cargo capacity can be increased to 56.6 cubic feet, however, by lowering the rear seats.

The supersized interior means there are plenty of options when it comes to small-item storage. There are several storage spaces throughout the cabin for both big and small items. These include large door pockets with bottle holders, a small storage space for a phone underneath the center console, and another large open storage space underneath that for keys, handbags, or a copy of the latest book from your favorite self-help guru.

Even the base Bolt EV model boasts impressive specs. The standard luxuries include keyless entry with a push-button start, multifunction steering wheel, a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, six-way manually adjustable front seats, automatic climate control, ambient lighting, and remote start functionality. The Premier model kicks it up a notch by adding heated front and rear seats, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and an available wireless charging surface.

In terms of safety, there's a rearview camera, a Teen Driver system, and stability control as standard on the LT on the safety side. The Premier adds lane change alert, blind-spot monitoring, and rear parking sensors. The optional safety kit includes automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and IntelliBeam automatic high beam assist, among others.

While interior quality may not be up to scratch, the Bolt makes up for it by offering a modern, digital cabin. There's an eight-inch color display in the instrument cluster and a large 10.2-inch touchscreen that serves as the infotainment system's primary interface. It comes standard with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth streaming, Wi-Fi hotspot capability, and a trial SiriusXM subscription. A six-speaker setup is standard but the Premier trim gets the option of upgrading to a premium seven-speaker Bose sound system. The infotainment system is easy to use, and while navigation isn't offered as standard, the addition of full smartphone integration makes up for it.