[PhilipD]

I've had my 2023 Bolt EUV for two weeks now and there are a few things I am having a hard time adjusting to. I have been driving for over 50 years and this is my first car with keyless ignition. I grab the key and a cup of coffee and then walk into the garage. I have to unplug the car so I put the key/fob in my mouth so I can have a free hand to unplug the car and hold my coffee. Then open the door and get in. Then I try to put the key in the ignition. Of course, there is no key nor a slot to insert a key. Then when I arrive at my destination, I try to remove the phantom key.

Next is the shifter, or rather the lack of one. I don't have anything against the paddles/switches but I still reach down to find the shift lever.

Third is the quiet: I look down and see that I am going 75 in a 55 zone. I am used to hearing engine noise but there there isn't any.

The push button on the door handle to lock and unlock the doors. I keep forgetting.

Remembering that the rear lift door release is at the bottom of the door and not above the license plate.

I love the car and wouldn't trade if for anything but I am having a hard time adjusting.

 

[levp]

Same!

 

[Bolt drvr]

The rear view camera mirror actually makes me nauseous! I think my brain expects to see something but something else is displayed. I had to turn it off.

 

[levp]

The rear view camera mirror actually makes me nauseous! I think my brain expects to see something but something else is displayed. I had to turn it off.

However, it is so useful when I load the trunk to the gills...

 

[wesley]

My wife still speeds a bit on the Bolt EV due to the lack of audible cue and the effortless acceleration. A very easy mistake to make unless you're conciously watching the speedometer.

 

[IStream]

Funny, we got most of those acclimation issues out of the way with our last ICE car (2016), which had the pushbutton start, the pushbutton lock/unlock on the door handles, the wireless keyfob, etc. The main adjustments for us are the pushbutton shifting (not bad, different), the electric parking brake (which I hate), and the spooky silence (which I love). Oh yeah, my wife and I are always leaving our cell phones in the wireless charging nook, where it's outta sight and outta mind.

We love this little car. Before we got it I'd decided we'd never buy another ICE vehicle but I was expecting to have to suffer a little more as an early-ish EV adopter. So far, it's all gain with no pain.

 

[jreddington]

Funny, we got most of those acclimation issues out of the way with our last ICE car (2016), which had the pushbutton start, the pushbutton lock/unlock on the door handles, the wireless keyfob, etc. The main adjustments for us are the pushbutton shifting (not bad, different), the electric parking brake (which I hate), and the spooky silence (which I love). Oh yeah, my wife and I are always leaving our cell phones in the wireless charging nook, where it's outta sight and outta mind.

We love this little car. Before we got it I'd decided we'd never buy another ICE vehicle but I was expecting to have to suffer a little more as an early-ish EV adopter. So far, it's all gain with no pain.

And the latest tour of the Equinox EV shows there’s not even a start button. Just get in (with your key), press the brake pedal, and press the drive (or reverse) button.

 

[IStream]

And the latest tour of the Equinox EV shows there’s not even a start button. Just get in (with your key), press the brake pedal, and press the drive (or reverse) button.

I'd actually prefer that. The start/stop button seems kinda pointless, especially in an EV where you don't even have an engine to start or stop.

 

[bbf]

I also took a few days to get used to all the things you mentioned since the previous car that doesn't have any of the doodads that the Bolt EUV or any other current car has.

If you're still switching between driving two cars, then it will never really feel natural in either. I once had two manual cars with vastly different clutch engagement and shift points and it would take a few shifts to get back into shifting smoothly after driving the other car.

 

[bbf]

The rear view camera mirror actually makes me nauseous! I think my brain expects to see something but something else is displayed. I had to turn it off.

I'm okay with it most of the time. Sometimes when there are cars with LED lights/headlights behind me it gets annoying because their lights flicker on the rear view mirror's camera display.

 

[AFXCAR]

This is my first push start car too, although wife's car had it for years. In your settings, there is a "walk away" feature. Leave your fob in your pocket, you do not need it. Doors lock when you walk away, thumb button goes live when you approach. I really find it handy. I prefer lock touch handle finger sensor vs button, but that is how GM did it the past 10 years when Bolt was designed

My biggest distraction is the LH chrome IP duct decoration, it reflects on the side window at the outside mirror. Also, getting used to the Climate settings -- there is no upper/lower blend button -- but you can choose both buttons on the screen. Getting used to the "Heat" button too. If its off, you have nothing.

No lighted vanity mirrors? haven't seen that in 40 years! At least the visor slides! I opted down to the loaded LT so no camera mirror -- I find those to be hard on the eyes due to subliminal refresh rate

Uneven roads, beat up highway, use sport mode, it stiffens the steering slightly.

I love the linear torque of the EV drive -- it is so relaxing to drive, less "leg" work. With 1 pedal mode, great in stop-go traffic jams, no fatigue. I came out of a manual trans car for the past 7 years which I enjoyed. I now find I don't miss all the "extra work" driving! great commuter vehicle!

 

[Leppard3]

However, it is so useful when I load the trunk to the gills...

I too thought I would only use it when stuff in the back was blocking my view. Then I realized the field of view is so much greater than the regular mirror, now it's 100% use. Sure, it's not great at night, but during the day you can see SO MUCH more.

 

[RichK]

This is my first push start car too, although wife's car had it for years. In your settings, there is a "walk away" feature. Leave your fob in your pocket, you do not need it. Doors lock when you walk away, thumb button goes live when you approach. I really find it handy. I prefer lock touch handle finger sensor vs button, but that is how GM did it the past 10 years when Bolt was designed

My biggest distraction is the LH chrome IP duct decoration, it reflects on the side window at the outside mirror. Also, getting used to the Climate settings -- there is no upper/lower blend button -- but you can choose both buttons on the screen. Getting used to the "Heat" button too. If its off, you have nothing.

No lighted vanity mirrors? haven't seen that in 40 years! At least the visor slides! I opted down to the loaded LT so no camera mirror -- I find those to be hard on the eyes due to subliminal refresh rate

Uneven roads, beat up highway, use sport mode, it stiffens the steering slightly.

I love the linear torque of the EV drive -- it is so relaxing to drive, less "leg" work. With 1 pedal mode, great in stop-go traffic jams, no fatigue. I came out of a manual trans car for the past 7 years which I enjoyed. I now find I don't miss all the "extra work" driving! great commuter vehicle!

Premier has lighted vanity mirrors

 

[Elaine R]

I also took a few days to get used to all the things you mentioned since the previous car that doesn't have any of the doodads that the Bolt EUV or any other current car has.

If you're still switching between driving two cars, then it will never really feel natural in either. I once had two manual cars with vastly different clutch engagement and shift points and it would take a few shifts to get back into shifting smoothly after driving the other car.

One of the reasons we got our second Bolt! We are too old to be comfy with 2 different ways to drive!

 

[23IceBlueEUV]

I've had my EUV for about two weeks too. I came from an Audi A6 (used), which had a lot of these features like the push button start, and the electronic parking brake. I feel like that helped the transition, and I love the fact that my little Chevy is as nice as my (albeit older) German luxury car. Nicer actually as the thing that I really had to get used to is the lack of engine vibration and noise. It's a little unnerving when you push the start button and "nothing" happens. I miss the sensor door handles versus the button though, but it's not anything that one can't get used to.

 

[2020 Bolter]

In 2 years with my Bolt and 4 years with my Leaf, fob never left the driver door storage, never lock, never worry, no one stole either car, well except a coworker once, he moved my Leaf to trick me, saw how dirty my kids had the back seat so he vacuumed it out, a win win.

 

[AllenK]

Every car has its quirks that you need to adapt to but it is amazing how quickly what was disconcerting at first becomes second nature. Renting cars on various trips also helps. I'm waiting delivery on my EUV. Both my current cars, a Prius and an Acura RDX have push button start and I was actually thinking about physical car keys the other day and how the very concept seems strange now. My 2010 Prius also has this little joystick like shifter which was odd at the beginning. But the biggest thing that I ever had to get used to was different clutches on cars. At one time I had a Jeep Cherokee with a very hard clutch as well as a Toyota Corolla with a very smooth, silk-like clutch. Always a few seconds of adjusting as I went from one to another. I know all the little oddities of the Bolt will seem a bit unusual at first (especially one pedal driving) but I know it will not be long before I don't even think about them. The biggest thing that still "throws" me now is that the Prius has standard cruise control while the RDX has adaptive cruise control (one of the greatest inventions ever!). Sometimes, when driving the Prius, I forget that it isn't adaptive and wonder "why isn't it slowing down?"

 

[SDBoltEUV]

My '16 VW Tiguan had the sensor door locks, auto dimming mirror, push button start, auto wipers, so I got used to those then. When my other half got the Model Y it kinda freaked me out...no on/off button at all—just arrive at your destination, put it in park and walk away from it. Still doesn't feel right! So I appreciate having an on/off button on the EUV, and basic buttons on the dash.

 

[RoadTripBiker]

I totally understand the OP. Had a 2013 Volt so somewhat used to the pushbutton start. My Transit Connect Wagon has a key but it works like a pushbutton. Got in my daughters VW the other day and it didn't start because I had to hold the key in the crank position until it started. Bolt is very difficult to maintain a steady speed in. Lots of hills here and there are no cues as to speed so easy to be going too fast. As for divergent vehicles it is sometimes comical. On my van the CC resume is a paddle under the steering wheel - same position as the regeneration paddle on the Bolt. You can figure out how that goes! Besides the van and the Bolt I have a Kymco scooter and a sport touring motorcycle. Motorcycle will go around curves much faster than the Bolt so have to calibrate accordingly. Scooter has brakes on both handlebars while the bike has clutch on the left and front brake on the right and a foot pedal for the rear brake. LOL more than once I've pulled up to the street when leaving and had to stop and think which vehicle I'm in and where the controls are.

 

[BoltEUV]

I love everything about this car that was mentioned by the OP. The only thing I don't care for is the CCS port and how difficult it is to wrangle an Electrify America cable the size of my arm at 20F. Then finding out the car and charger won't talk to each other after 3 tries and having to move to another unit and repeating the process over again. Oh what fun.