The return of the Chevrolet Bolt for the 2027 model year has been widely welcomed at a time when affordable electric vehicles remain scarce in the U.S. market. Even though its production is expected to last just 18 months, the model has received positive attention from both critics and buyers because of its pricing.
Starting at $28,995, including destination charges, the 2027 Bolt is the least expensive new EV available in the United States and the only new electric vehicle priced below $30,000 with shipping included. Edmunds purchased the vehicle to conduct a comprehensive one-year long-term test intended to evaluate every aspect of ownership.
A Display Failure Ends the First Drive
The long-term test encountered problems almost immediately. According to Edmunds, the issue appeared roughly one hour after the vehicle left the dealership, with only 15 miles showing on the odometer.
The central infotainment display and the digital gauge cluster suddenly went completely blank. The reviewer attempted to restore the system by turning the vehicle off and back on. Since the Bolt does not have a conventional on/off switch, this required exiting the vehicle, walking away, locking it, and then restarting it. The procedure did not resolve the issue.
The vehicle was left overnight. The following day, after receiving a notification suggesting a factory reset, the reviewer carried out the reset, but the displays remained inoperative. The Bolt was then returned to the dealership, where a technician performed a hard reset using a USB stick. The procedure restored the system, and the repair was completed free of charge under warranty.
A Second Malfunction Appears Three Weeks Later
Three weeks after the initial repair, the same vehicle experienced another problem while being driven by a different Edmunds reviewer.
This time, the navigation screen went completely blank. Repeated attempts to restart the vehicle eventually restored the maps, but the system displayed only a 2G connection.
Edmunds‘ Keith Buglewicz described the situation, explaining that GM’s electric vehicles no longer support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, leaving the Bolt dependent on the Google Built-In system. He said the platform requires an internet connection to function and that the test vehicle’s connection was “wonky at best.”
“When I first got into the Bolt there was no map. Nothing. I could add an address if I wanted to, but there was nothing but a blank screen, and there was no data connection of any sort so voice programming and even traffic info was a no-go,” Buglewicz said.
Connectivity Problems Leave Another Trip to the Dealer
The second issue proved difficult to resolve. After spending two days attempting different solutions, the reviewer connected the vehicle to a mobile phone hotspot.
That allowed maps and traffic information to load more quickly, but the rest of the infotainment system remained inaccessible. According to Edmunds, the Bolt will return to the dealership for another repair.
Other owners of the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt have described similar issues on owner forums, suggesting that the problem is not unique to its long-term test vehicle.
