Cars.com has had the Chevy Volt for over 10,000 miles now and they have some compliments as well as some complaints.

The Good:
The Volt is smooth and quiet and the range predictor is very accurate. The styling also garners praise from most people that see it.

Cars.com’s editors universally appreciate the Volt’s smooth, quiet ride. The cabin itself remains admirably quiet once the gas engine turns on, though the noise is more intrusive than it seemed when I first reviewed the car. Cold weather intensifies it because the engine runs at higher rpm, even at low speeds, to generate warmth.

We also appreciate how accurately the Volt predicts its range. In this regard, our 2011 Nissan Leaf is an enigma. Frankly, we’d prefer the opposite, as the stakes are higher when the Leaf runs out of juice.

Running on electricity: It’s nice not having to frequent gas stations. We could engage in a lengthy debate about how clean an electric car truly is on the grand scheme, and I can’t say I’m a fan of electric utilities, but all the same I underestimated how satisfying it is to not burn petroleum for up to 50 miles. Some of our editors commute in the Volt without using gas at all, depending on conditions. The cost of operation on electricity is undeniably lower than it is for a comparable gas-powered or hybrid car.

The Volt’s styling continues to impress. In a class of dorky high-mileage cars, the Volt is a slick-looking package. It continues to garner praise from onlookers who have never seen a Volt in person.

The Bad:
The brakes are unresponsive and you end up nose diving the car almost every time you park.

The brakes: Our three main complaints about the Volt are the brakes, the brakes and the brakes. I thought the pedal felt pretty decent compared with hybrids when I first reviewed the car last autumn, but we’ve all come to loathe our Volt’s brakes for the dead zone over the first inch or so of pedal travel and the mushiness thereafter. Awkward nosedive braking is all but assured when parking. In an otherwise impressive driving experience, it’s a major downer, and something you experience every single time you drive, making it a potential deal-breaker for shoppers.

Another shortcoming is one you don’t experience every time you drive, and that’s the premium gas requirement. If you run electric-only, all is well, but cars like the Volt are often purchased to save money on fuel (if not the car itself). Premium gas is the province of luxury and high-performance cars, and likely Volt buyers have never touched a premium nozzle in their lives. At an estimated 37 mpg once the engine turns on, the Volt is reasonably efficient, but more affordable cars with comparable interior space are now pushing 40 mpg on regular gas.