I WANT to love the 2023 Chevy Bolt EV, but the one thing stopping me is the driver’s seat. It’s narrow, and the left side of it digs into my hip and left leg. It’s borderline painful. Not what a person wants when they have bought a brand new car! Could I replace the seat with something better?
I heard a rumor on a web forum that Gen. 2 Chevy Volt PHEV seats have the same bolt pattern.
I took some measurements to compare the driver seat of a 2017 (gen 2) Chevy Volt versus a 2023 Chevy Bolt.
Overall, the Volt seat is slightly wider – up to an inch. See photos for details
Both cars have leather seats. The Bolt EV has a triangular pattern to the perforations in the leather. Both have blue stitching. The Bolt EV seat has power controls and the Volt PHEV has manual seat controls.
It looks like the bolt pattern to mount the seats to the floor is the same – about 16.5″ from side to side and 15.5″ from front to back. I believe that the 2017 Volt seat could be a bolt-in replacement for the 2023 Bolt. It also looks like there’s actually MORE width from the center console to the driver’s door in the BOLT than in the Volt!
So, in theory, the seat should fit, but a person also needs to check the wiring for the air-bag to make sure that still functions properly. It seems likely that it’s just two wires, but probably with a different connector on it.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I have a 2020 LT and also find the seats uncomfortable. More noticeable than narrowness is when exiting and my left thigh hits the outboard plastic trim that is where one of the airbags are located.
My leg doesn’t even get a chance to hit the airbag/trim. The left part of the seat bottom comes up so sharply that my thigh just gets impaled on that before hitting the plastic!
It might be less of an issue on a lower car, but it’s still a bit of a reach down to the ground on the Bolt EV.
We avoided a 2019 Bolt for the same reason, front seat narrowness and discomfort. It is disappointing that they have not improved the seats by 2023….
I have a ’23 Bolt as well but find the seats to be relatively comfortable. I’ve spent a few hours in the first gen Bolt seats too and my only complaint there was lack of shoulder space. Even that wasn’t that bad but I think my frame is closer in size to your average South Koreans that the seats seem to be designed for.
But I am very interested to see how this plays out. Personally, I would love to lower the Bolt EV seat, so it feels less like a crossover and more like a hot hatch. Any discoveries you make on that front would be greatly appreciated!
Enginerd,
Do you have the leather or the cloth seats?
I’m also curious how the difference in material effects comfort. I have the 2023 2LT, so leather seats. I’ve noticed the part of the seat bottom that curves up is VERY stiff, (and cuts into my leg) and I think part of the issue is the material.
-Ben