What surprised me the most about seeing the Volt up close was its size. This is a compact car, not much (if any) larger than a Prius. It was parked next to a current model Malibu, on one side, and a large crossover utility on the other, and it looked small. The GM employee who was driving the car had installed an infant seat in the back behind the driver, and it took up all the space, touching the driver's seat. The car also seemed noticeably short, and according to Edmunds, the Volt is 3" shorter than the Prius.
The volt is definitely going to be a technical triumph, but if it comes in at $35,000+ retail, I don't see how it will be a commercial success.