Review
Introduction
The Cobalt might not be the best small car on sale in America, but a combination of good value and excellent gas mileage—37 mpg on the highway for LS and LT XFE models—has ensured that the car is selling well, although it still trails the Honda Civic, the Toyota Corolla, and the Ford Focus in overall sales.
The Cobalt is offered in coupe and sedan body styles, with two different engines. The base powerplant is a 2.2-liter, inline four-cylinder engine that produces 155 horsepower, an increase of seven horsepower over the 2008 model, thanks to the addition of variable valve timing. The SS coupe and sedan use a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four that produces a whopping 260 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The SS has a five-speed manual transmission that is also standard on LS and LT models, although those offer an optional four-speed automatic, a transmission type unavailable on the SS.
Verdict
The Cobalt was introduced as a 2005 model, and it looks nice enough but suffers from a drab, cheap-seeming interior and somewhat unrefined engines. Plus, a four-speed automatic transmission seems like ancient technology nowadays.
However, the latest revisions to the XFE models (see below) promise even better fuel economy than the ’08 XFE returned; city driving remains at 25 mpg, but highway mileage has improved from 36 to 37 mpg.
The SS, for all its low-rent interior furnishings, is a smoking performance deal. It outperforms many much-more-vaunted machines on the track and easily records sub-6.0-second 0-to-60-mph times. It also handles really sweetly.
What’s New for 2009
There are a whole host of revisions to the Cobalt range. The naturally aspirated Ecotec engine gets variable valve timing and a 7-hp boost to 155 horsepower. New 15-inch low-rolling-resistance tires are fitted to the manual-transmission LS and 1LT models in an effort to get better gas mileage, a move that’s also behind longer final-drive ratios. Manual LS and 1LT Cobalts are given the XFE moniker, which stands for “Xtra Fuel Economy.”
OnStar is now standard on all models, Bluetooth functionality has been added, and there is an iPod-compatible USB port in the radio. The Sport model has gone away, replaced by a Sport Appearance package that’s available on the 2LT model. This consists of a rear spoiler, larger body-color fascias and rocker panels, 17-inch polished aluminum wheels, fog lamps, white-faced sport gauges, and a leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel.
Finally, a forced-induction sedan joins the coupe in the SS lineup.
Highlights and Recommendations
The Cobalt range is pretty simple. There are SS, LS, 1LT, and 2LT models, with a Sport Appearance package available on the latter.
The base Cobalt retails for just over $16,000, although we suspect most GM dealers are selling them for less. For that money, air conditioning is standard, along with an audio input jack and a height-adjustable driver’s seat. The 1LT adds remote power locking and sport cloth seats, but our preference is for the 2LT, which has standard ABS, cruise control, and 16-inch aluminum wheels. The 2LT starts at $17,130 and is available with leather-appointed seats that are heated up front, as well as a leather-wrapped shifter and steering wheel.
The Sport Appearance package adds $995 to the price, but we think enthusiast drivers would be better served ponying up for the SS, which starts at just over $24,000. The SS adds a sport-tuned suspension, stability control, Brembo front brakes, a body kit, 18-inch forged aluminum wheels shod with summer tires, sport seats with suede-like inserts, and a specific gauge cluster. The coupe even gets a reconfigurable display that allows the driver to see 0-to-60-mph times and cornering g-loads. Perfect for the street racers out there!
Safety
The Cobalt has standard front and curtain airbags. Crash performance is good enough that the car is a Best Pick of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Anti-lock brakes are standard on the 2LT and SS models and optional on the 1LT and LS. Four-wheel discs are only fitted to the SS models, which also have stability control. Traction control is standard on cars equipped with ABS and an automatic transmission.
