Add to favorites Examiner Bio

Comparison review: seven economical sedans (sixth place)

The Chevrolet Cobalt drives well but doesn't have much space inside, and isn't
especially inexpensive.

When the Chevrolet Cobalt first came out in 2005, it was supposed to represent the “new General Motors,” sparing no expense to achieve a top-quality car so people would finally pay attention. But now in 2009, it’s being tossed around as an example of “old GM,” cutting corners to offer the lowest price. 

 

The reality is somewhere in between.

 

To start, the Cobalt looks nice, inside and out. The styling is clean and attractive and in no way looks overdone, leaving a positive first impression. But get in, and you get an immediate sense of cheapness. Your driver’s seat is small, hard, shapeless, and generally less comfortable than in other economical cars. Also, if you look around from that unpleasant perch, you’ll also see some poorly aligned interior panels, which won’t likely improve your impression.

 

It’s unfortunate that Chevrolet cut its corners on something used as frequently as the driver’s seat, because “new GM” did a fine job on the Cobalt’s driving dynamics. The smooth, well-controlled ride and well-weighted steering make it feel more substantial than the average economical car. The engine also delivers more pep than the norm – though an unusually firm gas pedal tries to discourage you from finding this out – while still providing class-competitive gas mileage of 24 miles per gallon in the city and 33 on the highway. 

 

Some might complain that the Cobalt isn’t as fun to drive as it might be, however; a few other economical cars have sharper steering response. This Cobalt isn’t designed in any way as a sports sedan, unlike some competitors. (A sportier turbocharged SS model is also offered, at a higher price point.)

 

However, there is no excuse for the Cobalt’s interior packaging, which was sub-par even when it was a new design. While the trunk, at least, is reasonably large for a small car, and no large hinges intrude into the cargo hold, the rear seat is one of the least comfortable available in any current four-door car. Though the Cobalt is one of the largest vehicles in its class, its rear-seat occupants are left with little leg and foot space, and sit on a low, hard bench seat with an uncomfortably-raked backrest. Someone used to an older compact car might shrug off this flaw as inherent in the Cobalt’s size, but its competitors all do much better. It’s hard to even write this off as “old GM,” considering that the Cavalier the Cobalt replaced had decent rear seat space.

 

There are some other “old GM” design flaws visible throughout the car, of the “what were they thinking?” sort. The passenger unlucky enough to be relegated to the already-unpleasant center-rear position would find a cupholder where he might have hoped to put his feet. The (cheap-feeling) parking brake is under the center armrest, an irritation when parking and a potential hazard if for some reason that brake were to be needed in an emergency. 

 

There’s also a lingering touch of “old GM” in the Cobalt’s safety ratings; despite its four standard side airbags, it earned a low three stars out of five for driver protection in NHTSA’s side-impact crash test. It performed well in other crash tests, at least.

 

What’s clearly not “old GM” is the Cobalt’s price. “Old GM” sold cars cheap, but the Cobalt driven for this review had a sticker price of $19,250, the highest of these seven economical cars. Its current no-haggle “Red Tag” price of $16,472 isn’t so great up against competitors’ transaction prices either, even when you consider a few extra features like OnStar and XM satellite radio, both of which require subscription fees. 

 

And despite the solid driving dynamics, the Cobalt’s shortcomings in its seat comfort and rear seat space make the Cobalt cry out for a price advantage over the competition that it just doesn’t have, especially when it isn’t outstanding in other areas. 

 

GM has unveiled a replacement for the Cobalt, the Cruze, that's due out in 2010 as a 2011 model, supposed to be their "we really mean it this time" new GM economical sedan. But the Cobalt will continue to be what Chevrolet is offering at least until then and possibly longer. And while it’s easy to see how someone could buy a Cobalt and be satisfied with it, there are better cars at better prices.