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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Chevy loads new Cobalt with value


The engine puts out just 145 horsepower and produces 155 foot-pounds of torque. On paper, you'd think it's a slow poke, but it does run fairly well with driver only, thanks to its slim 2,895-pound curb weight.
 (The Spokesman-Review)
Greg Zyla King Features Syndicate

Chevrolet has a new small car in its stable called Cobalt, and it’s a neat car. Built at the same factory as the 20-plus-year-old Cavalier (Lordstown, Ohio), Cobalt is truly a different car altogether. Colbalt is closer in creed to Saturn’s Ion, and it seems properly placed in the GM lineup to be the “official” successor of Cavalier, perhaps by 2006.

A 2.2-liter, fuel-injected four-cylinder engine mated to a Getrag five-speed manual transmission powers the standard Cobalt LS, although our tester came with the $850 optional automatic transmission. This combination results in adequate acceleration and excellent EPA numbers, which come in at 24 mpg city and 32 mpg highway. The engine puts out just 145 horsepower and produces 155 foot-pounds of torque. On paper, you’d think it’s a slow poke, but it does run fairly well with driver only, thanks to its slim 2,895-pound curb weight.

With the manual transmission, expect even better acceleration and a bump in EPA mileage numbers. Still, we emphasize that this car is not a great accelerator when fully loaded, so drive accordingly when passing and merging. (Chevy’s bow-tie brigade has a 205-horsepower Supercharged Cobalt SS available for the tuner crowd.)

Standard equipment on the base front-drive Cobalt includes the manual tranny, air conditioning, AM/FM/CD with four speakers, power steering, 15-inch wheels and tires, daytime running lamps, height-adjustable driver’s seat and intermittent wipers. Cobalt LS sedans and coupes add alloy wheels, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, all the powers, cruise and an upgraded seat package.

Other standard LS notables include battery rundown protection, keyless entry, rear defroster and a nice floor console with four cupholders. The only other option on our tester was a rear spoiler for $275.

The cabin is functional, with the rear seat able to fold down in a 60/40 setup. You’ll find a nice instrument panel with tachometer and driver information center. All knobs and buttons are placed properly, the seating is comfortable and the ride is not harsh in any manner. Front air bags are standard, while side curtain airbags are available and recommended.

Cobalt’s structural integrity is based on what General Motors calls its “global Delta architecture,” which finds GM working diligently on providing excellent ride and handling characteristics along with noise reduction in its offerings. More European in design theory, GM has scored well with Cobalt, in our opinion. The rigid cockpit structure helps provide a quiet ride as well as load-carrying capability for crash protection.

Cobalt delivers a solid driving experience thanks to a strut front suspension, semi-independent torsion-beam rear suspension, and front and rear stabilizer bars for more exact body-roll control.

We were pleasantly surprised as Cobalt’s handling agility showed through on those twisty country roads we like to drive. Actually, Cobalt performed similar to some of the more expensive sporty cars we’ve tested, so we can imagine how good the SS version will be. The car also has a tight turning radius of only 34.8 feet curb-to-curb.

Important numbers include a wheelbase of 103.3 inches, 13.2-gallon fuel tank (regular grade fuel) and 13.9 cubic-feet of cargo space. Chevy lists the Cobalt as a five-passenger vehicle, but we all know the middle passenger in the back seat will be pretty cramped if of average size.

We’re impressed with Cobalt, and give it a strong 8.5 on a scale of 1 to 10. The final cost of our tester, with $565 destination, came in at $17,610.

Likes: Good handler, quiet, well-built, affordable.

Dislikes: Rear drum brakes, rear-seat legroom.