It has been nearly a quarter-century since Chevrolet introduced the Cavalier in the spring of 1981 as an early 1982 model. GM designed these cars to steal consumers back from the Japanese--hence the "J-Car" appellation. They did not. GM tweaked the Cavalier over the years, with new sheetmetal in 1995. Sales picked up, exceeding half a million in at least one year, yet the press and general public never considered the cars as equivalent to the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

GM had planned to fully redesign the Cavalier earlier, but for one reason or another (budget constraints, poor clinic results) its small car team kept getting sent back to the drawing board. Late this fall GM finally got a Cavalier replacement out the door. The Cavalier name has been dropped in favor of Cobalt since the old name had acquired too many negative connotations as it aged well beyond its prime.

The new car is based on an entirely different platform, GM's global "Delta" architecture. The Saturn ION uses an earlier version of this architecture, but the Cobalt supposedly shares more with GM of Europe's Opel Astra. This bodes well for handling and refinement, as small cars need both to sell well in Europe. Throw a five-speed manual into the mix (Chevrolet's larger sedans are automatic-only) and I'm personally intrigued.

I searched the inventories of half a dozen dealers to find one with a five-speed sedan. Luckily, as I was aiming for the sportiest Cobalt sedan available, this car was equipped with the 1SB Sport Package. This package includes 16-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, a spoiler, and other appearance-oriented items, but doesn't touch the Cobalt's standard seats and suspension.

Update: Months later the SS coupe finally made it to market. My impressions have been appended to the end of my original review.

Styling

All those trips back to the drawing board paid off in at least one area. The Cobalt is easily the best-looking small sedan GM has ever offered in North America. There's nothing flashy about it, but the proportions and surface detailing are up there with the best.

Good proportions begin with the long hood-short deck proportions that have always marked a car as sporty. The short deck is achieved without making the rear end appear stubby. The Cobalt is only two inches longer than the Mazda3, but looks considerably longer.

The related Saturn ION is four inches longer still--I think all in the nose. Excessive front overhang throws off the proportions of many front-wheel-drive GM cars, the ION among them. The Cobalt possesses a healthy amount of front overhang, but it is effectively disguised by large front headlamps the rake back from the bumper and extend well into the fender. Extra points for having the headlamps narrow to a point as they extend back into the fender, so they manage to minimize the appearance of the front overhang without themselves appearing bulky. I also like how they don't reach up into the fender as on some recent Toyotas (Celica, ES 330). Too trendy, and pointless.

A pronounced shoulder, broad flat body-color window frames, and an indentation above the rocker lend visual solidity to the generally conservative--but not too conservative--sheetmetal. The broad C-pillar, which strongly resembles that on the Infiniti G35, further lends the car an upscale look. The 16-inch alloys prove once again that you cannot go wrong with a standard five-spoke design. Overall the exterior appearance is quite European--the Astra influence is readily evident. Most important of all, the Cobalt does not look like a cheap car.

Why doesn't the larger and far blockier Malibu look half this good? Why does the still larger Impala resort to gimmicky creases around the wheels, and still look less sporty? Hopefully the Cobalt indicates Chevrolet's styling direction with all its future sedans. The only danger (which could well be a blessing): no one looking at this car will think it's a Chevrolet.

The interior styling is similarly clean and conservative with a moderately upscale ambiance. The instrument and door panels have more than a little VW influence. The plastics are harder to the touch than you'll find in a pre-2005.5 Jetta, but the look and ambiance aren't far off. Nothing looks or feels downright cheap. On the other hand, the redesigned 2005.5 Jetta has a truly luxury-class interior, restoring its traditional advantage over Detroit's compacts.

The seats unfortunately are upholstered with fabric similar to that in the Malibu and Equinox. This fabric looks and feels durable, but not at all luxurious. Very utilitarian stuff. The optional leather should fix this issue, but I wouldn't count on high-grade hides as the price is a very reasonable $695.

Accommodations

The driving position is considerably better than in the ION courtesy of conventionally located instruments and thinner, more upright A-pillars. The latter permit less acreage atop the instrument panel. Courtesy of a reasonably low cowl and high-mounted seats you sit well above this panel. If anything I'd like the seats a bit lower.

I had another reason for setting the height-adjustable driver's seat at its lowest position: as the seat is raised, it tilts subtly forward. Only in the lowest position did I not feel I was being tipped out of the seat. Hyundai offers separate front and rear height adjustments on its bargain basement Accent. Why can't all cars? While they're adding these adjustments, they might want to make the lever for the recliner much easier to reach--it's currently very far back. I opened the door to get to it without scrunching up my hand.

The seats feel similar to those in the Malibu. They're broad and generally supportive, but are overly firm (in an economy rather than BMW way) and (for a sport sedan) could benefit from more lateral support. Proper sport seats, perhaps those from the forthcoming SS Supercharged Coupe, would be a welcome addition to the Sport Package.

If you need a front center armrest, then you must order the automatic transmission. Would the armrest have interfered with shifting? Plenty of other cars offer a manual together with an armrest, so I'm perplexed. A roomy glove compartment comprises the only interior storage.

The largest weakness of the Cobalt could well be its rear seat. There's a good amount of headroom back there, but knee room is very scarce and the cushion is mounted very low to the floor--so no thigh support. The Saturn ION suffers from a similarly disappointing rear seat, but many other small sedans do not. That in the Ford Focus is perhaps the best. With 180 inches of length to work with (five more than Ford), GM should have done at least as well.

Trunk volume is just average. The rear seat folds in two sections--a feature I have used often in the past.

On the Road

The Cobalt is powered by the same 2.2-liter "Ecotec" four as most of GM's smaller cars. With 145 horsepower it should provide plenty of oomph in a compact sedan, especially when hooked to a manual transmission.

Thus my disappointment when acceleration was just adequate and in no way thrilling. Despite GM continuous attempts to refine it the Ecotec remains a buzzy engine, even compared to the unrefined four in the Mazda Protege5 I personally drive. It does not rev readily. The 2.3-liter four in the Mazda3 and Ford Focus ST is far superior on all counts.

A 170-horsepower 2.4-liter Ecotec four will be available next year. It should help. The supercharged 205-horsepower four that will be offered only in the coupe would be even better. The sport sedan was invented decades ago; why does GM persist in often offering its performance trim lines in coupe form only?

The Cobalt's five gear ratios are taller and more widely-spaced than the compact norm. This blunts acceleration, but aids fuel economy. As a result of this and other measures, the Cobalt's EPA ratings despite its relatively large engine and slightly high curb weight (2900 pounds) are about average for a contemporary compact sedan. A Civic or Corolla is more efficient, but everything else is about the same. I'd expect about 24 MPG in typical suburban driving.

The shifter is notable for having nothing especially notable about it, good or bad. In throw length and feel it is very average. Which is an improvement over past front-drive GM shifters. Now just make it feel like the much-improved unit in the C6 Corvette...

The Cobalt's steering is assisted by an electric motor rather than the conventional hydraulic pump. Though this system boosts fuel economy by about 0.7 MPG, I have strongly disliked it in other GM vehicles (ION, Malibu, Equinox, VUE). In the Cobalt it works a bit better, with more natural weighting as the wheel is turned, but still provides little in the way of feedback.

A larger issue: the Cobalt lacks the feeling of nimbleness and agility I expect in a compact. Aside from the steering, that excess mass is no doubt also a culprit here. To GM's credit, the Cobalt's handling is solid and secure, with acceptable levels of body lean and understeer in turns. It's just not at all sporty. I guess the "Premium Ride" label attached to the suspension should have tipped me off. If you want a "Performance Handling" suspension in the Cobalt, your only option is the SS Supercharged Coupe.

Ride quality is a bright area. The Cobalt rides as well as any compact. Despite the compliant suspension there's no float to speak of. Most notably, the sedan feels solid. Here that extra mass pays off. Noise levels are lower than the compact sedan average--figure about the midsize sedan average. Those more interested in luxury than sport could well be very happy in the LT with its heated leather seats.

Chevrolet Cobalt Price Comparisons and Pricing

For quick, up-to-date pricing, and especially user-specified price comparisons, check out the website I created: www.truedelta.com. Why yet another vehicle pricing website? Well, I personally lacked the patience to keep using the others. They were too slow and required too much effort, especially when trying to compare prices. So I taught myself some programming and created a site where there is no need to dig through option packages, prerequisites, and the like one by one -- the TrueDelta algorithm figures these out for you in one swift pass.

A few examples: A Ford Focus ZX4 ST runs about $300 less with the current rebates ($750 on the Cobalt, $2000 on the Focus). On the other hand, a Mazda3 i runs about $800 more. Both figures can be heavily affected by the options selected, so your best bet is to specify these yourself at my site.

With the current $750 rebate, the Cobalt's price falls near the compact sedan average. Unlike the Cavalier, it will not be bought based on a bargain basement price.

Last Words

Well, the Cobalt is not the compact sport sedan I had personally hoped for. The engine, handling, and seats aren't where they need to be for that role. Some bits from the SS Supercharged Coupe would help.

This said, the Cobalt should appeal to compact sedan buyers more interested in a good, solid car than in agile handling. The styling is very well done and the level of refinement nearly matches the segment leaders (with engine refinement the major shortfall). Both lend the car a much more upscale character than the Cavalier ever possessed. Blindfolded, you'd never guess you were in an American car. Even for these buyers, though, the cramped rear seat and average (at best) fuel economy could be major issues.

Update: SS coupe

The SS coupe was late getting to dealers. And even as I write this it remains in short supply. So when I spied one at a local dealer, I dropped by the next day to take a look. Since the dealer did not want too many miles put on the car my test drive was brief.

The styling of the SS would disqualify it for me. The large Evo-like wing on the trunk just isn't appropriate for a father of three. The bright red trim on the door panels and seats is also a bit much. I do like the large, smoke-colored alloys though. Put it all together, and the SS looks like the best of the tuner cars, just straight from the factory. It might not be appropriate for me, but the target audience should love it. Now only if they could get financed and insured. By the time I drove the car six people, all young men, had already put deposits on it, but none had been able to line up financing and reasonably-priced insurance.

Like the ION Red Line with which it shares the supercharged four, the Cobalt SS is quick, but lacks the huge thrust of a Neon SRT-4. Instead, power builds smoothly with engine speed, such that the car feels less quick than it is. Nevertheless, spinning a front tire when accelerating out of a turn is all too easy. The engine note needs work; despite the DOHC configuration the noise from under the hood is not sophisticated or even sporty.

The SS rides and handles much differently than the sedan I drove last fall. Its suspension is far stiffer and the steering is significantly heavier. The good news is that feel of the steering is better than in any other GM car I've driven with an electrically-assisted system. Also, the SS responds very quickly, with sharp turn-in, and less understeer. The bad news: the ride is now among the harshest I've experienced in recent memory. At first I thought that a tire or two was out of balance. But the salesman informed me that it was just the road.

I drove an SS without the optional Recaros. You want them. While reasonably comfortable, the standard seats don't provide sufficient lateral support for such an aggressively tuned car.

Overall, the biggest surprise was how much better the SS coupe handled than the sedan. But this improvement comes at the expense of ride quality. The SS's styling further restricts the potential market. Unless young men start having an easier time finding money and insurance, the SS might have trouble finding buyers.

A Note on Chevrolet Cobalt Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy a Cobalt rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Chevrolet Cobalt reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need data on all cars--not just the Cobalt--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Some of my reviews of related vehicles:
Chevrolet Malibu review
Ford Focus ST review
Hyundai Elantra GT review
Mazda3 review
Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart review
Nissan Sentra SE-R review
Saturn ION review
Toyota Corolla review
Toyota Corolla XRS review
VW Jetta review [2005.5]


Amount Paid (US$): 18000
Model Year: 2005
Model and Options: LS manual