Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
~alpha
Not true unless the ABS system breaks
"locked brake will flat spot a tire"
Only if you keep doing it.
"piss poor ABS systems can lock up unexpectedly or not work as planned"
Not true unless something is wrong with it.
ABS will stop faster -
Sometimes regular brakes stop faster
but most of the time - if you have an experienced driver - there is not any difference.
I would not buy a new car without ABS (could say the same for air bags)but not because they stop faster - but because the allow better control during a panic stop (steering).
But maybe someone can explain how reducing the force on the brakes (that is what ABS does) even for a split second (or really 10+ times per second) how this reduces the time it takes to stop.
Is it easier to push a car with its wheels locked up - or one than has its wheels turning?
No matter where you live, ABS is a must in my opinion. Wet conditions can be just as bad as snowy conditions.
Downsides were the hard plastic dashboard (but everybody's doing the same in this price class now) and a rather flat, hard seat back.
Hard palstic is everywhere in the Corolla also. I was surprised but like in the Cobalt, it looks good.
ABS should always result in shorter stopping distances on dry pavement because the coefficient of static friction (tire rolling on road) is much greater than the coefficient of kinetic friction (tire sliding on road). Friction is what causes you to stop, and also what allows you to turn.
In honor of this being a Cobalt thread...
I've seen a few sedans on the road now. They look very sharp, and I can't see how anyone would confuse them with a Cavalier.
And side-airbags will soon be standard anyways, so I also consider them a must have.
Lots of dealerships have Cobalt Coupe automatics now, so I won't have a problem finding one to test drive.
I am in the market for the Cobalt LT Sedan (or maybe a Vibe), and will need to purchase/lease in June.
Thanks - Damon
When airbags first became available, there were the paranoid people who thought they would be killed by the airbag exploding out of the steering wheel. Have they seen the videos from the IIHS? Many people feel the same way about ABS, and unfortunately these are the very people that need it most on the roads they drive. I for one don't want one of them driving behind me when I can stop quickly with my ABS car and they come barrelling into me because they couldn't stop (plus the fact they were following too closely too)
I encourage all drivers to avail themselves of all the safety equipment provided on new cars today. ABS is becoming more universally standard as airbags did years ago. Side airbags with head protection is gaining in popularity along with traction and stability control. Lexus is on the forefront with it's pre-accident system. Finally, to all those who think your personal freedoms are being tramped on because of seatbelt laws; if you don't love yourself enough to wear them, wear them for those who love you. They will appreciate it very much.
Does your car have stability control, traction control, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, and brake assist like the RAV4 by Toyota? Wow, talk about drive by computer ;-) By the way, people have been killed and injured by air bags, and ABS screw-ups. And yes, I know air bags can and do work most of the time, and yes, the new ones after 1998 are better - safer. Best device is the safety belt, with shoulder belt. Next subject, flouride in your water ;-)) Ooops, this is off subject. The Cobalt looks like it has a good interior, and a pretty strong base engine, so I would say for those wanted a little Chevy a base one for $15k looks like a really fair deal for the consumer. In the past, I would say wait for the 3rd year as they sort out problems. Maybe I should recall the past each day?
"So, of the 16 cars in this round of testing, 14 — some of them with side airbags and some without — rated "poor." But, remember, when optional side airbags were added to the Chevy Cobalt and the Toyota Corolla, they got the second highest rating, "acceptable".
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7088736/
The Institute also put two of these cars through a high speed "frontal offset" test
"The 2005 Kia Spectra was rated "acceptable" And the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt earned the Institute's highest rating, "good." The Cobalt was also named a best pick".
~alpha
Traditionally, side impacts are MUCH harder to deal with that frontal or frontal offset impacts, due to the smaller amount of space in which to absorb the impact and the small amount of material to absorb the impact.
One major issue that is emerging with the IIHS's test, is that the impact in this type of crash is so severe that frames are bending and the passenger safety zone is severely impacted. Nowadays, very few front crashes (NHTSA or IIHS) involve such a severe deformation of the passenger area that serious injuries (crushing) results. In front crashes the main issue nowadays is how to reduce deceleration forces, not how to avoid intrusions into the passenger area.
Not so with side impact crashes. While the NHTSA has passes most cars in their much less severe side impact test, it has also highlighted some cars (Focus ZX3 is one I know about) for poor protection with risk of injury due to intrusion(rear seat in the ZX3). On the other hand, the NHTSA has given some cars up to 5 star ratings (Golf sith side curtain, I believe) which has created a false sense of security which this new, more severe, IIHS test deflates. In fact the IIHS so ups the ante that of the 16 small cars tested, only two barely passed; the rest were poor with life threatening injuries for the occupants. Keep in mind that a small car has a much more severe weight disadvantage in a side impact from a truck/SUV than a mid or full sized car (and not all mid or full sized cars are passing either).
Now, here's the punchline: Toyota Corolla and Cobalt, each with side curtain air bags, both passed, albeit barely (acceptable, not good). I am amazed that a two year old new model (the Corolla) was able to pass and that anything small from GM is able to pass.
Wait, there's more, and this is the part that blows me away: the Ion failed miserably. I don't mean failed due to an unexpected head impact, but due to extreme intrusion and almost collapse of the body structure.
Whoa, what happened? I thought the Cobalt and Ion were both on the same global GM "platform". I thought that the Cobalt and Ion were identical under the skin. But apparently that is not so. I am very grateful I didn't buy an Ion last year. And this year, although the Ion is supposed to be tweaked to be closer to Cobalt quality (body integrity, noise, etc.) it clearly isn't strong were it counts.
Kudos to Chevrolet for spending extra time on the CAD/CAM computers and supercomputers to get the body strength of the Cobalt to such an amazing level. Shame on Chevrolet and Toyota for not making curtain airbags standard on these small cars already. (I expect a little more from GM since they made ABS standard on the Cavalier for years.) I am hoping that GM will make curtain airbags on the Cobalt, Malibu, and Impala standard for the 06 model line, since they have stated their goal is for universal adoption.
I think based on the test results, Chevy needs to promptly discontinue the Ion and rebadge the Cobalt to sell as an Ion. If other people pick up on this IIHS report, sales of small cars are going to plummet - this is the first solid evidence that mid-sized cars are significantly safer than small cars.
I think it would be a great career move for GM to announce, in light of the IIHS test results, that all remaining 05 Cobalts will come with side curtain airbags standard.
One final note. If you read the reviews on some cars, the Camry I believe and the Malibu, you will see that the IIHS notes "running" or mid-year safety upgrades; I belive the Malibu was given additional door padding (some manufacturers believe better door padding is as effective as, or more so, than actual torso airbags).
This actually squares with my experience in inspecting actual crashed vehicles and the resulting injuries. It was almost impossible to tell if the side-struck vehicle was moving at the moment of impact by looking at the car alone. It was the police report and the victims' interviews that told us what had happened.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/reviews/healey/2005-03-10-cobalt_x.htm
CR will have a test drive of the cobalt next month. from the profile from the current issue the cobalt doesn't look to be too stellar.
still it will probably be one of the few small cars to be recommended because most don't do well in the crash tests.
Much is new, so you might not want to be the first on your block to get one. But based on how it looks and drives, Cobalt is a neat piece of work."
CR LOVES good crash tests. I'm sure it goes a long way for Chevy's chances with getting Cobalt recommended!
And even with the good crash test scores, it won't get a recommendation until it's been on the market a year to get some idea of reliability.
Sorry to post this, but some may have been misled..
Cobalt LS Sedan with 1SB, SAB, MP3, Speakers on order and the dealer wasn't very clear about this? None on the lot to test on.
By the way, I just received the latest issue of Car and Driver and they like the Cobalt overall. They tested an LS 4-door with auto tranny.
Just curious!
Damon
Once sales tax and fees are added on -final price was about $15.6K
CR wasn't all that thrilled with the Cobalt but didn't pan it like it did the ION.
As for the SS, sounds like it's an improvement over the ION red line, but why, oh why do these "sport cars" have those stupid huge wings on the trunks? Do those wings have any use whatsoever outside of cranking the car at maximum speed on a race track?
The SS I saw had one though. Some people love them.
Maybe that is in lieu of them knocking off a $1,ooo or so?
Loren