Chevrolet Cobalt

johnclineii

GM HOPED not to offer ANY rebates on this car. Of course, time, the marketplace and management squirrelyness will all be factors as to whether or not rebates are offered. Your guess is as good as mine is as good as anyone else's...

jpryba

I had a chance to check out a few Cobalts yesterday. One of them was unlocked, so I was able to get in and really check out the interior. I was hoping that the top part of the dash would be soft, but it was hard plastic. In fact, most of the interior seemed was made of hard plastic. However, these hard plastics had a nice texture/feel to them.

The only part that really "gave way" as I felt my way through the interior was the B-pillar, although even then the plastics used were a much better quality than anything I've seen in a GM product before.

The HVAC controls felt a bit flimsy when I played around with the dials, but the radio controls were a bit nicer.

The driver's seat could use a tilt adjustment for the seat cushion, but at least the height is adjustable. I noticed that the seat track also goes wayyyy back, to the expense of those in the rear seat, of course. Maybe it's just the one Cobalt I sat in, but the driver's seat felt ever so slightly loose on its track (I could wiggle around and feel the seat move barely a fraction of an inch).

I didn't check under the hood, but I did look in the trunk, which seemed big enough to me. The trunk lid is on gas struts if I recall correctly.

Overall, although some of the plastics are a bit hard, the Cobalt's interior gets the job done nicely for its class (something which you can't really say about the new Malibu).

joe3891

>>(something which you can't really say about the new Malibu).<<

That's a joke, after owning 4 Cavaliers and now a 04 Malibu, the GM small cars to put it nicely are of low quality. GM will force you to move up to get anything good, it's planned that way.

jpryba

Have you actually had the chance to sit in a new Cobalt yet? It's light years ahead of the Cavalier, although not up to Honda or Toyota standards (but it certainly does try).

As for the Malibu, the 04 has a decent interior, but compare it to the others in its class and I think you'll find there are improvements to be made.

GM has had more time to work on the Cobalt's interior, and I think it works better, relatively speaking for its class, than the Malibu.

Obviously in some ways the Malibu has a better interior than the Cobalt, but remember that I was talking about comparing it to others in its class. In this case, the Cobalt does fairly well compared to its competitors while the Malibu needs more work compared to its own competition.

venus537

if the cobalt is anything less than a dramatic improvement over the cavalier then this car would have to be considered a failure.

lets face it, the bar isn't exactly set very high with the cavalier.

don't get so hung up on rebates as it erodes the resale value. you usually don't get big discounts on a high quality car because it's in demand! you got to be willing pay for a desirable car.

you'll like this part of this equation when it's time to trade your car in.

vanman1

If you ever sit in a Corolla, you will see hard plastic everywhere. It looks pretty good but it's there. I suspect the Cobalt has copied this idea.

kurtamaxxguy

Saw my first COBALT today. Reminded me of my Saturn ION but with better interior trim. Nice sealing on the doors.

Headliner is woven fabric similar to Mailbu (2005 ION's = mouse fur badly attached to the roof). Dashtop similar to ION but inserts soft rather than hard plastic. Lots of chrome accents - sun reflections, anyone? Seats felt kinda small - heigth adjustment similar to ION (jacks up bottom cushion only). Door trim had some soft fabric inserts on armrest. HVAC controls easier to use (turn more freely).
 
Rear seat big disappointment - little foot room, no thigh support (seat way too low); same old tired GM problem that VW and Toyota solved years ago.

Did not drive it yet...perhaps later this year.

Also, wrt fleet sales, remember that GM's Bob Lutz emphatically stated the new (2004) Mailbu would not be sold to fleets (only the "classic" would be). Guess what? Rental fleets now have lots of new 2004 Malibus and Mailbu Maxxes!

ateixeira

For a while they did hold them back. But they need volume sales even if they're not profitable.

-juice

joe3891

>> Have you actually had the chance to sit in a new Cobalt yet? <<
 No and I don't intend to, driving a Malibu now I will never drop down a class again. In general GM cars are not that good, but they are cheap with incentives . Knowing GM like I do the Cobalt will not be a good car, it will have a lot of cheap parts on it. Malibu parts will never find there way into a Cobalt , the small cars are made cheaper.

kurtamaxxguy

this link is now dead, apparently (no review).

ndsax707

Here's a quick poll that probably isn't deserving of its own board...

If you had about $22k to drop on a car which would you buy, the supercharged tC or the Cobalt SS Supercharged and why? These are the two cars at the top of my list for this spring.

alpha01

But I find the tC more attractive...which is subjective. I also like the interior design of the tC a bit more... its more youthful. And the huge sunroof and reclining rear seats are neat features. The tC also has the knee airbag, if thats really worth anything, I'm not sure. One thing- does anyone know what the power and torque ratings are for the supercharged tC?

~alpha

ateixeira

tC is a bit heavy, but other than that I really like it. Resale would also likely be stronger.

But that's all on paper.

I'd drive both and pick the one that felt better from behind the wheel. Gotta drive 'em.

-juice

johnclineii

and I would do what *I* wanted to do, without regard to what others told me they would do. It's YOUR car, you are the one driving and paying for it. All that being said, you asked. I'd probably wait to see the new Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan if I at all could. Or buy a Civic.

 

I was very excited about the new Cobalt. Then I saw one. Still haven't driven one yet, but I doubt I will regret I have already bought a different car (I couldn't wait any longer and bought in mid-October). Yes, I was serious about looking at Cobalt. Yes, I bought an AWD Ford Five Hundred SEL. Yes, I look at many different kinds of cars at the same time. I also considered an Acura TL and a Subaru Outback!

joe3891

and the Cobalt, about the same class LOL.

johnclineii

Agreed entirely. There are Maximas and Chevy (Corolla) Novas and Concordes and T1000's and Olds LSS's and Pontiac Grand Prixs and Ford LTD's and AMC Gremlins and Nissan Maxima SE's in my past, too!

 



 

And my Mom owns a Cavalier...a Cavalier I thought would be the ideal car for her...so far, it has been!

muffin_man

Looked at a Cobalt sedan today - not thrilled with the exterior styling, but the interior was very nice, possibly best in class. They didn't have any coupes, but that is really what I want to look at up close. (specifically an SS)

dieselg4

Kudos to you, I almost never shop withing the same "class". I like differnt cars for differnt reasons, and often shop cars that don't "compete".

For example, I now own a 2002 VW Golf GLS TDI. I'll be corss shopping in the spring the Ford 500 (value & CVT, 4wd), Mazda 3 (excellent handling & styling), a used 00-01 BMW 3 series (See Mazda 3, Used maxima (had one b4 and love it), and CR-V (honda dealer close ot work, AWD, clean styling and refinement.

malibu99

While having my Trailblazer's oil changed I sat in a new Cobalt...it is a nice car but I am very disapointed with the dash...the top part is hard plastic...if you tap it with your nails you get that "cheap plastic" sound...I cant believe they made the cavalier's dash top out of a soft material but they went cheap with the Cobalt...other than that it is a nice car, but it still feels kinda cheap

joe3891

It makes no sense to compare a 500 to cobalt. If your looking in one class You compare it that same class. You don't say I looked at a Cobalt but purchased a 500.

vanman1

Go sit in a Corolla, same black plastic. Cobalt is a very competitive car now.

malibu99

Don't get me wrong..I would never buy Japanese, Chevy fan here, but there is NO EXCUSE why Chevy should copy Corolla or try to meet their standard...what Chevy needed to do with this car was show people that they can build a BETTER car than Toyota Corolla, not the SAME...they had to raise the bar higher...I just think that as long as we are happy with meeting the Japanese standards they will continue to surpass us. by the time the next Corolla gets released, the Cobalt will have the standards of the previous generation Corolla. In my opinion Chevy should have raised the bar so that when the next Corolla comes out people go " Wow, Chevy had that way before they did". So having the same plastic as a Corolla is not acceptable in my eyes

johnclineii

I looked at a Cobalt but purchased a Five Hundred (Not a 500, there is no such thing).

 

And I DO say it.

 

Why not? It's the truth!

 

I also looked at the new STS.

 

And the LaCrosse.

 

And a Mazda3, Mazda6 Sportwagon and even an Acura TL.

 

And a Subaru Outback and/or Legacy, the latter with the turbo 4 cylinder!

 

You would rather I NOT say what I did?

bporter1

You hit the nail on the head with what you said above. I agree 100%. I have not seen a Cobalt up close, but the new Chevy Uplander has the same plastic top for the dash. Anyway, no doubt the Cobalt is light years ahead of the Cavalier, and is competitive with the Civic and the Corolla. But it has to be better than the competition, not on par with the competition.

joe3891

>>I looked at a Cobalt but purchased a Five Hundred (Not a 500, there is no such thing).<< Picky,picky 500 is easier to type, especially for and old man who learned to type out of a book.

bporter1

I went to a large dealership today to check out the new Cobalt. I came way very impressed. The car is definately competitive with the Civic and Corolla.I did not drive one, but the interior is pretty nice looking. Way better than the Cavalier.

venus537

the mazda 3 is the new bench mark for cars in this class. and a new civic is coming out next fall. even the elantra is becoming a solid entry in this class. the cobalt faces some stiff competition.

 

the cobalt will sell regarless, it's only a matter on how it sells. will it be like the cavalier requiring heavy discounts?

beach15

Most likely. It's a MUCH better car than the Cavalier, but a John Deere tractor was more advanced than a Cavalier, so that's not saying much. Pretty nice interior and drive, but doesn't seem to be the "full package" a Mazda 3, for example, is, with its great driving experience AND awesome looks.

 

I just see the Cobalt selling ok, then big incentives come, more people buy them because they're more affordable then, and the rest get sold to fleet and rental buyers. Kind of like what happened with the new Malibu that "would not be going into rental fleets" per GM's own words...well, that didn't last long.

 

I really wish they could at least make one major "hit" car that got all the marks for styling, quality, performance, and price, but it just doesn't seem too likely.

johnclineii

Hey. Wait a minute. John Deere tractors are among the best products available on any market. Obviously, you are not familiar with Deere.

 

Nothing runs like a Deere. Period. No need to diss them.

 

If the r*ce word is not allowed to characterize certain styles of hotrodding (and it isn't and shouldn't be), why would you think it is okay to pick on agricultural people (farm boys and girls!) and our products we use every day?

 

Somehow, I doubt you know much about John Deere tractors.

 

And by the way, it's John Deere IS, not John Deere WAS.

 

If you must make such a reference, perhaps you meant a Ford tractor. Ford has been out of the small tractor business for a long time.

vanman1

I actually disagree. I see this car selling very well. Yes, there will be incentives, everyone has them. I just don't see anything close to what they have on Cavalier, this car is a winner from what I see if the quality is there.

muffin_man

I have yet to drive a Cobalt, but inside and out, I like the Cobalt Coupe better than the Mazda 3.

 

johnclineii - Is it true that John Deere is the tractor of choice for the International Space Station?

dan165

I was reading there will be a 3 week delay in coupe production because of metal stamping issues. Looks like mostly sedans for another month.

bporter1

I think the Cobalt will sell well also. The Cobalt is conceived to bring buyers from the Civic and the Corolla, hence the conservative styling outside and the much better design inside. When the coupe and the SS come out, they may steal some buyers from the Mazda 3.

savetheland

I rented recently Chevy Classic. Man it was a big disappointment. Yes, it was comfortable enough on the freeway. But noise coming out of drive-train (I2.2L). Brakes are too stiff and I had a problem to stop the car before used to start braking earlier. Steering sucks most. Cheap materials all around - it is another story. No passing power on freeway. Suspension is archaic. I wonder how it was able to get coveted COTY from MT. After this experience I was not very exited to walk into Chevy dealership any time soon.

 

So I think it is a good thing that they went rental with new Malibu. Rental car driving experience affects the future purchasing decisions. If you rent something like Malibu Classic or Grand Prix you will have no respect for GM whatever MT says.

 

Considering hard plastic &#150; my Focus has hard plastic on the top of dashboard and all around. But it is well made and you forget about it immediately when drive the car, because it drives like a sports car &#150; fast, precise, comfortable, good suspension, good seats. Will Cobalt be able to match Ford Focus? I am not so sure considering Ecotec 2.2 and typical GMs approach to make mediocre cars. I would prefer to be proven wrong. I am also not very excited about Japanese taking market share from traditional big three.

beach15

I don't think the Cobalt is terrible, just that it isn't "awesome" and it really would have been good if it had been a smash hit, finally, maybe, something that GM "couldn't make enough of."

 

And the comments about Jonh Deere....you guys are taking them WAY to seriously. I should have just said "your average riding lawn mower" because that's what I meant...no bad words against "the Deere".

dontshopthewal

Well.. the design is old. The Classic's structure comes from the previous design of the Malibu(1997-2003 models). Try one of Chevy's new redesigned products and you shouldn't be dissapointed.

muffin_man

I think the Cobalt sedan is nicer than most of its competitors, but you're right, it isn't awesome.

 

The coupe on the other hand, is pretty awesome. Looks wise, I think it is the best looking coupe under $25k. I am really looking forward to driving the SS.

bigdaddycoats

http://wardsauto.com/ar/auto_chevys_changing_smallcar/index.htm

savetheland

I saw rental Cobalt (as well as G6, though cannot say was it rental or not) just yesterday in Carmel, CA. Looks much nicer than Ion inside/outside. Ion was a one huge mistake for GM IMHO.

 

Well, but they need get rid of Ecotec 2.2. Fords new I4 engines are ages ahead. GM needs better engines if they want seriously compete with Ford/Honda/Toyota trio.

alternator

What are the pros and cons of these engines?

vanman1

Why?? The Ecotec is a thoroughly modern, reliable and powerful engine with more power than almost anything in it's class. Why would GM replace it??

 

I'd take an Ecotec over any Ford engine any day.

billmchale

Why do they need to get rid of the 2.2? Not saying there is no room for improvement under the hood, but it gets decent gas mileage (only 1 mpg less than the focus 2.0 liter) and has anywhere from 9-18 more HP than the focus, civic or corolla base engines and significantly more torque. Perhaps GM could offer a version of the engine designed to trade some of that extra power for fuel economy, but I don't see the ecotec as lacking compared to the other engines.

1487

The new MT has a test of the Cobalt SS. The numbers were impressive. It blows everything else in the class away, except the Neon SRT-4 of course. There is no Mazda, Toyota or Honda that offers this level of performance. It's closest competition would be the RSX Type S.

savetheland

Unlikely. Ecotec V6 was used in CTS and Vue. You cannot compare it to Honda or Northstar. Ecotec is an aged engine line from boring Opel (that does not sell well). You can compare it with Ford's Zetec.

 

To see the difference just drive any car with Ecotec 2.2 and then with new PZEV 2.3 from Ford/Mazda. E.g. Focus/Mazda3 or even Mazda6. Duratec 2.3 feels almost like V6 in comparison.

venus537

then you can compare ford's i2.3l to honda's i2.4l. you can see the difference there too. 4 cylinder motoring doesn't get any better with honda's i2.4l.

 

the ecotec i2.2l is just fine and very competitive for the cobalt. less so for the malibu and the upcoming 4 cylinder G6 though.

eaton53

The GM/Opel Ecotech 3.2 V6 has an iron block w/aluminum heads, 54 degree vee angle, Bore x Stroke of 87.4mm x 87.9mm and belt driven camshafts.

 

The Ecotech 2.2 is all aluminum, is an inline 4 cylinder, Bore x Stroke of 86.0mm x 94.6mm and chain driven camshafts.

 

The Ecotec 2.2-liter debuted in the 2000 Saturn L-series... these engines share names, but otherwise have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

muffin_man

You are totally off - do some research.

savetheland

Why do I need to make research? I drove CTS with V6 Ecotec, Malibu with I4 Ecotec. Camry is boring, but with older 2.2L it is still much better than smaller Malibu. And Focus is like rocket compared to Malibu, the whole powertrain is very smooth and responsive.

 

Yes I agree that Honda makes one the best engines in the industry, so it is difficult to beat Honda in engine department. Mazda also makes good engines and 2.3 Duratec is designed and made by Mazda. Ford started to make it also in Spain, Detroit and other places because of high global demand. It is pretty modern engine. PZEV means something. Mazda variation has VVT and other modern features.

eaton53

"I drove CTS with V6 Ecotec, Malibu with I4 Ecotec."

 

Why do you keep bringing up the Opel V6? It has nothing to do with the Cobalt or its I4 Ecotech.

 
"And Focus is like rocket compared to Malibu"

 

Well, I'd certainly hope so... the Malibu is a heck of a lot bigger.

johnclineii

Can we focus on the Cobalt here, please?