Chevrolet Cobalt

theo2709 · April 2004

Chevy has done evil with the SS S/C coupe. When it was unveiled in LA, and at Detroit, they said that it was making 220 HP and it could make more with the exhaust tweaks they were working on. Well guess what, it makes 205HP, same as the Redline. Lies!

rctennis3811 · April 2004

..but it does have a better interior.

montanafan · April 2004

Looked at GM Media site for the LA & Detroit Auto Shows press releases and they both say that the SS Supercharged horsepower rating would be released later.

alternator · May 2004

With all the photos already on the web, the underwhelming activity in this discussion group indicates such apathy that GM must juice-up the looks and/or interior, or something, if they hope to have a best seller (i.e. Cavalier) in the new Cobalt/Pursuit line!

johnclineii · May 2004

Er, I don't agree.

There is NO news on this car and hasn't been for months. There is a similar dearth of activity on other cars to be introduced this fall, such as the Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego.

Hold your horses.

Wait to diss the car until you have at least had the opportunity to see PRODUCTION models.

I saw the prototypes at the Detroit Auto Show (NAIAS) and was much impressed. This ain't no Cavalier.

alternator · May 2004

Surely the 84 pictures at http://www.wieck.com/public, and the many other pictures at http://www.chevrolet.com/cobalt, are pretty indicative of what the 2005 Cobalt will look like. I see a Mazda3 front end (including the bulging hood I dislike in the Mazda3) attached to a Cavalier rear two-thirds. Others may well see something quite different. And, strange me, I have never seen very much wrong with Cavaliers. But my point is -- where is the enthusiasm within this discussion group? My last six cars have been: 1984 Cavalier hatchback, '87 Cavalier hatchback, '89 Cavalier coupe, '92 Cavalier coupe, '96 Cavalier coupe (which I still own) and a 2002 Mazda Protege. I have enjoyed every one of my Cavaliers and I had very little trouble with them. So I am not biased against Chevrolet in any sense. I just wish GM had gone for a bigger leap forward in styling.

jeigh1194 · May 2004

From what I've read of the specs for each trim of the Cobalt, Chevrolet is doing the ol' tease again.
The LS and base models offer the manual transmission. But the SS model seems to be only offered with an automatic. For crying out loud why???
If you want performance with the manual tranny then you'll have to step up to the supercharged model. Which doesn't really appeal to me because it'll probably require premium gas. Hello? Defeats the purpose of buying an 'economy' car.
Why the hell isn't Chevrolet offering the SS model with a manual Getrag transmission like all the other trims?
This pisses me off.

montanafan · May 2004

Do the math. Premium isn't the killer you may think. In our area it is $.10 more then regular. If you drove 18,000 per year and got 24 MPG, you would buy 750 gallons of gas. 750 gallons times the $.10 difference is $75 per year or $6.25 per month. Adjust the calcualtion for your needs, but I wouldn't rule out a car just on the need for premium.

bigdaddycoats · May 2004

The manual in the SS models is due in June 05.

ateixeira · May 2004

That's really dumb, the press will test automatics and call them slow. By the time it does come out they will have lost people's attention.

-juice

jeigh1194 · May 2004

How do you know that? You work for GM?

bigdaddycoats · May 2004

No, I do not work for GM. That is the information I was given by a GM employee. Very credible.

jchan2 · May 2004

the Cobalt isn't an economy car anymore. That niche is for the Daewoo rebadged Aveo. The Cobalt is a "premium sport compact car" (GM's words, not mine)

alternator · May 2004

If the price matches the name "premium sport compact car", then I believe there will be few who will buy a Cobalt. Certainly very few of the former Cavalier fans (and there were many --- just check the overall sales figures).

theo2709 · May 2004

In the G6 press kit, it says it's not getting the 2.4L Ecotec until the 06 model year, and it will be automatic only, at least upon release. The same may be true for the Cobalt, I have to check that.

bigdaddycoats · May 2004

Cobalt gets a manual in June of 05. Could be a 06, not sure though.

ateixeira · May 2004

Big mistake, how can you even call yourself a sport anything without a manual tranny?

The target audience is exactly the demographic that will care about tranny choices, too.

They're just saying the Aveo is the cheapy car now, so Cobalt doesn't have to be. And they hope it'll appeal to the trendy Sport Compact crowd. Premium also means those people are willing to pay more for it.

But after GM labeled its mininvans "Crossover Sport Vans" you know not to give one iota of credibility to the labels they assign.

-juice

jchan2 · May 2004

The budget Cavalier shoppers who can't afford buying the "premium sport compact" Cobalt can always buy an Aveo, which some people think is a much better car than the Cavalier, even though it is a rebadged and imported Daewoo.

johnclineii · May 2004

Having seen both at NAIAS, the Detroit Auto Show, I cannot imagine ANYONE would think the Aveo was a better car than the Cavalier. Anyone at all.

And the Cobalt appears to be worlds better than either.

alpha01 · May 2004

"Having seen both at NAIAS, the Detroit Auto Show, I cannot imagine ANYONE would think the Aveo was a better car than the Cavalier. Anyone at all."

Oh you've seen both! Consider changing your name to expertclineii, please. Just a bit of good-hearted chiding

Seriously, though... have you driven a Cavalier recently? I have. Its pathetic. Its MSRP is only loosely based in reality. The ride is terrible, but the handling doesnt feel nimble, the cockpit materials would embarass Fisher Price, driving position is awful. The headrests (which dont lock) are VINYL even on models priced at $17K, offset and side impact scores are disastrous, the seats are thin, uncomfortable, and poorly shaped, the warranty is poor, I could go on. The only redeeming feature is the Ecotec- a good engine, fairly refined (not class leading) offering good acceleration and fuel economy.

For the Cobalt to be anything but a home-run, comparatively, would be a downright shocker.

~alpha

ateixeira · May 2004

Yeah, I rented a Sunfire convertible and it was so bad that I swore off that rental company entirely. If I want a drop-top now, I use a company that only carries Sebrings, so I don't get stuck with another J car.

There was lots of room for improvement, let's see how the Cobalt drives.

-juice

jeigh1194 · May 2004

For myself, it's either the Chevy Cobalt SS with a manual tranny (fingers crossed).
Or the Toyota Scion tC about to be released soon. That Scion tC is niiiiiiiiiice.

johnclineii · June 2004

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0406/15/b01-183847.htm

muffin_man · June 2004

My gut is telling me tC, but I'm going to have to drive them both.

I think that the SS Supercharged is going to walk all over the tC supercharged, and that is pretty important in this segment.

alternator · June 2004

My post of May 3, 2004 lamented the fact that "the underwhelming activity in this discussion group indicates such apathy that GM must juice-up the looks and/or interior, or something, if they hope to have a best seller (i.e. Cavalier) in the new Cobalt/Pursuit line!"

My post of May 4, 2004 said "I have enjoyed every one of my Cavaliers and I had very little trouble with them. So I am not biased against Chevrolet in any sense. I just wish GM had gone for a bigger leap forward in styling".

Now I see there has been a gap of 34 days between postings in this discussion (from May 12th to June 15th). I believe the apathy has been sufficiently proven.

muffin_man · June 2004

I actually meant to say my gut is telling me Cobalt. That's weird.
I'm actually pretty excited to see the Cobalt out on the road, but there isn't really much more to talk about until it gets here.

johnclineii · June 2004

Alternator, it's pretty normal at this stage for discussion to die down for a while (or, worse, to go completely off topic until the hosts put a stop to it).

Besides, this car is not marketed towards enthusiasts. Wait and see. And remember, GM's primary goal is to raise its profit margin (or, rather, stop the loss margin) from the Cavalier...

jchan2 · June 2004

at least this discussion is not veering off topic like some other discussions. And most discussions start to die down when there's a lack of information. The ones that keep on going either are off topic or they're talking about something only slightly related to what the discussion is actually about.

montanafan · June 2004

At the travelling GM Auto Show in Motion, the booklet indicates that the Cobalt LT is on display. Trying to get over to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA this weekend.
http://www.autoshowinmotion.com

alternator · June 2004

When I went to the "vehicles gallery" in http://www.autoshowinmotion.com there was no Cobalt to be seen. Did I miss something? Maybe you should call someone and check before you travel to Foxboro.

montanafan · June 2004

I have the actual booklet given out at the show. A friend was there on Thursday, and dropped off a copy.

Chevrolet Pavilion
Stop by the Chevrolet Pavilion to check out the all-new Chevrolet line-up. Feature vehicles will include hot products such as the Cobalt LT Sedan, Equinox, SSR, Colorado Extreme, Aveo, Malibu Maxx and much more!

But your right, still dosen't mean the car is there. A posted the link so any one that wanted to sign up for Foxboro, or the upcoming shows eleswhere, could check it out. Maybe someone will post back for sure to say its there. And I would be going to drive the GTO, GXP, and maybe a spin in the 325ia/ES330/C320. Cobalt and G6 sightings would just be a jump start on next years autoshows.

alternator · June 2004

If you see Cobalt, let us know exactly what your impressions are. Interior still looks very Cavalier to me.

alternator · June 2004

Here is an interesting interview of GM's Lori Queen (she is the new small car honcho at GM)

http://www.autoweb.lycos.com/content/research/index.cfm?id=10714;- - TAWEB&action=ShowArticle&aid=139128

She projects optimism, but the Cobalt images I've seen are not that encouraging IMO (I wish they were).

alternator · June 2004

is encouraged by GM to be positive about the Cobalt in this preview :

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=19&article- _id=8207

but I'm not sure he is buying it.

tarquini · June 2004

I am not sure where you get the idea that the writer isn't "buying it", throughout the entire article he does state that he is trying to not over-do the praise or be over enthusiastic. But he does come off as very positive despite his caution with comments such as:

"Now the post-drive synopsis: The Cobalt has been to charm school. That?s a fact, not an impression, so we can blurt it right out."

and

"But things are different this time."

and

" but the interior is a mini-Lexus in its shapes, tones, and textures. Chrome touches are back, in the bezels and door handles."

and

"So we?re cautiously optimistic."

Then he concludes by stating that the fairly abysmal Saturn Ion might have been GM's low point and that the Cobalt might help turn back the red ink for this floundering domestic car company, in not so many words of course.

Just my two cents.

alternator · June 2004

Is "Were cautiously optimistic" an endorsement? And is this statement encouraging: "The exterior is a yawner, one more 'universal small sedan'" ?

tarquini, your expectations are just much higher than mine I believe!

dan165 · June 2004

I read that the 2005 ION will get a big re-do including big upgrades to the interior, front grill and some mechanicals. The new 2.4 will be an option also.

ateixeira · June 2004

Move the guages to the driver's side, few people like that setup.

-juice

tarquini · June 2004

First off that last sentence of yours makes very little sense in structure, I have very little to go off as to your actual meaning. Secondly, do you think the civic isn't a yawner of an exterior? Most high volume cars aren't extraordinarily distinctive.

Personally, I am fairly hopeful that the car turns out to be everything GM is trying to make it out to be, and I will remain optimistic until the day I can test drive one and decide for myself. Dismissing even a long shot is nothing short of stupidity, and constantly putting down a product that isn't even completed is a little rude.

alternator · July 2004

I have owned five Cavaliers in a row, and gotten good service from everyone of them. I'm not trying to shoot down the Cobalt. I'm just disappointed that nothing more has been done in the styling department (either exterior or interior), based on all the photos I have seen to date. That's just one man's opinion --- mine. Words like "stupidity" and "rude" do not belong in this discussion. I will not be contributing further to any discussion between the two of us. Let it go please.

ateixeira · July 2004

I think they cut the Civic some slack because as an appliance it's reliable as a Maytag.

-juice

a_l_hubcaps · July 2004

I think the Cobalt coupe looks very nice, particularly the rear, but the sedan styling strikes me as somewhat "lumpy" and incoherent. The Corolla has a bit of that problem too, but I think it's worse on the Cobalt. Interiors look 100% better than Cavalier and previous-gen Malibu, though.

-Andrew L

a_l_hubcaps · July 2004

By the way, I was wondering what people are expecting in terms of Cobalt pricing. My guess is that it will be stickered just like the Cavalier ($14-19K), but you will actually pay that price rather than receiving a massive rebate and discounts. Judging from the apparent level of quality and equipment, I don't think GM could afford to hand out Cobalts for $10,000 like they do with Cavaliers.

-Andrew L

johnclineii · July 2004

At the NAIAS (the Detroit Auto Show), GM reps present said there would be a substantial price increase over the current Cavalier, and that those who now found the Cobalt beyond their pocketbook might want to look at the Chevy Aveo.

alternator · July 2004

I took a "look" online. I wouldn't consider an even-trade of my 1996 Cavalier for a 2005 Aveo thank you.

johnclineii · July 2004

I took a look at the show. I have to agree. There is NO way I would even remotely consider buying an Aveo or advising anyone else to do so. And I drive my Mom's 2003 Cavalier quite frequently (and find it very comfortable, even though my car is an Impala LS!)

a_l_hubcaps · July 2004

That's interesting...I sat in both at the auto show, and I actually preferred the Aveo over the Cavalier. The Aveo had better overall packaging. Both had shoddy interiors, but that's acceptable for $10,000. Of course, I didn't drive them, so maybe that's where the Cavalier is better.

-Andrew L

johnclineii · July 2004

WHERE did you sit in a Cobalt at an auto show?

It is my understanding that all Cobalts displayed to date have been inaccessible to the public....you can look from a distance, but not touch or sit...

Also, did you look under the hood of the Aveo? Have you driven one?

dan165 · July 2004

Cobalt pricing will not be that much more than Cavalier pricing. Big diff will be in the discounting as MSRPs on Cavaliers vs Civics is not much different. This is still a small compact car after all.

Hey "ateixeira", just to let you know we have a Maytag washer and it sucks. ;-)

a_l_hubcaps · July 2004

I said I sat in a Cavalier and an Aveo, not a Cobalt. They had a Cobalt there, but you couldn't sit in it.

-Andrew L

Chevrolet Cobalt

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