Driving Impressions

The Chevrolet Cobalt is quite pleasant to drive, especially the SS models. It's quiet for a car that retails for less than $20,000. Chevrolet put considerable effort into special door seals, sandwich steel panels, thick carpets and pads, noise blockers and noise absorbers throughout the front, middle and rear of the car. As a result, normal front-seat conversation is possible at speeds above 90 mph. If you want enjoyment in your driving you'll have to step up to the SS models. We drove an LT with ABS and four-wheel disc brakes and found them to be powerful, and progressive, with a good ratio between pedal travel and braking action. The brakes seemed a little mushy on the LS, which comes with rear drum brakes. The 2.2-liter engine, which is rated at 145 horsepower, was a bit of a disappointment. It was smooth, but never felt truly powerful until it was revving very high. The four-speed automatic doesn't help, with kickdown that reminded us of a rental car. The supercharged engine in the Cobalt SS Supercharged was another story. We like the way it sounded when it revved and, paired with the manual gearbox, it offered responsive performance.

Final Word

The Chevrolet Cobalt will satisfy the needs of drivers looking for economy of price, economy of operation, and a nice, quiet ride. We think it's a handsome, well-equipped car. The standard engine could offer more responsive low-end power, however. The Cobalt LS and LT models are the epitome of driving excitement, however. They're not made for that. They deliver four people comfortably, five only in a pinch, on a minimal outlay for fuel and monthly payments. The SS models are fun to drive, particularly the Cobalt SS Supercharged coupe. NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Jim McCraw is based in Dearborn, Michigan; Mitch McCullough contributed to this report.