![]() The Cobalt coupe yielded four stars for the front and rear seats. In side impacts, the Cobalt sedan got only three stars for front seat passengers and five stars for the rear. In frontal government crash tests, both Cobalt body styles received four out of five stars for driver protection and a perfect five stars for passenger protection. ABS-equipped models with automatic transmissions come equipped with standard traction control. Antilock braking is optional on the LS and LT and standard on the SS. Most Cobalts have a front-disc/rear-drum brake setup SS models have performance-tuned four-wheel disc brakes. ![]() All are better-looking, more fun to drive and offer a noticeable step up in terms of interior comfort and quality.įull-length side curtain airbags are standard on all Cobalts. Overall, as big as the sales numbers happen to be (which are certainly padded via sales to rental fleets), the Cobalt LS and LT are simply adequate transportation and are not up to par when compared to cars like the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda 3 and Mitsubishi Lancer. In fact, the SS is the best car in the Cobalt lineup. Seat comfort is another area where the 2009 Chevy Cobalt generally falls short, although the SS model's sport seats are first-rate. Those cars also have nicer interiors and higher-quality materials throughout. However, competitors like the Honda Civic and Mazda 3 offer similar fuel economy wrapped in a more attractive package. Buyers looking for a quiet commuter car that gets decent fuel economy will want to opt for the XFE package that combines a modified engine computer, manual transmission and low-rolling-resistance tires in an effort to squeeze a few more mpg out of the Cobalt's 2.2-liter engine. Standard OnStar and an available USB port and Bluetooth further enhance the 2009 Cobalt's appeal. It also has strong performance potential via the turbocharged SS model, which comes equipped with an impressive 260-horsepower engine. And with roughly 40 compact cars to choose from for 2009, that means the Cobalt is quite popular, even if names like Civic and Corolla seem to grab more headlines.Īffordability is easily the Cobalt's strongest selling point, as the base model is priced just over $14,000 - again directly in line with other popular compacts. But c'mon, is the Cobalt SS Turbo really quicker than the legendary Lancer, the 416-hp IS-F, and the 425-hp Challenger SRT-8 around VIR's 4.2-mile track? Apparently so says C&D, who were just as stunned as were by the Chevy's particular brand of canned whoopass.Believe it or not, but the Chevrolet Cobalt is one of the top five best-selling compact cars month to month and occasionally outsells the Ford Focus, one of its main competitors. The Cobalt SS Turbo is clearly outgunned in the engine department by a few of these vehicles, besting only the Civic Mugen Si, R32, S2000 CR and the Elise SC with its 260-hp engine. The list of cars slower than the Cobalt SS around VIR tells the whole story:Ĭlick here for each car's actual lap time at, look for the "Results Chart" link in the lower-right corner.) Fortunately, the latest issue of Car and Driver includes a massive comparison test called the Lightning Lap in which 22 cars ranging in price from the $22,995 Cobalt SS to the $282,306 FerrariĤ30 Scuderia are raced around Virginia International Raceway. Since the Autoblog Proving Grounds is still under construction (in my mind), we can't tell you what it's like to drive the Cobalt SS Turbo at 11/10ths. There's not a bow-tie badge to be found on the Corvette and you can't find a Camaro SS on a dealer lot anywhere yet. *My colleagues thought it best to explain this statement. Exactly how General Motors turned a bottom-of-the-pack, front-wheel-drive econocar into a class-leading sport compact is revealed after the jump. The result is – and we're not kidding here – the most impressive performance car to wear a bow-tie badge on sale today*. The GM Performance Division completely reworked the Cobalt SS for 2008, swapping in a more powerful turbocharged engine, upgrading the rest of the mechanicals, and tweaking the entire package on the world's most demanding race tracks, including the famed Nürburgring in Germany. But then something entirely unexpected happened. ![]() 2009 Chevy Cobalt SS Turbo – Click above for high-res image galleryĬobalt SS failed to deliver with a supercharged 2.0L Ecotec four-cylinder producing 205 horsepower and a cast of supporting components that did little to hide the Cobalt's rental car roots. ![]()
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