2008 Chevrolet Cobalt Review

The C-student of the compact class.

What's new for the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt: New model.

What's new for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt: Trim names get reshuffled, and there's a new SS Supercharged coupe with 205 horsepower.

What's new for the 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt: A new 3-spoke steering wheel.

What's new for the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt: The Cobalt's ever-changing roster of trim lines has been simplified to just LS, LT, and Sport (the Sport has the bigger 2.4-liter engine, stiffer suspension, disc brakes, and 17-inch wheels) for both sedans and coupes.  The 2LT and Sport get standard stability control and OnStar, while all models get side-curtain airbags and XM satellite radio.  The supercharged SS coupe disappears, but a 260-horsepower turbocharged SS coupe will fill in as its replacement late in the 2008 model year.

When the time came to replace the not-exactly-lustworthy Chevrolet Cavalier in 2005, GM came up with a clean-sheet design based on an all-new platform, and supposedly poured their hearts and souls into it.  GM felt the new car to be such a superior product that Chevy even parted with the Cavalier name.

The Cobalt did improve on quite a few things.  It inherited GM's newer "Ecotec" 4-cylinder engines, which even by today's standards are pretty peppy and punchy.  An improved suspension delivers a refined ride, and its interior got blessed with neat ergonomics, good materials (at least on the seats), and possibly the most kickass sound system (the optional Pioneer) anywhere near the price.  Attention to physical detail in the doors, hood, and trunk make the Cobalt feel almost expensive.

The problem is that everywhere you look, the Cobalt houses flaws that call attention to themselves.  Many drivers dislike the "coarse" sound of the engine (for the record, it sounds fine to me), and the dead-feeling steering removes any trace of driving enjoyment.  As nicely padded as the seats are, they're just too low and flat, and the ones in back are the most cramped and uncomfortable in the entire segment despite the Cobalt having one of the biggest bodies.  For what it's worth, a few too many things also went wrong in the car I tested (rattles, trim pieces falling off) to give me much confidence in its durability.

Given that small cars are expected to sip fuel, some consumers might also take issue with the Cobalt's rather large engines.  Even the smaller of the two is 2.2 liters in displacement (the other is 2.4), and while it's nice to have 148 horsepower, a 24 MPG average is on the low side.  Suggestion to GM: keep the 2.4 as a step-up option, but downsize the 2.2 to a 1.8 to get in line with the competition.

On the other hand, those who like power should be getting excited about the new-for-2008 Cobalt SS, which replaces the old supercharged 205 HP engine with a turbocharged 260 HP engine.  It will battle it out with the MazdaSpeed 3 and Dodge Caliber SRT4 for the honor of being the most wicked fast car for $23,000.

Aside from the SS, though, the Cobalt is a little too reminiscent of its predecessor's mediocrity.

Find out more about the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt