R&T Cobalt SS Review

[nsap]

Originally Posted by Minnesota Nice

I'm going to be honest: the plastics in the interior don't really matter to me. I don't really have a problem with them. However, I do with the design of the interior. It looks bored, dated, and not what Chevy should be aiming for on this car.

I agree. The Cobalt is like the new Focus: it has a lot going for it (class-leading power, class-leading fuel economy in some models, most options that others have or don't even have at all, etc...). The only problem is the fact that the interior is old and blah, made out of materials that are of poor quality.

Thankfully the new Delta II Cobalt will be better in the interior department.

[ctaylorzl1]

Originally Posted by E. Haskell

It may not have a class leading interior, but look at those numbers...

1/4 - 14.0
0-60 - 5.5
60-0 - 117 ft
0.92g
72.4 slalom
22/30 mpg

If any car can make you overlook hard plastics, this is it!!!!

When you are putting down those numbers at that price, things like "class leading" interiors dont seem like that big of a deal! I like the interior anyway, the only thing I would rathar see is leather SS seats instead of the Ultralux. But even they are pretty nice!!

[atomicshark]

Originally Posted by ctaylorzl1

When you are putting down those numbers at that price, things like "class leading" interiors dont seem like that big of a deal! I like the interior anyway, the only thing I would rathar see is leather SS seats instead of the Ultralux. But even they are pretty nice!!

Seriously, the interior is not bad. Ergonomics are sound, sight lines are good and it is put together well. It just needs better textures and some soft touch vinyl bits to give it a more enticing look and feel. Please see the Astra and Vue for what I am talking about.

[USA1Fan]

You know, I don't get ANY of the bashing of the Cobalt / Focus interiors, especially on materials. I walked by a new model Corolla on the way to my parking lot last evening, and out of curiosity (caused by a Dodge Caliber recently purchased by a coworker) I checked out the interior through the windows. Not closely enough to cause anyone alarm, but enough to see that it was only barely above the Playskool Caliber interior in terms of materials, and even somewhat in design. I've always though that, though the bits are still hard in the Cobalt in most places, they're much better looking, both in terms of styling and general 'value' than many others in the class. In fact, from what I've seen, most compacts have extremely cheap looking stuff inside. So why the bad rap on what at least gives the appearance of better quality materials?

[AlmostFamous]

Originally Posted by nsap

I agree. The Cobalt is like the new Focus: it has a lot going for it (class-leading power, class-leading fuel economy in some models, most options that others have or don't even have at all, etc...). The only problem is the fact that the interior is old and blah, made out of materials that are of poor quality.

Thankfully the new Delta II Cobalt will be better in the interior department.

The Cobalt has a good interior for the segment it's competiting in. Everything is straight forward without any weird shapes. What's wrong with it's interior? Obviously it'll have plastics, but see do every other vehicle in compact segment.

[CobaltSScrazy]

Originally Posted by AlmostFamous

The Cobalt has a good interior for the segment it's competiting in. Everything is straight forward without any weird shapes. What's wrong with it's interior? Obviously it'll have plastics, but see do every other vehicle in compact segment.

It looks really good! I haven't seen those shots in a while. The seats are more comfortable for longer periods of time than any other seats...in a cobalt.

CobaltSS

[GMforME]

Bought one of these. Love it to death. It Rocks.

[Aprime]

The plastics are tacky (the seams are too pronounced, à la Rubbermaid cooler).
The red's tacky.
The ergonomic choices are... Quite questionable in certain key areas (trunk release button for one). The design is indeed simple.

The exterior... It really all depends on which front bumper you have, some of them make it look like a new Cavalier while some don't (the mouth-looking one does not, for instance).

Nothing to say about the basics (chassis, drivetrain etc), though!

I don't know how they managed to make it more fun than a Mazda according to them, but if they have, f'ing thumbs up. Looks like I'll be looking at Chevy, Opel/Saturn and Mazda in the future.

[01sunfire01]

great looking car now if pontiac had one i would have bought it.

A prime there is a trunk release button its in the little draw to the left of the steering wheel.

[Aprime]

Well I don't remember which button it was then.

[Xenon]

Originally Posted by AlmostFamous

The Cobalt has a good interior for the segment it's competiting in. Everything is straight forward without any weird shapes. What's wrong with it's interior? Obviously it'll have plastics, but see do every other vehicle in compact segment.

Plastics are everywhere, and in every car form a $10K Aveo, to a $100K+ Benz. Its how you present it that matters.
The dash could be a better design, and I'm not a fan of the bright red interior work. The grey color scheme for the car is perfect though. The only major downside to this car is that it's FWD, and , to put it nicely, the Cobalt isn't the most attractive looking car for the price range. If this package was in the Astra instead it would solve most of my complaints.


On another note, doesn't this outperform the Solstice GXP and SKY RL? I'm pretty sure Road and Track tested slower times for Solstice...

[bigtime]

As long as it goes like hell and is reliable, who cares? They all, except the civic, have aweful resale. You guys act like these things go up in value. The problem with the civic, in my opinion, is the exterior is aweful. Stupid spaceshippie thing. hondas used to be unoffensive and kinda cool, now there just weird. But its got high resale and is super reliable, I expect that over how it looks is why people buy them. Oh and great mpg. Same with toyota, always boring and the yaris with that center pod is aweful.

I can't wait for the 4 door SS, GM has a winner there. Fast, unoffensive but nice styling AND a manual. Much better looking than that boy racer/chicks car high rear end look of the 2 door.

Everyone slams the cobalt, but what, that competes in this segment, is so much better?

[red_rider]

Originally Posted by bigtime

As long as it goes like hell and is reliable, who cares? They all, except the civic, have aweful resale. You guys act like these things go up in value. The problem with the civic, in my opinion, is the exterior is aweful. Stupid spaceshippie thing. hondas used to be unoffensive and kinda cool, now there just weird. But its got high resale and is super reliable, I expect that over how it looks is why people buy them. Oh and great mpg. Same with toyota, always boring and the yaris with that center pod is aweful.

I can't wait for the 4 door SS, GM has a winner there. Fast, unoffensive but nice styling AND a manual. Much better looking than that boy racer/chicks car high rear end look of the 2 door.

Everyone slams the cobalt, but what, that competes in this segment, is so much better?

Any car can have good resale if its a good car and people can accept that its a good car. Resale value is simply a product of other properties, its not a seperate property you can "build in" to the car directly. So when you complain about the cobalt's resale, what are you really complaining about? That kool-aid drinkers of other brands won't pay much for it?

[bigtime]

Originally Posted by red_rider

Any car can have good resale if its a good car and people can accept that its a good car. Resale value is simply a product of other properties, its not a seperate property you can "build in" to the car directly. So when you complain about the cobalt's resale, what are you really complaining about? That kool-aid drinkers of other brands won't pay much for it?

The problem with GM is they have never stuck with a vehicle and consistently made it better, model after model year. They have never tried to be the best in class until now, they always built to a price point. Resale value is a reflection of what the public thinks of your vehicle, how bad they want a new or used one. It takes decades to build high resale value. If you want to see how its done look to honda. It also helps to pick a name a stick with it, not come up with a new name every ten years.

You can absolutely build in resale value to a point. If you build a first class car with best in class everything and the reputation of that vehicle is one of trouble free ownership than even in the used market people will want that car. Look to scion for examples of that. Sure there technically toyotas, but thats not the whole story. People WANT new scions and they WANT used scions. Also you don't want to sell to fleets! Thats another death sentence. The cobalt isn't a convincing enough, world class car that people got to have new or used. Sure its good, but like every magazine says its not a...insert civic, corolla, etc.

Here's an interesting tidbit: I recently rented a car. A couple was inside and the lady behind the counter said what they had available, "we have the cobalt." The couple said, "a what?" "A cobalt like what you were picked up in or a kia rio." The couple picked the kia rio! The rio was more recognizable and more desirable than the cobalt. Thats sad people.

[CobaltSScrazy]

Drove a Turbo Cobalt SS again yesterday, that car just amazes, until you drive one...you do not know. Even though I love the S/C LSJ Cobalt's....this Turbo is a driving experience from like Another planet (or country called Germany)...I've had smiles on my face.

BTW-go look up used Cobalt SS', most you cannot touch even an 05 with 50k for less than 14k. Most s/c are going for 15-18k used 05-07. Anyone who hasn't had a clue just got one. Cobalt SS S/C vehicles hold their resale...and if there is one car GM made outside of Corvette that I could have drop in resale, its this so I could pick one up. Unfortunately (or fortunately for GM) for me, thats not the case.

Go drive the car, then comment people. You will be amazed. - CobaltSS