2008 Chevy Cobalt LS--An average car, at best

Not long ago, a driver changed lanes into me on the highway. Luckily, no one was hurt, but my truck suffered minor body damage. The result was that for a week I drove a rented 2008 Chevy Cobalt LS. That's all his insurance would pay for, and I didn't bother trying to argue with them.

I'll list the relevant features below. For a complete list of standard and optional features, see the bottom of this review.

Standard Features:
Mechanical: The Chevy Cobalt I drove came with a 2.2-liter, in-line 4-cylinder engine that puts out 145 hp . It has a 4-speed automatic transmission, electric power assisted rack and pinion steering, front disc brakes, rear drum brakes, and 15-inch steel wheels.

Safety: Driver and passenger airbags with a passenger airbag cutoff switch are standard, as are full-length side curtain airbags. Tire pressure monitoring system, rear 3-point seatbelts, and side door impact beams are also part of the standard package.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Chevy Cobalt high marks for safety, with five stars for passenger side impact safety and four stars for drivers side impact safety. Rear seat occupant safety was given five stars as well. Rollover resistance was given four stars.

Experience:
When I first drove this car from the rental lot, my first impression was that it was a cheaply made piece of junk. The fit was not up to the quality of the Japanese and German auto makers, and the interior looked and felt cheap. The road noise was so bad that after a couple of blocks I thought I might have a window open. I pulled over and checked all the doors and windows to make sure they were closed tightly.

Soon, however, I found that the car was easy and even a little fun to drive. It has a fairly tight turning radius, is very maneuverable, and the 2.2 liter engine provides good acceleration. Not only did it accelerate well from a standing start, but there was plenty of response when stepping on the throttle at 65 miles per hour.

The suspension feels reasonably firm when crossing bumps or small potholes, but when turning, it dives toward the outside of the turn, as if the struts are inadequate for the application. It has such a tendency for body roll that, at any speed above 75, it feels unsafe even changing lanes. This is one of the biggest issues I have with this car, and one I hope Chevy fixes in the future.

Braking was adequate, but not outstanding. This car did not have antilock brakes, which are optional. Visibility from inside the vehicle was also very good.

This is the first vehicle I've driven with Electric Power Steering Assist (EPS). I'm not sure how I feel about this feature. I didn't notice any difference in the way it steered, but I wonder what would happen if the electric motor or the control module went out and how long the components of the system last. I suppose it's an improvement over the traditional hydraulic belt-driven system, but I'm not convinced yet.

One feature I really liked was the information center. In some vehicles, the information center is convoluted and difficult to use. The information center in the Cobalt is really quite helpful and easy to use, no user manual required. There were no tricky combinations of buttons or selections to get to the information you needed. Just proceed through the selections and you can find what you want to know. What a concept! I especially liked the tire pressure and average MPG information.

My driving in this car was split about 60 percent highway and 40 percent city. I averaged a decent 26 mpg. I'm sure it could get even better fuel economy with someone else at the wheel. I tend to have a heavy foot. EPA estimates are 22mpg city/31 mpg highway.

The interior of the Cobalt LS can only be described as cheap. The seats are somewhat shapeless, and the upholstery is uninspired. I found the cloth bucket seats to lack support for my lower back and buttocks. No matter how I adjusted the driver's seat, I could not get comfortable. The manual seat height and back position controls are easy to use, but not very versatile. Seat height is adjusted by pumping a lever up and down. The seat back is adjusted with the typical spring loaded lever. There is plenty of legroom up front, but it's cramped in the back seat.

The basic gauges are well lit and easy to read, with no interference from the steering wheel. The control knobs for air conditioning, heat, defrost, etc., are mounted within easy reach, and the AM-FM/CD/MP3 player controls are large and easy to find, as well. I'm no audiophile, but the sound system sounded good to me.

Conclusion:
The Chevy Cobalt LS is highly maneuverable, easy to park, and can be fun to drive. It suffers from poor handling in corners, though, and is fairly noisy inside the cab. It also has an interior that looks and feels cheap. It is a basic transportation vehicle designed to get good gas mileage and carry a relatively inexpensive price tag (MSRP was $14,400). It serves that purpose, so if that's what you want or need, it might be the right choice for you. I initially thought that this car might be a good first car for a teenager, but with the body roll problem, I'm a little hesitant to recommend it for beginning drivers. All in all, I believe the Chevy Cobalt LS to have a decent price/performance ratio, and can recommend it for those looking for basic transportation.


Update: A few months after renting this Cobalt LS, I needed to rent another car, and all the rental place had available in the compact range was a Cobalt LT. I was very pleasantly surprised by the handling and feel of the LT. It didn't have the terrible body roll of the LS I drove previously. Based on this experience, I recommend the Chevy Cobalt LT over the LS.


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Complete list of Specifications:
AM/FM/CD/MP3 Audio System
2.2L I4 DOHC 16V FI Engine
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Front Wheel Drive
Modified Macpherson Strut Front Suspension
Front Independent Suspension
Torsion Beam Rear Suspension
Front and Rear Stabilizer Bars
Clock
External Temperature Display
Low Fuel Level Indicator
Tachometer
Trip Computer
15 Inch Steel Wheels
Wheel Covers
All Season Tires
P Tires
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Interior Mounted Temporary Spare Tire
Front Ventilated Disc Brakes
Rear Drum Brakes
Driver and Passenger Front Airbags
Front and Rear Head Airbags
Passenger Airbag Deactivation
Child Safety Locks
Child Seat Anchors
Emergency Trunk Release
Rear Center 3-Point Belt
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Anti-Theft Alarm System
Engine Immobilizer
5 Passenger Seating
Front Bucket Seats
Premium Cloth Seating
Manual Driver's Seat Lumbar Adjustment
Manual Adjustable Driver's Seat
Front and Rear Adjustable Headrests
Rear Bench Seat
Split-Folding Second Row Seat
Cupholders
Door Pockets
Front Center Console With Storage
Front Power Outlet
Tilt Steering Wheel
Variable Power Steering
Cargo Area Light
Carpeted Floor Mats
Front Floor Mats
Rear Floor Mats
Air Conditioning
Air Filtration
Intermittent Windshield Wipers
Automatic On/Off Headlights


Available Optional Features
One-Touch Power Window(s)
Intermittent Windshield Wipers
Rear Defogger
Speed Sensing Windshield Wipers
Remote Power Door Locks
16 Inch Alloy Wheels
16 Inch Steel Wheels
4-Speed Automatic Transmission
4-Wheel ABS
AM/FM/CD Changer/MP3 Audio System
Cellular Phone
Cruise Control
Engine Block Heater
Front Fog/Driving Lights
Heated Driver's Seat
Heated Passenger Seat
Leather Seating
Leather Shift Knob Trim
Leather Steering Wheel Trim
OnStar
Power Glass Sunroof
Rear Spoiler
Remote Engine Start
Steering Wheel Audio Controls
Steering Wheel Cruise Controls
Traction Control