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Likes:
- Smooth ride
- Road noise is quite absent
- Impressive fuel economy
- Spacious trunk
Dislikes:
- Engine noise
- Steering feels vague
- Drab interior
- Uncomfortable seats
- No thorax side airbags offered
The Cobalt is Chevrolet’s family of compact coupes and sedans, and it returns for 2009 with only minimal changes. Last year, the big news was the expansion of the high-performance SS to the sedan body style, rather than just the coupe, and mid-year, new more fuel-efficient XFE models joined the lineup.
Three trim levels are offered on the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt: LS, LT, and SS. The first two feature a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 155 horsepower, which is up by 7 horsepower compared to 2008. Chevrolet Cobalt SS models are powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine.
Chevrolet has applied the efficiency gains of the XFE model to the entire non-SS Cobalt lineup, which means that all models will get a significant fuel economy boost compared to last year's model. Thanks to a taller drive ratio and variable valve timing, the EPA estimates that the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt will get 37 mpg on the highway and a respectable 25 mpg in the city.
The 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt SS has a different personality altogether, with abundant power on tap from a 260-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that shares much of its fundamentals with the engine in the Pontiac Solstice GXP. Brembo front brakes, stability control, and side airbags, along with a new body kit, are standard on the SS. With a new five-speed manual transmission, it can scoot to 60 mph in about 5.7 seconds.
Performance from the base versions of the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt is quite perky—provided you’re traveling on a relatively straight road. But the Cobalt’s normally aspirated four-cylinder engines are neither as smooth nor as quiet as most other engines in its class. Get to curves and the Cobalt’s electric power steering maintains a light, detached feeling that’s not at all confidence-inspiring. A soft suspension calibration for the base models doesn’t help either, though ride quality is good.
