2006 Chevrolet Cobalt SS

Forget everything you know about Chevrolet's long-running Cavalier. Architecturally unrelated and vastly superior in every conceivable way, Cobalt succeeds it. With the Korean-built Aveo (from GM's Asian arm formerly known as Daewoo) assuming Chevy's important entry-level role, Cobalt moves up a notch in price and moves way up in quality and desirability.

Styling

The engineering team's orders from GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz and small car Vehicle Line Executive Lori Queen was to design and develop the best car in its class. Really! "We wanted to bring a credible small car back to Chevy in a really big way," Queen says. The team drew up a wish list of 150 components, systems and attributes necessary to achieve that—and was surprised and thrilled to see their wishes granted.


"We benchmarked all our competitors," Queen relates. "We had to lead in NVH [noise, vibration and harshness] and achieve best-in-class body gaps. The 150-point list was a sort of Holy Grail on which the engineers focused their attention. There truly were no compromises." Examples include premium materials such as Quiet Steel laminated sheetmetal (seldom found in the small-car segment), cast-in-place foam mats, hydraulic bushings, acoustic insulation and electric power steering tuned for each available suspension/tire combination.


GM's robust Delta architecture, updated and improved over the original Saturn ION's, is the foundation for Cobalt's surprisingly solid feel. Its stiff structure (with a bending frequency of nearly 27 Hz) allowed engineers to tune the strut-type front and semi-independent torsion-beam rear suspension (with long wheel travel and direct-acting components) with no need to compromise for chassis flex. Uncommon in Cobalt's price range, front and rear stabilizer bars come standard, and speed-sensitive electric power steering is tuned to match the performance level of each model.

Power

The Standard engine is GM's robust and lively 145-hp, 2.2-liter DOHC, 16-valve Ecotec four with twin counter-rotating balance shafts and electronic throttle control. Numerous long-life and zero-maintenance features, including GM's Oil Life System (GMOLS) and a stainless steel exhaust system to reduce the cost of ownership also come standard. Except for oil and filter changes, no routine maintenance is needed, and those filter changes are greatly eased by an innovative cast-in housing that eliminates throwaway filter cans and the need to crawl under the car.