- 134,008
- 367 below average
- 3,999 good
- Orlando, FL
- 5 years
- autoshopper.com
- 367 below average 134,008 manual
2006 chevrolet cobalt review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Chevy's in the game with this solid compact. introductionwith its expressive styling and general all-around competence, the chevrolet cobalt competes effectively against the honda civic, toyota corolla, and ford focus, an impressive achievement, considering how long the competition has dominated this game. the cobalt is the quietest, most refined small car gm has ever built. It's based on a strong, stiff platform, a key element for crisp handling and as smooth ride. The ss models use this to maximum advantage resulting in a dynamic driving experience. Quick, responsive handling and brisk acceleration performance along with a sporty sounding exhaust note make the supercharged coupe entertaining to drive, a sport compact that can more than hold its own in the class. new for 2006 are ss sedan and coupe models with normally aspirated engines. These new ss models fit between the lt and ss supercharged models. Three different engines are available with suspensions tuned to match. the ls, lt, and ltz models are powered by a 145-horsepower 2. 2-liter engine and use the fe1 suspension. the ls 13,900) sedan and coupe come standard with air conditioning, automatic headlights, electric rear defogger, tilt steering column, cd player, and a driver information center. They have wind-up windows, manually operated mirrors, and cloth upholstery with height-adjustable front seats and a 60/40 split fold-down rear seat. Ls models have a body-color grille and door handles and come with front disc/rear drum brakes and 15-inch wheels and tires. The ltz sedan 18,400) is a premium model that comes standard with the automatic, upgraded audio and premium trim. ss 18,200) coupe and sedan get a 171-horsepower 2. 4-liter engine, the fe3 sports suspension, 17-inch wheels and high performance tires. It also gets upgraded cloth, special body-color trim and other upgrades. The sport package 595) includes a brushed metal trim package for the dashboard, white-faced gauges, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, rear spoiler and 16-inch alloy wheels with pirelli tires. safety features include dual-stage front air bags, front seatbelt pre-tensioners, rear center shoulder belts, and the latch child seat retention system. All but the ls models come standard with anti-lock brakes (abs). Head curtain side air bags 395) designed to provide head protection are optional. But with its single-bar grille and bowtie emblem, it looks like a proper chevrolet small car right down to its shoes and socks. body panel fits are extremely tight. So tight, in fact, that there are no rubber trim gaskets around the compound complex headlamps. the cobalt coupe bears a resemblance in its shape to the old cavalier it replaced, while the sedan features a more modern roofline sweep. The ss coupe and sedan models have a small rear spoiler, while the ss supercharged coupe carries a huge, tall rear spoiler than says it's a serious sport compact. cobalt is longer, wider and lower than most of its direct competitors and its interior dimensions and trunk capacity are comparable for the class. interiorinside the cobalt, the design theme is simple and straightforward. Materials are decent and the fit and finish is good and comparable for the class. There's just enough chrome trim here and there on knobs and instruments to brighten things up without a lot of glare from the shiny parts. Instruments are large, well placed, and easy to read, with nice graphic treatment throughout. cobalt uses different seats in the different trim levels, each with detail changes in foam, padding and trim. We found plenty of fore/aft and rake adjustment for a 6-foot, 4-inch driver, plus seat height adjustment with a ratcheting handle. The lt seats were very comfortable and grabbed us in the fast corners exactly where we needed to be grabbed and held. Even better were the leather-trimmed seats in the ss supercharged. the available pioneer seven-speaker sound system with the delphi am/fm/cd and xm satellite radio delivers good sound and includes a huge subwoofer mounted on the left side trunk wall. the heating, ventilation and defroster system worked quickly and intuitively. the ls comes with manually operated windows. The urethane steering wheel that comes on ls and lt models feels cheap. The leather-wrapped wheels on ltz and ss models are much nicer. the sedan trunk is wide and deep with a low liftover height, and almost 14 cubic feet of capacity, more than competitive in the class, though the opening to the trunk seems relatively small. Cobalt does not use space-eating gooseneck hinges on its decklid, opting instead for simple outside corner hinges and two hydraulic assist struts. The coupe has a very small trunk opening, making it difficult to fit a thick suitcase. A 60/40-split, fold-down rear seat with a trunk pass-through feature adds utility to both sedan and coupe. driving impressionthe chevrolet cobalt is quite pleasant to drive, especially the ss models. It's quiet for a car that retails for less than $20,000. Chevrolet put considerable effort into special door seals, sandwich steel panels, thick carpets and pads, noise blockers and noise absorbers throughout the front, middle and rear of the car. The brakes seemed a little mushy on the ls, which comes with rear drum brakes. the 2. 2-liter engine, which is rated at 145 horsepower, was a bit of a disappointment. It was smooth, but never felt truly powerful until it was revving very high. We like the way it sounded when it revved and, paired with the manual gearbox, it offered responsive performance. summarythe chevrolet cobalt will satisfy the needs of drivers looking for economy of price, economy of operation, and a nice, quiet ride. We think it's a handsome, well-equipped car. The standard engine could offer more responsive low-end power, however. The cobalt ls and lt models are the epitome of driving excitement, however. They're not made for that. The ss models are fun to drive, particularly the cobalt ss supercharged coupe. newcartestdrive. Com correspondent jim mccraw is based in dearborn, michigan; mitch mccullough contributed to this report. model lineupchevrolet cobalt ls 13,900); lt 16,200); ltz 18,400); ss 18,200); ss supercharged 21,400). assembled inlordstown, ohio. options as testedheated leather front bucket seats 695); side-impact head curtain air bags 395); onstar 695); xm satellite radio 325); rear spoiler 275). The chevrolet cobalt is a quiet, crisp handling, inexpensive, high-value, and refined small car made by gm. Three different engines are available with suspensions tuned to match. The ls, lt, and ltz models are powered by a 145-horsepower 2. 2-liter engine and use the fe1 suspension. Ss coupe and sedan get a 171-horsepower 2. 4-liter engine, the fe3 sports suspension, 17-inch wheels and high performance tires. Ss supercharged coupe features a 205-horsepower 2. 0-liter engine. For 2006, the chevrolet cobalt gets the option of an ss sedan or coupe model with normally aspirated engine. AM/FM✔ Bucket Seats✔ Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ CD Player✔ Air Conditioning✔ Leather Seats✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Sport Package✔ Alloy Wheels
3,999 Orlando, FLOrlando, FL 5 years at autoshopper.com