Fast, furious Cobalt SS has the young set in mind
07-07-2005, 07:06 PM
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Fast, furious Cobalt SS has the young set in mind
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Supercharged sport coupe is a riot, an out-of-the-box tuner car right from the factory.
Chevrolet's new Cobalt SS Supercharged coupe is the frisky two-door companion to the more staid Cobalt sedan. It sports a youthful profile and exuberant performance for under $25,000.
We tested a 2005 Cobalt SS with a modest option package and a bottom line of $24,585.
SHE: So our 24-year-old son, Phil, came home for the weekend, surveyed the test cars in our driveway and headed for the bright-blue Cobalt SS with the big wing on the tail. He was gone for four hours to scavenge the local vintage-record shops, and came back complaining about all sorts of things on the Cobalt -- the uncomfortable seats, the jerky clutch, the harsh ride, but most of all, the nearly-$25,000 sticker. He asked a pointed question: What young buyer, even a college graduate like him who is making a decent wage, can afford to spend that kind of money on a new car?
HE: Don't forget that you're talking about your cheapskate son who has trouble parting with four bucks for a used record. I understand his point, but we should add that Chevy may be doing some young enthusiasts a favor by bundling all the go-fast goodies into a single package.
SHE: It really is a "Fast and Furious" special -- an out-of-the-box tuner car right from the factory. I've talked to several local kids who've spent thousands of dollars to trick out their hot sport coupes. There's a philosophical split here. You have the Scion school, where you get a pretty basic car in the tC, then you can tailor it to your taste and quickly get the price over $20,000. Then you have the Cobalt SS, which starts at $21,995, which includes that hot supercharged, twin-cam 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 2005 horsepower, plus a sport suspension and 18-inch Pirelli P-Zero performance tires, and a bunch of other features like a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.
HE: I thought the fancy Recaro seats on our test car were a waste of money. They're part of a $1,500 option package, but they look and feel cheap and don't have nearly enough lower lumbar support. But that supercharged engine is a riot. It's lots of fun with the five-speed manual gearbox. I noticed you kept goosing the throttle and watching the boost gauge on the A-pillar as the supercharger spooled up.
SHE: So you're saying that Chevrolet "pimped" your ride on the Cobalt SS and that's why you're giving it four stars? Frankly, I don't think they went far enough. Where's the TV monitor under the hood? Where's the nitrous package? Where's the stuff that would really, really irritate your parents?
HE: I'll tell you some of the little things that irritated me. There's no room in the rear seats for real adults. And the tall rear parcel shelf and massive spoiler dramatically reduce rearward visibility. But I suspect those things won't bother the younger audience. There's plenty of upside, too. With the low-profile Pirellis and the tuner suspension, the Cobalt sticks like superglue on curvy, twisty roads.
SHE: I know I'm not the target buyer, but I was a bit disappointed by the minimalist interior. The cabin design is clean and simple, but there are way too few amenities considering the $24,585 sticker -- no lighted vanity mirrors, for instance, and no heated seats. I was surprised that you have to spend $395 to get side curtain air bags, which should be standard on a small car that is aimed at a young audience. But I did like that the Cobalt has a roomy trunk with a cargo net, and it comes with battery rundown protection.
HE: There are an awful lot of choices in this segment that cost thousands less and are nearly as fun to drive. You can also buy a low-end Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe for just $2,000 more than our test car. But Chevy is finally offering a credible entry at the lower end for kids who want an entertaining ride, don't have a huge budget to work with and aren't inclined to haunt the local auto parts stores.
He drove, she drove Anita and Paul Lienert are partners in Lienert & Lienert, an Ann Arbor automotive information services firm.
http://www.detnews.com/2005/autoscon...G03-231415.htm
Supercharged sport coupe is a riot, an out-of-the-box tuner car right from the factory.
Chevrolet's new Cobalt SS Supercharged coupe is the frisky two-door companion to the more staid Cobalt sedan. It sports a youthful profile and exuberant performance for under $25,000.
We tested a 2005 Cobalt SS with a modest option package and a bottom line of $24,585.
SHE: So our 24-year-old son, Phil, came home for the weekend, surveyed the test cars in our driveway and headed for the bright-blue Cobalt SS with the big wing on the tail. He was gone for four hours to scavenge the local vintage-record shops, and came back complaining about all sorts of things on the Cobalt -- the uncomfortable seats, the jerky clutch, the harsh ride, but most of all, the nearly-$25,000 sticker. He asked a pointed question: What young buyer, even a college graduate like him who is making a decent wage, can afford to spend that kind of money on a new car?
HE: Don't forget that you're talking about your cheapskate son who has trouble parting with four bucks for a used record. I understand his point, but we should add that Chevy may be doing some young enthusiasts a favor by bundling all the go-fast goodies into a single package.
SHE: It really is a "Fast and Furious" special -- an out-of-the-box tuner car right from the factory. I've talked to several local kids who've spent thousands of dollars to trick out their hot sport coupes. There's a philosophical split here. You have the Scion school, where you get a pretty basic car in the tC, then you can tailor it to your taste and quickly get the price over $20,000. Then you have the Cobalt SS, which starts at $21,995, which includes that hot supercharged, twin-cam 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 2005 horsepower, plus a sport suspension and 18-inch Pirelli P-Zero performance tires, and a bunch of other features like a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.
HE: I thought the fancy Recaro seats on our test car were a waste of money. They're part of a $1,500 option package, but they look and feel cheap and don't have nearly enough lower lumbar support. But that supercharged engine is a riot. It's lots of fun with the five-speed manual gearbox. I noticed you kept goosing the throttle and watching the boost gauge on the A-pillar as the supercharger spooled up.
SHE: So you're saying that Chevrolet "pimped" your ride on the Cobalt SS and that's why you're giving it four stars? Frankly, I don't think they went far enough. Where's the TV monitor under the hood? Where's the nitrous package? Where's the stuff that would really, really irritate your parents?
HE: I'll tell you some of the little things that irritated me. There's no room in the rear seats for real adults. And the tall rear parcel shelf and massive spoiler dramatically reduce rearward visibility. But I suspect those things won't bother the younger audience. There's plenty of upside, too. With the low-profile Pirellis and the tuner suspension, the Cobalt sticks like superglue on curvy, twisty roads.
SHE: I know I'm not the target buyer, but I was a bit disappointed by the minimalist interior. The cabin design is clean and simple, but there are way too few amenities considering the $24,585 sticker -- no lighted vanity mirrors, for instance, and no heated seats. I was surprised that you have to spend $395 to get side curtain air bags, which should be standard on a small car that is aimed at a young audience. But I did like that the Cobalt has a roomy trunk with a cargo net, and it comes with battery rundown protection.
HE: There are an awful lot of choices in this segment that cost thousands less and are nearly as fun to drive. You can also buy a low-end Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe for just $2,000 more than our test car. But Chevy is finally offering a credible entry at the lower end for kids who want an entertaining ride, don't have a huge budget to work with and aren't inclined to haunt the local auto parts stores.
He drove, she drove Anita and Paul Lienert are partners in Lienert & Lienert, an Ann Arbor automotive information services firm.
http://www.detnews.com/2005/autoscon...G03-231415.htm
07-07-2005, 07:39 PM
#2
lol:
2,005 hp eh? 
Why would people review a car who have no understanding of how a performance car operates?
Eaton roots superchargers don't "spool".
Then you have the Cobalt SS, which starts at $21,995, which includes that hot supercharged, twin-cam 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 2005 horsepower, plus a sport suspension and 18-inch Pirelli P-Zero performance tires, and a bunch of other features like a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.
Why would people review a car who have no understanding of how a performance car operates?
Eaton roots superchargers don't "spool".
07-07-2005, 07:55 PM
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lmao^ i hear that, also i wish this car came with 2.005 HP, BUT. usually adults dont sit in the rear seat, the kids do. but kids like me who are 6 feet tall have a tendency to not fit, oh well though, small people belong in the back seat, its not like this car is made to carpool and fit people like a lincoln continental
07-07-2005, 11:25 PM
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Thanks for posting Jonel, interesting read.
I've read reviews by these people before, and I can't I've ever been very impressed with their efforts. They seem to concentrate way to much on "family" stuff that young people coulnd't care less about. Its like having your parents review your car, of course they are going to look at things much differently than a young person would.
I also noticed the part about the Supercharger "spooling", shows how much that guy knows about mechanical aspect of cars
I've read reviews by these people before, and I can't I've ever been very impressed with their efforts. They seem to concentrate way to much on "family" stuff that young people coulnd't care less about. Its like having your parents review your car, of course they are going to look at things much differently than a young person would.
I also noticed the part about the Supercharger "spooling", shows how much that guy knows about mechanical aspect of cars
07-08-2005, 09:36 AM
#7
I agree. This isn't a family car. Almost any performance sport coupe I've seen has a tiny backseat. In fact, the Cobalt has a larger backseat than many sport coupes. The only coupes with larger backseats are those that are more closely related to their econobox sedan versions. C'mon now.. who buys a sports coupe for a big back seat? That's the last thing a buyer in that catagory looks for. At least it HAS a back seat period.
All true sports cars ride stiff. They have stiff suspension for.. let's see.. HANDLING. If they stuck Chevy Caprice suspension in the car, it would ride smoother yes, but fly right off the road. This person obviously isn't into sports cars and is completely uneducated.
The clutch is only jerky if you don't know how to drive. Now that I've had my car and gotten used to the clutch, it is smooth as butter. It shift as smoothely as my foot regulates the clutch.
As for the sticker price.. well.. like the article said.. you can buy something with all the tweaks from the factory or you can buy cheap and put more money into adding the stuff yourself. Same cost really if you ask me. We get the added bonus of factory warrenty on everything.
How can that guy say the Recaro seats are cheap and suck? He obviously doesn't know what a good seat is or the fact that many much more luxurious and expensive sport coupes have these seats. It could probably use lumbar adjustment yet, but that's a minor gripe. We're taking about a car under 25K. You can't have it all.
Compare it to the other cars in it's class. You won't find any better seats.
There's a reason the STI and Evolution have them.
I hate 'reviews' like this. You have an uneducated person who doesn't even LIKE the basic required traits of a sports car. Some other uneducated person could read that and think the car is terrible. That's how unfounded negative word of mouth spreads. Ugh.
All true sports cars ride stiff. They have stiff suspension for.. let's see.. HANDLING. If they stuck Chevy Caprice suspension in the car, it would ride smoother yes, but fly right off the road. This person obviously isn't into sports cars and is completely uneducated.
The clutch is only jerky if you don't know how to drive. Now that I've had my car and gotten used to the clutch, it is smooth as butter. It shift as smoothely as my foot regulates the clutch.
As for the sticker price.. well.. like the article said.. you can buy something with all the tweaks from the factory or you can buy cheap and put more money into adding the stuff yourself. Same cost really if you ask me. We get the added bonus of factory warrenty on everything.
How can that guy say the Recaro seats are cheap and suck? He obviously doesn't know what a good seat is or the fact that many much more luxurious and expensive sport coupes have these seats. It could probably use lumbar adjustment yet, but that's a minor gripe. We're taking about a car under 25K. You can't have it all.
Compare it to the other cars in it's class. You won't find any better seats.
There's a reason the STI and Evolution have them.
I hate 'reviews' like this. You have an uneducated person who doesn't even LIKE the basic required traits of a sports car. Some other uneducated person could read that and think the car is terrible. That's how unfounded negative word of mouth spreads. Ugh.
07-08-2005, 10:41 AM
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Originally Posted by JonelZ
We tested a 2005 Cobalt SS with a modest option package and a bottom line of $24,585.
They don't mention XM or Onstar.
This price seems a bit high to me regardless..
i dont understand....how could anyone not love being behind the wheel of a car with 2005 HP????? 
07-08-2005, 02:18 PM
#10
i got mine way cheaper than that
i think this interview was made up
it total bullshit
i think this car is badass esp. for the price
if you that broke buy the damn base model
if you want to mob all over town in ur G ride then spend a lil more $
and dont buy something slow
i think this interview was made up
it total bullshit
i think this car is badass esp. for the price
if you that broke buy the damn base model
if you want to mob all over town in ur G ride then spend a lil more $
and dont buy something slow
07-13-2005, 06:10 PM
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Originally Posted by MarcS
lol:
2,005 hp eh?
Why would people review a car who have no understanding of how a performance car operates?
Eaton roots superchargers don't "spool".
2,005 hp eh?
Why would people review a car who have no understanding of how a performance car operates?
Eaton roots superchargers don't "spool".
07-24-2005, 07:37 AM
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The son that took the car, and used it for 4 hours obviously didn't hate it that much. If he had a bunch of cars to choose from to drive if he didn't like should have brought it back and chose something else. Better yet why doesn't he get his own vehicle and he wouldn't have to complain
07-29-2005, 02:27 PM
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Love my new car!
Im pretty happy with my CBSS il have some pics for you guys as soon as i get my tint done. I baught the last one in Ontario and i had to fight for it. Paid 23 600. Only 8 of them in Ottawa.
07-31-2005, 08:21 PM
#15
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Originally Posted by JonelZ[B
SHE:[/B] It really is a "Fast and Furious" special
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