2005 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Supercharged
About what you'd guess from 205 horsepower.
by John Pearley Huffman (2005-01-03)

The concept of a truly "American" small car may finally be dead. Take Chevy's new supercharged Cobalt SS. Its tires come from Italy, the 18-inch wheels from Taiwan, the engine is screwed together in Germany, the transmission is shared with a Swedish Saab, the "Delta" platform upon which it is built also underpins Opels and Saturns, and the whole thing is assembled in the same Lordstown, Ohio plant that once built the - GACK! - Vega. The Cobalt SS is American mostly in the sense that, like American culture in general, it shamelessly steals from other cultures to make itself better. Hey, the name Chevrolet itself is foreign - a French corruption, it's rumored, of the words for goat's milk.

Having said all that, it's also true that even with all that international content, the Cobalt drives more like an American car than any other small performance coupe. Go figure.

Exactly what you think it is

There's absolutely nothing startling about the Cobalt's engineering. Of course it's built around a unibody structure. Naturally there's a MacPherson strut front suspension and a semi-independent torsion beam in back. As usual, a four-cylinder engine sits transversely in the car's nose. As with virtually all of its competitors, buyers have a choice of either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transaxle. And when was the last time a new car had something other than rack-and-pinion steering?

Some of the Cobalt SS' features though do have a premium quality however. That includes the four-wheel disc brakes with ABS (lesser Cobalts make do with rear drums and ABS is optional on the base car), and the hood and trunk lid both stay open with hydraulic struts. The most immediately apparent premium element, however, is the SS' 18-inch wheels inside P215/45R18 Pirelli PZero tires.

But for a small car, the Cobalt SS is pretty big. At 180.5 inches long overall, this coupe is a 5.1 inches lengthier than a Honda Civic Coupe even though its 103.3-inch wheelbase is a scant 0.2 inches longer than that other car. At 68.4 inches the Cobalt is also 1.3 inches wider than the Civic.

That relatively large size also results in a relatively high curb weight. Chevy claims the Cobalt SS crushes down with 2806 pounds of mass compared with a Honda Civic EX Coupe's 2579 pounds. However, the Cobalt SS is 124 pounds lighter than Saturn's ION Red Line coupe which is also built on the Delta platform and has the same drivetrain, but carries around two additional doors.


Blown away


Anyone familiar with the Saturn ION Red Line is already familiar with the Cobalt SS' powertrain. While less ambitious Cobalts use a 145-horsepower, 2.2-liter, normally aspirated version of GM's DOHC, 16-valve, all-aluminum Ecotec four, the SS Ecotec displaces 2.0 liters, has an Eaton Rootes-style blower heaving into it, and makes 205 horsepower. That's a decent output, but it pales in comparison to the 230 horsepower Dodge's turbocharged Neon SRT-4 has on board. Of course the Dodge will be quicker, but it's a rip-snort machine that's nowhere near as civilized as the Cobalt SS in daily driving.

The five-speed manual transmission and shifter mechanism for the SS (no automatic is offered with the supercharged engine) comes straight out of the Saab 9-3. Since the Saab is powered by a turbocharged version of the Ecotec, adopting this transmission for the supercharged Ecotec makes perfect sense and the gears feel well chosen for the task. The shifter can be a bit numb and indistinct, but it's no worse than in many (and better than some) directly competitive vehicles.

An utterly necessary option is a limited slip differential that's offered only in a package that also brings with it Recaro-designed front seats. What do the seats and the limited slip diff have to do with one another that makes it necessary to bundle them together as one option? Not much beyond the fact that no right-thinking human should even consider buying a Cobalt SS equipped without both items.

With excellent low-end torque production and a surprisingly eager-to-rev personality, the supercharged Ecotec is a sweet everyday companion. There's a hint of blower whine under hard acceleration; potential Cobalt SS owners probably want that sound. But they'd probably also appreciate a more distinct exhaust note too.

Good, bad and heavy

The Cobalt SS is not a point-and-shoot lightweight like a Civic or Acura RSX, but a punching welterweight that needs some heavy thumping to move around the ring. This car drives big - as if it weighed 600 pounds more than it does and was four inches wider.

That's not to say the Cobalt SS suspension isn't well tuned. In fact it's among the very best handling small cars out there with a firm ride and only moderate understeer at the car's limits. And with the limited slip diff aboard, it pulls through corners with confidence and impeccable manners getting more from those Pirellis than a front-driver has any right getting. Much of the credit should go to GM suspension engineer Mark Stielow, who led much of the ride and handling development. For anyone who subscribes to Hot Rod, Car Craft or Popular Hot Rodding, the answer is, yes, that's the same Mark Stielow who's home-built, heavily modified, classic Camaros and Chevelles are renowned as among the best hot rods ever built.

The steering, though, is quite heavy. Some of that is likely attributable to the sheer rotating weight of the jumbo 18-inch wheels and the relatively wide cross-section of the Pirelli tires. But it also seems that someone has digitized the responses of a 1991 Camaro Z28 1LE's steering and programmed the resulting algorithm into the Cobalt SS' electrically assisted rack-and-pinion steering. The well-controlled ride is better than that old racing-oriented Camaro's ride, but do small car shoppers really want a small car that steers and turns like a bigger car?

Inside good, inside not so good

Compared to the old Cavalier's interior, the Cobalt's is a quantum leap improvement. But milk crate seats, a plywood dashboard with Magic Marker instrumentation, rope door handles and a harmonica would be an improvement over the Cavalier.

The Cobalt's optional Recaro-designed seats (go back six paragraphs for a previous mention) aren't perfect, but they're close enough and easily the star element of the interior. The instrumentation is straightforward, ringed brightly, and easy to read. And the Pioneer seven-speaker sound system includes an XM radio option and sounds great. One neat addition is a boost gauge, clearly marked as a product of the AutoMeter company, burrowed into the A-pillar.

But there are still some easy-to-spot stumbles in interior quality. The pieces of the dashboard don't seem to align perfectly and some plastic pieces still have flash from their casting stuck on them. Plus the plastic trim that's pretending to be metal trim lacks credibility. Still, just the fact that the controls and switches work with some grace and precision is a big step forward for GM small cars.

The most agonizing element of the Cobalt SS however is the standard rear wing. Standing too tall, looking too weird and doing nothing for actual aerodynamics, all the wing really does is block rearward visibility and give the car an adolescent appearance that doesn't reflect the car's relatively mature manners. Chevy should off the wing as an option, and let the kids who want it pay for it. They can even throw in a tube of Clearisil as a bonus.

The Cobalt SS Supercharged couple starts at $21,995 and that's a price competitive with other vehicles in its high-performance class, but no clear bargain either. If they tossed the wing off though, they could probably add five bucks to the price and get the full $22K. And wouldn't be nice if it were available as a sedan too?



2005 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Supercharged
Base price: $21,995
Engines: 2.0-liter supercharged four, 205 hp
Transmission: Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Length x width x height: 180.5 x 68.4 x 55.6 in
Wheelbase: 103.3 in
Curb weight: 2806 lb
EPA City/Hwy: NA
Safety equipment: Anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes (base model ABS is optional), front airbags
Major standard equipment: A/C, seven-speaker AM/FM/CD player, power windows, cruise control, power mirrors
Warranty: Three years/36,000 miles



From: http://www.thecarconnection.com/inde...4&article=7867

 

This article makes me wonder if this guy even got to sit in this car.
And 2800 lbs is not too heavy!

What do you think about his review?

 

he didnt give a all bad review i like that iterior that is all that matters, he gave the engine a good review, but the weight? truthfully that isnt that much for this car that has leather seats. but my question is why he said dont get the limited slip then later on he said the limited slip was easy to turn into corners!

he sounds like hes an import fan to me so truthfully **** him lol

i liked the boring redline(interior) when i test drove it so the more exciting cobalt will def. be better!

i think he should be fired

 

That review doesn't seem too bad to me at all..... actually quite good, they just pick at a few small things.

and besides, have you seen the reviews domestic cars recieve? either of the big 3 could sell a titanium and carbon fibre bodied, cold fusion/anti-matter powered car that rides comfortably at 450 mph, runs the 1/4 in 4 sec and the cones at 90mph, never needs refuleing and actually sucks in and destroys existing polution from other cars, and has a jewel encrusted, solid platinum interior, sell it for less than $5000 and donate 99% of the profit to charities; they(reviewers) would still find a way that the civic is better.

 

Personally, I found the review lacking in personality. He was dry, boring, dull...and I think his writing stinks. He is obviously a rather opinionated individual. And while that may be the point, or perhaps a good thing for a writer, there are better ways of going about it. I couldn't tell whether he liked the Cobalt or not. He went from bashing to praising..sometimes within the same sentence. The dude needs to take his prissy ass out of the industry and go drive a Buick or something. Ugh.

None of this is to say I'm bias towards a more..negative review. I just feel that..there are certain ways in which a person properly conveys their stance and opinion(s). I didn't like the tone of the article..nor the underlying feel of his opinions and how he stated them. May just be me. :shrug:

 

I think he stole the rip-snort about the SRT from an old Sport Compact Car article. He sounds upset but hey, not all of the SRT parts are made in the USA either I know I own one. It doesn't appear that he has ridden in either a Cobalt SS or an SRT4 so, I don't think that his opinion really matters on that issue.



03 Yellow SRT4
MODS
AGP GT40/T350 (Stage 5)Turbo Kit
AGP FMIC
GReedy Emanage
GReedy E-01
Crane 2.0 Cams
Crane Cam Gears
MOMO Steering
AEM CAI
3" Custom Turbo Back Exhaust
MSD Tach Driver
ICEMAN 60MM Throttlebody
RC 750CC Injectors

 

I wish critics would stop bitching about the fact that the SRT-4 has a whopping 25 or so more hp than the Cobalt SS. The Cobalt is a much better looking car that is a few thousand dollars cheaper:

27,125 cdn for a Cobalt SS (add sunroof option)
30,250 cdn for a SRT-4 (add sunroof and upgraded stereo option)

I am pretty sure that anyone can add an extra 25hp with the 3,125 cdn they would save on the Cobalt. Really, the only place that the SRT-4 has the Cobalt beat is with the standard LSD. I've heard you guys mention an option package that will add it, but I can't see anything about this on the GM Canada website. Must be a US only thing.

 

I don't see anything about it on the US GM site either. Just some talk and some pictures on GMI. Thats all I have heard about it. I will be pretty disappointed if I had the option to get a LSD but missed out cause I preordered. An LSD isn't just something you decide to add on later easily like a RWD car right ?

 

Whether you have a lift or a good set of jack stands and you do it yourself its not that bad if you have the dealer add it $$$$$$.

 

I actually like it when the reviewer clearly doesn't like the IDEA of the car because it ensures no bias or overlooks. He seems to like the car itself but not what it represents. I have to agree with him on the spoiler, though. I doubt seriously it provides any downforce, even at 143 but I could be wrong. The Cobalt already has a rather large @$$ and that "wing" just compounds it. I'll be switching mine immediately to the sport spoiler and then calling it a day...I really like the car as is. No real cosmetic mods for me.

 

I like how he makes such a big deal about the car handling like a bigger car like it's a negative thing and then goes on to say that its' one of the best handling small cars out there. This after Motor Trend basically said that Chevy nailed the ride and hadling on the car.

Who is this guy, where is this review from???

From everything I've read, it's always been Chevy's intention for the car to handle just like a sportscar........

 

wow...after reading that, it would seem as if hes got something against chevy...and i mean badly.

and with remarks like "They can even throw in a tube of Clearisil as a bonus," its obviously that this guys review cannot be taken seriously. i mean what kind of credible journalist makes that kind of statement? where did you get this jonel? this makes me want the contact the editor of whoever publishes whatever this came out of...

 

The source is at the end of the article bud

 

ahh...thanks...

 

The problem that I ahve with this critique is that it sounds that it was written by an 85 year old who can only stand the ride of a Cadillac, or in his case a Mercedes to fit his strong prejudice against GM vehicles. Number 1, this car was made to attract the "younger" crowd and draw them away from the imports, like the RSX and Civic. Chevy is trying to inspire people to switch their loyalties back to American cars, hence their whole new "American Revolutoin" slogan they've been spraying everywhere. I gotta admit, I've had it against Chevys every since I rode in my ex-girlfriend's base cavalier. What a piece of crap that was (not to offend anyone). That was possibly the cheapest car I've ever ridden in, period. But I gogta admit, after reading up on these Ecotec engines and sitting in the Redline at the Washington Auto Show, I realized that these cars are not nearly as cheap as I thought. Oyut of all the cars I sat in at the auto show, the Redlines shifter seemed to be the most fluid, precise shifter along with the Tiburon. The RSX's shifter seemed notchy, the Scions tC's shifter the same. The SRT-4, which has been my dream car ever since it came out in 2001 or whenever, although still a consideration for the new car I might purchase, is in direct competition with the Cobalt SS supercharged. I am highly impressed with the technology that went into making this motor after reading up on it. They contain finally conatain the technology that Japanese cars have been using for years it seems, like their new 2.4L with VVT and their piston oil squirters which have been used in the sr20det, but not in the american sr20de. I shoul know because I have one. Their 2.4L VVT engine contains the same technology it seems as the QR25DE motor used in the spec V. Anyway, I just wanna say that this car has brought me to take a look at Chevys, ebing a person that never would have otherwise. I'm impressed so far, and I can't wait to test drive one to confirm my thoughts about it.

 

you ever met or talked to John Pearley Huffman? He is akin to a danish bought from a convenience store...lol

I used to chat with him on AOL and he was always full of himself....seems that way in the above artice too!

 

there are few cars on the market that compete as directly as the css and the srt4, any review that didnt metion the dodge would be silly. base price the srt4 costs less, and it comes with the lsd and the good seats. the css is 23500 (usd) with those mandatory options. the fact is that the css would be an excelent value if it came out 5 years ago, but like usuall gm is playing catchup. the more i look at it the more sense it makes to get the srt4. ill take the faster car and pocket the 2500 bucks.

edit:unless of course like every chevy made in the last 10 years except the corvette, it sells for 4 grand off msrp, that sounds about right to me. unless i could get a css out the door with the lsd/seats for under 20k, its not really an option.

 

I dont see why other peoples opinions are making you mad. Even though its an article, its still just one persons opinion written up in a professional manner. He could be some RSX lover or something so its just like a guy coming in the forum and saying chevy sucks.

 

*** that, even though 'tis not an SS, if I could buy my LS again I would

 

What do you mean by this?

 

John Pearley Huffman has always been an obnoxious ass. Everything he has ever written has been bashing domestics. Personally, I've had 6 Cavaliers and each one of them has done exactly what it was designed for: cheap to own, cheap to drive, reasonable performance, and room enough for me. Why are Hondas so ******* great? I have driven them and I was NOT impressed. A friend of mine has an 04 Civic EX and he has had nothing but trouble with it, so much in fact, that he was thinking about a new Cobalt SS. This mentality of 'foreign is better' doesn't hold water anymore, at least not in my opinion. I shopped around for almost two months before I finally decided on the Cobalt. I drove everything! I started at Acura and ended at Volkswagen and I kept coming back to the Chevrolet.

In my opinion, the Cobalt is a leaps and bounds ahead of the Cavalier. And from what I have read in other magazines, the 205hp rating of the Cobalt SS is a joke. I believe that GM underrated these engines alot more than anyone ever let on.

John Pearley Huffman can eat a big fat dick.

Scott

 

That dude is seriously Dumb. (Major Understatement)



Greatest statement ever. Totally Right.

Second greatest statement ever: John Pearley Huffman can eat a big fat dick. Adirondack Cobalt

 

i'd say it was a decent review. made some good observations and if i hadn't heard of the cobalt before i'd know enough about it after reading that review. Only thing it really lacked is an actual stance ( pretty crucial in journalism, i should know i took one semester of journalism at my highschool so im pretty much a proffessional ) he went back and forth on whether he liked it or not. after reading that i can't tell if it was positive or negative. He also directly contradicted himself as others have brought up

he said its one of the best handling small cars out there then goes on to complain about a high curbweight and makes it feel like it handles like a big car.

 

I just stumbled onto this now-ancient thread.... Geez, such hostility.

If anyone would like to hurl insults at me in a more personal manner, I can be reached at:

Pearley@aol.com

I'll give your opinions all the consideration they are due.

Sincerely,

John Pearley Huffman

 

It's all based on opinion. If you want a feel good article about the SS, check out Road & Tracks latest comparo between the SS and the RSX Type-S. The SS won the opinion of that editor based off of the magizines own specific points comparasion!