Price is usually the driving factor when selecting a new vehicle. If it wasn’t, I’d be driving a Ferrari! But it’s what can be had

Chevy's smallest is a big seller for good reason. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

for a given budget that really pulls a buyer in. The 2009 Cobalt LS sedan has a great engine and fantastic fuel economy with a base price of $15,225. And with a price like that, it’s not hard to see why you can see them on the roads everywhere.

For the 2009 model year, this 4-door sedan receives a few upgraded features. Inside the Cobalt is a decent-looking cabin with clearly indicated buttons and knobs. A new interior colour, Ebony, replaces Cashmere which has been discontinued. Of the two colours, the Ebony is much better looking; it’s a classic colour and it’s hard to go wrong with it. Plus the interior isn’t made of the finest quality materials, common in this class, and the Cashmere, I found, accentuated its inexpensiveness.

Under the Cobalt’s hood is a more powerful and more efficient 16-valve, DOHC, 2.2-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 155 horsepower (up 7 horses from the previous generation) and 150 lb-ft of torque. That’s not too shabby for a compact car of its size.  After all, it only weighs in at 1,261 kilos (2,780 lbs), so when accelerating it didn’t feel heavy or like it was dragging itself around.

Hmmm... it could be better in the now. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

It also helped that I had the standard 5-speed manual gearbox. That way I could harness all of its 155 horses without losing anything to the optional four-speed automatic’s torque converter. The manual’s gear throws are also pretty close, giving it that Cobalt SS feel without the heavier price tag, gadgets or horsepower, of course. It’s a compromise.

Added to an increase in horsepower is an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle rating (ULEV), so it is not only more powerful under the hood but friendlier to the environment. My Cobalt LS came with the XFE badge too, meaning it had even more fuel efficiency than ever because of a new 3.63 final drive ratio enhanced by new 15-inch low-rolling-resistance tires. Fuel consumption numbers are an estimated 8.0L/100km in the city and 5.4L/100km on the highway; that’s a 13 percent improvement in the city and eight percent on the highway. This is probably why my fuel bill was so low at the end of the week. I paid about $24 dollars to fill up three-quarters of a tank despite driving about 300 kilometers. Gas was at around eighty-six cents per litre, so the drivetrain’s added efficiencies probably helped the bill! Why gas is still so high when oil is trading around $40 a barrel is another review in itself! I’ll leave that for another time.

Driving around in the snow, while exceptionally fun, wasn’t necessarily easy due to the Cobalt not having all-wheel drive, although in a car like this front-wheel-drive is better than rear-wheel drive would be, the way compact cars were when Chevy got into the segment with its Chevette. It didn’t help that the snow fell profusely and Vancouver has a limited, and I mean very limited supply of

It's a simple cabin, but the controls and switchgear work well. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

snow plows. Nevertheless, the little Cobalt braved the city streets as best as it could with its P195/60R15 all season tires gripping the road wherever possible. Even with all the buildup of ice and snow, which created extremely rough and bumpy driving conditions, the premium ride suspension comprised of a front independent strut and rear semi-independent torsion beam with a stabilizer bar, was pretty forgiving.

While I’m accustomed to driving cars with such features as keyless entry and power doors, locks, windows and mirrors, at the Cobalt’s modest price, these are features I had to live without. I know, the Princess likes her creature comforts, but at any given time I carry at least three large items in my hands like a purse, gym bag and laptop, so reaching for the keys to unlock my doors is beyond awkward. What’s great about having manual doors, however, is that the 394 litres (13.9 cu-ft) of trunk space can only be accessed with the key (there isn’t a trunk release lever, or at least not that I found) so when I had to leave

A great value. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

something in the car, I didn’t feel that my personal items were in jeopardy of theft. Granted, I rarely leave anything of value in any car due to past experiences, but I felt more comfortable with the Cobalt.

Despite the lack of power anything, available with other Cobalt models, the LS sedan did come with a few optional features. Air conditioning was added for an additional $1,150, which actually proved to be very useful in de-fogging the car in all the cold and wet weather. Furthermore, it came with ABS brakes ($600), side-curtain airbags for both the front and rear rows ($395), and OnStar for ($395.) Ok, those might not be lavish accessories, but I would rather equip a car with safety upgrades than power features when it comes down to it. Safety first, right?

Overall, the 2009 Cobalt LS proved to offer a good dose of power mixed with amazing fuel economy. For its price, it’s a good, basic sedan.

Specifications (Chevrolet Cobalt Sedan LS):

• Price (Base Cobalt Sedan MSRP): $15,225
• Price as Tested (MSRP): $18,225
• Body Type: 4-door sedan
• Layout: front engine, FWD
• Engine: 155 hp, 150 lb-ft of torque, 2.2L, 16-valve DOHC I-4
• Transmission: 5-spd manual
• Brakes (front/rear): disc/drum (opt. disc/drum, ABS; opt. disc/disc, ABS)
• Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 4,584 / 1,725 / 1,450 / 2,624 mm (180.5 / 67.9 / 57.1 / 103.3 in)
• Curb Weight: 1,261 kg (2,780 lbs)
• Tires: 195/60R15
• Cargo Volume (trunk): 394 L (13.9 cu-ft)
• Fuel Economy (city / hwy): 8.0 / 5.4 L/100 km
• Warranty (mo/km): 36/60,000 km comprehensive; 60/160,000 km powertrain
• Competitors: Dodge Caliber, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mazda3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Pontiac G5, Saturn Astra, Subaru Impreza, Suzuki SX4 Sedan, Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen City Golf / Jetta
• Web Site: www.gm.ca

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