Long-Term Test: 2005 Chevy Cobalt LT

Why We Bought It
How It Drove
Inside the Cabin
Summing Up
Changes to the Chevy Cobalt LT Since 2005
Ups and Downs
Recalls and Problem History
Dealer Service Reviews
What Consumers Say

Why We Bought It
Chevrolet has never really had anything that could challenge the standouts of the economy-car class, the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. When Chevrolet finally replaced the aging Cavalier with the 2005 Cobalt, our hopes soared. Now Chevy's import fighter had a more powerful engine, sharper styling and a promise of improved build and materials quality. Naturally, we were curious enough to put one into our long-term fleet.

We spec'd out a loaded 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt LT sedan. With leather seats, a moonroof, upgraded audio with XM radio and a rear spoiler, it listed for $20,100. With the employee discount and rebates we got it for $17,822.

Would this be it — the vehicle that would finally make our staff proclaim, "Hey, everyone, GM finally has a real competitor in this class"? Maybe.... Maybe not.... A year in our long-term fleet would give us an answer.

How It Drove
Like many mainstream GM vehicles, the Cobalt's chief strength is its strong yet economical powertrain. The 145-horsepower engine is among the most beefy in its class. And although the automatic transmission is a four- and not five-speed unit, the well-spaced gears and quick response make the most of the engine's potential.

Time and again, the positive logbook quotes centered on the Cobalt's performance. On a trip from L.A. to Las Vegas, Senior Content Editor Erin Riches found the Cobalt to be a capable long-distance cruiser. She noted, "Good midrange torque from the 2.2-liter engine and quick downshifts from the four-speed automatic transmission give it excellent passing capability."

While on a family trip to Yosemite National Park, Senior Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed found the little Chevy willing and able to serve his needs. Initially, Phil was concerned about the comfort and luggage capacity of the Cobalt. But during the 672-mile round-trip, the rear seat's comfort was judged acceptable — not luxurious, but not a literal pain in the butt, either. Trunk capacity was not an issue, as the 13.9-cubic-foot hold swallowed "our three suitcases, three backpacks and an assortment of hampers, grocery bags and a cooking stove." Phil did fault the Cobalt for having a tight trunk opening, which made loading more difficult, and no pull-down handle in the trunk lid.

Facing various ascents, the Cobalt made a good showing. Although downshifts were frequent, the 2.2-liter four was up to the task of maintaining a 70-mph pace while fully laden with passengers and cargo. Phil was also pleased with the fuel-efficiency, as the Cobalt averaged 31.4 mpg for the completed trip. That's impressively close to the 32 mpg highway estimate displayed on the window sticker.

Although the Cobalt's handling performance isn't going to cause Mazda 3 engineers any sleepless nights, it managed a curvy road better than we expected. Phil noted on his trip: "While the steering feel is a bit numb, once I got used to it the twisting mountain roads became a romp. Very little body roll was detected at moderate speeds and the Cobalt felt confident and composed on a variety of terrain."

But while in interstate slog mode, the Cobalt suffered from a split personality. Although the well-insulated cabin kept road and engine noise well muted, our car suffered from excessive wind noise. Leaky rear window seals made their presence known at speeds over 50 mph, when wind howl would kick in. Senior Photo Editor Scott Jacobs said there was so much wind noise coming from the rear windows he thought one was open. Late in its tour of duty with us, the Cobalt's sunroof also developed a leak when it wouldn't close properly. We had the latter problem fixed, but the vocal rear window seals were not deemed faulty by the dealership.

Inside the Cabin
The interior of the Cobalt seemed to garner the most complaints from our staff. One editor noted that the Cobalt's backseat is one of the most uncomfortable in the economy sedan class. Another editor said the climate-control knobs feel cheap and sloppy and was amazed that there were no grab handles available for passengers or driver. A front-seat center armrest and a Pioneer stereo are nice features, but the Cobalt suffers from an abundance of hard plastic interior materials, inconsistent build quality and limited storage. Add in cupholders that are incapable of keeping a cup of coffee secure and the Cobalt's interior isn't going to win any hearts over from its direct competitors, the Honda Civic and Mazda 3.

Of course, the interior isn't all bad. We found some surprisingly thoughtful features in our Cobalt, such as full illumination of all steering wheel buttons, window buttons, power lock button and power mirror adjustment. The consensus was that the Cobalt is a distinct improvement over its Cavalier predecessor.

Summing Up
We had hoped the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt LT would challenge the imports that dominate this small-car segment. It is a pretty nice little car, but after a year and 17,000 miles behind the Cobalt's wheel, we don't think Honda, Mazda or Toyota have anything to worry about.

Surprisingly, the faults seemed to stem from poor follow-through and lackluster design. The powertrain was often praised. And even the fuel economy was above average. But in the build quality and touch and feel departments — those areas right in front of your nose every day — it was a disappointment.

Do good ideas cost more? Foreign carmakers have proved that intelligent design and follow-through on every level are possible. We hope that, while this GM product is a modest step in the right direction, next time it can go all the way.

True Market Value at service end: $13,656
What it sold for: $12,100
Depreciation: $5,822 or 32 percent of original paid price
Final Odometer Reading: 17,100
Best Fuel Economy: 32.8 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 17.5 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 26.1 mpg
Total Body Repair Costs: None
Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over 14 months): $138.38
Additional Maintenance Costs: None
Warranty Repairs: Inoperable sunroof
Non-Warranty Repairs: None
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 2
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: None
Days Out of Service: None
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: None

Changes to the Chevy Cobalt LT Since 2005
2006: A new 171-hp SS trim level, which is available on the Cobalt coupe and sedan. Because this would cause confusion with last year's 205-hp supercharged SS coupe, that trim level is now called SS Supercharged. The remaining trim levels are also renamed: The base trim is now the LS, the former LS is now the LT and the previous LT sedan is now the LTZ.

2007: A few new audio systems and wheel styles debut; a three-spoke steering wheel replaces the former four-spoker and GM's remote vehicle start feature joins the options list.

Ups and Downs
Ups: Affordable, strong acceleration, smooth and quiet ride, solid brakes, good crash test scores, high fuel mileage.

Downs: Cheap interior plastics, cramped backseat, dire lack of interior storage, mediocre fit and finish.

The Bottom Line: An agreeable little car that is a step up from the Cavalier it replaces. However, it doesn't measure up to the competition.

Recalls and Problem History
Recalls: Exterior lighting. The bulb shield can loosen or break because of vibration. If this occurred on a headlamp installed in a vehicle, oncoming drivers may notice additional glare, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem History:

1. Squeaky brake pedal, fixed using lubricant.



2. Stuck sunroof. The dealer repaired it under warranty but it broke again later.

Dealer Service Reviews
Albertson Chevrolet, Culver City, California

April 2006

The Cobalt had an oil change and tire rotation performed at 7,419 miles. We did have to wonder why it cost so much ($30 for a tire rotation and $45.72 for an oil change for a grand total of $75.72) but the service advisor was friendly and the work was performed quickly and efficiently.

Santa Monica Auto Group, Santa Monica, California

July 2006

With 14,274 miles on the Cobalt we took it in for an oil change and tire rotation, which cost $62.66. We also asked the service advisor to repair the sunroof, which would not open past a certain point. The sunroof was repaired but later malfunctioned again.

What Consumers Say
"I have a 2005 base Cobalt that just turned over 40K. I am on my way back to the dealer for the sixth time for the same problem. The last time I was out of warranty and they goodwilled it for me. That was 3 weeks ago and now it is going back in today for the same thing. It starts out as a problem with what I think would be the transmission. The car takes forever to get up to speed (have to fan the accelerator) to get there and then when it shifts, it shifts so hard that it throws me back into the seat. The last 2 times they said that they were on the phone with the tech guys in Detroit and they told them to replace the ignition switch. Also let me point out that from day one I have had a problem getting my key out of the ignition. I have to play with the shifter to get the key out. Well yesterday the key stuck and I cannot get it out; the shifter will not lock. I have contacted my state about the lemon law and have been told that since it is an '05 I am out of luck." — Bill Sully, October 2006

"The more I look at the Cobalts, the more I like them. Especially the Coupe SS. As you can see I've been a loyal GM lover for a long time. Is my decision a normal one or am I going crazy? What kind of car is really the Cobalt? Good or bad?" — gosloup, October 2006

"I have an '06 Cobalt LT2 5-speed. No problems with the car at all. Just do the normal 3K oil change. Nothing better than a Chevy!" — chevyguy, October 2006

"I have a 2005 Cobalt with NO options and have put 21,000 miles on the car. We have had NO problems whatsoever and average 35 mpg on the highway and around 30 mpg combined. Mechanically, I have had NO work done on the car except oil changes each 3K and new tires at 20K. I could not be happier with the performance and reliability of this car. I am in no way related to GM or anyone that works for GM by the way." — nyguy1, July 2006

"I own a 2006 Cobalt. From the day I bought it I have had nothing but problems and now 8 months later I am having even more problems. And with all these problems the dealership is telling me I got a good deal and a good car. I warn anyone who is interested in buying a Cobalt to seriously consider something else. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy." — cobalt bc, July 2006

Edmunds purchased this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.