...looks like someone grabbed it's ears and pulled back really, really hard.

 

I'm not sure what to think of the styling.. looks weird but it could grow on me. I care more about the interior quality. Most GM redesigns as of recent have included a giant leap in interior quality. Cobalt hasn't been redesigned since GM started knocking these great interiors out so I have my hopes up that this could be yet another one.

I also care about gas mileage... right now the Cobalt XFE is doing about 1mpg better than the civic and something like 0.5 or 1 mpg worse than the Corolla... if this can improve on that, plus deliver a quality and comfortable interior environment, then they'll have done very well.

 

Not a fan of the exterior styling at all. Looks goofy, in a way similar to the 2008 Focus.

EPA highway yes, city numbers no. The XFE with its extra-tall manual gearing gets 25/36 EPA. A Corolla gets 27/35 (auto) and a Civic gets 25/36 (auto), equal to the XFE. The Corolla overall though remains best-in-class in terms of EPA numbers.

 

I was speaking of average economy and manual transmissions (that's what I would get if I was getting an economy car). Though it appears I was wrong about the Corolla manual doing better than the XFE Cobalt... they're dead even (again, average econ).

But with that said the Corolla auto still only bests the XFE cobalt by 1mpg (average econ) and matches the Civic auto.

So if the Cobalt sees any real improvement at all with this redesign it could become class leading for once.

 

The Corolla auto beats the Civic auto overall by 1mpg and the XFE overall by 1mpg. The funny thing about the XFE is that while some enthusiasts may be interested in it, the majority of North Americans won't buy it simply because it's a manual. Add to that extra-tall gearing, and I'm not sure if even enthusiasts will like it.

The next-gen Cobalt, or it's replacement will likely be heavier than the current Cobalt. Safety-wise, the current Cobalt does not equal the Corolla or Civic, so factor in some weight gain for increased safety. Also if the rumour of the turbocharged 4 cyl is true, factor in some weight gain for the turbo and any ancillary hardware.

We will see if GM's upcoming offering will achieve best-in-class fuel economy. Also of note is that Honda and Toyota won't be sitting still. In the next few years they will likely improve the fuel economy of the Civic and Corolla.

 

I don't understand why American car makers, for the most part (excluding Corvette, Viper, and only a hand full of others), just can't seem to figure out how to design a good looking car

 

i am ok w. this car ... but the major deciding factor for how i feel about this car will come from what the BACK looks like ... since the only time i would have to look at it is if i'm behind it

 

You keep saying how tall the gears are... what are the gear ratios for the Cobalt XFE manual relative to the other offerings?

From what I've heard the XFE will be available in automatic form very soon... before the new model comes out.

While on the subject of GM fuel economy it's interesting to note that the Malibu 4-cyl with the addition of the 6-speed auto is now pulling 1mpg better city and highway mileage than the 4-cyl Accord and Camry.

 

Looks like a mini-Accord.

 

It doesn't have to be that great. American companies ceded the small car market a long time ago. The competition is the Ford Focus which is not that great (I rented one out in Arizona - not impressed).

 

I've been looking around and I have yet to find the exact gear ratios. I have heard from multiple sources that one of the ways they achieved the improved fuel economy was through tall gear ratios. GM has done this before in other vehicles, particularly the Corvette in order to improve fuel efficiency.

From this GM thread:
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...g-boost-65399/

It states that the final drive ratio on the Cobalt XFE is 3.63 and that the Cobalt also uses 15 inch low rolling resistance tires. In other words, probably a poor choice for the enthusiast. You'd be better off getting a Corolla for driving fun than this. At least a Corolla comes with regular tires.

As for the Malibu 4 cyl + 6 speed combo, you're right. It achieves 22/33 EPA, which is class-leading. The only problem? The 6 speed is optional, and will have limited availability for the next few months. In other words, getting a hold of a 4 cyl Malibu with the 6 speed will be difficult for the next few months or so.

 

That looks alot more grown up then the cobalt. A nice move for chevy.

 

LMAO, I spit out my drink on the computer screen when I read that.

 

Hopefully it will have the rumored supercharged 1.4-1.6L. Give it a CVT too instead of a conventional auto.

 

Wait really? Because the hybrid is only 24/32. Oy! Guess they had better put a 6 speed in that, which they should have done in the first place to entice more people to the mild hybrid.

Does anyone else think that GM is just way, way behind, other than the Corvette. You have vehicles like the Impala that only utilizes a 4 speed, even in V8 form. And the 5.3L puts out less HP than the Toyota 3.5L. I think GM needs a Manhattan project style overhaul.