Filed under: Coupes, Sedans/Saloons, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet
Chevy Cobalt sales on the rise
It seems that the Chevy Cobalt has become quite the bright spot for GM. Through August, Cobalt sales are at 163,300 -- up 10% versus last year, when they sold 212,700 total. The rise in sales has reportedly prompted the General to consider bumping up its 2007 forecast for Cobalt by 24,000.
GM won't comment on the possible forecast adjustment, but it did confirm that additional overtime has been approved for the Lordstown, OH plant where the car is built. Sounds to us like more Cobalts are in the works.
Since we're talking about Cobalt sales being up, we'd like to take this opportunity to encourage GM to drop the blown 2.0L Ecotec into the engine bay of its Cobalt SS sedan (above). We have a feeling that there's a market for just such a car, seeing as Honda just unveiled their Civic Si sedan. This'd be a good time to answer with a supercharged Cobalt 4-door, don't you think?
[Source: Vindy.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
AMcA 11:30AM (9/03/2006)
I'm glad to see this car succeed. It deserves it.
I rented one last year, and was delighted that it could cruise happily at 85, while returning 34.5 mpg (per its little dashboard computer). And all this talk in the magazines about Ecotech engines being thrashy: NO. I found it would spin quite happily and smoothly up to redline.
And yes, a Supercharged Sedan (SS!) is entirely in order. Variants like this show commitment, interest on the part of the manufacturer. It would a be a happy reversal of Detroit's usual neglect of its smaller cars.
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TK 11:44AM (9/03/2006)
I completely agree with AMcA. This is one car that GM has done a decent job of making. Its fuel efficient, sporty, and good quality for very little money. I know that many of my collegiate friends love their Cobalts.
Keep up the good work GM, and get that supercharge sedan out soon! I'm graduating college in 9 months and I'm lookin' for a new whip!
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AladdinSane 11:52AM (9/03/2006)
I still believe that the Cobalt would have been even MORE popular if GM offered a liftback version of it.
It would have made it far more versatile. GM/Chevy missed the boat, so to speak, on this. I don't knock the Cobalt. . .on the contrary: I believe it to be a fine machine in its class, overlooked by some as being "junk". . .of which I don't agree.
Peace!
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DKB_SATX 12:14PM (9/03/2006)
My experience with rental Cobalts is less rosy than that... On one trip it wasn't until the 3rd Cobalt before we got one with everything working, and I'm not talking about things broken by abuse, one constantly indicated an engine temperature of 230 (even right at start-up) and the AC didn't work. The next had transmission issues. The one that worked more or less right was soft and a bit noisy. I understand that this is a cheap car, and I grant that it's a great improvement over the awful Cavalier but it's not a great car.
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Dave 12:17PM (9/03/2006)
my only complaint about the cobalt is its weight. it weighs much more than its competitors. With a lower weight, it could achieve much better mileage an d performance. Here are the data I found.
Chevy Cobalt LS Coupe
2991 lbs
2.2L DOHC I-4
145 hp
25/34 mpg
$13,785
Honda Civic DX Coupe
2593 lbs
1.8L I-4
140 hp
30/38 mpg
$15,155
Source: http://automobiles.honda.com/tools/compare/results_overview.aspx?ModelName=Civic+Coupe&ModelYear=2006&AICGroupNum=4677&RURL=http%3a%2f%2fautomobiles.honda.com%2fmodels%2fmodel_overview.asp%3fModelName%3dCivic%2bCoupe&AICNum1=18510&LastState=%2Ftools%2Fcompare%2Fselect_competitor_custom.aspx%3FModelName%3DCivic%2BCoupe%26ModelYear%3D2006%26AICGroupNum%3D4677%26RURL%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252fautomobiles.honda.com%252fmodels%252fmodel_overview.asp%253fModelName%253dCivic%252bCoupe%26AICNum1%3D18510%26LastState%3D%26AICNum2%3D17247&AICNum2=17247&Filter=&Mode=&Photo=&Change=
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Richard Warren 12:20PM (9/03/2006)
I too have rented some Cobalts during travel (on purpose) as the wirte up's on them had been pretty positive. They are a fairly nice vehicle, and I'll mirror #1's comments on fuel mileage, I got 35.1 actual (non computer figured) this is a pretty underrated car.
Good for them.
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Nick 12:32PM (9/03/2006)
I agree that this is good news. AND YES OFFER A COBALT SS/SUPERCHARGED SEDAN ALREADY. The coupe is a great looking car but a sedan would be apprecited by those in need of more versatility.
Personally I like the Cobalt. My brother had one for a rental and we beat on it for a few days. Even the base model was plenty peppy and had nice materials inside and out. The only interior shortfall that nagged me was no center arm-rest (don't ask me why). But otherwise it was a solid piece.
I certainly understand some of the shortcomings the press has mentioned regarding the Cobalt and would agree with some of them. The rumor is that GM is going to give the Cobalt a huge '08 update inside and out to make it more competitive (along with the G5).
But some of these things aside it's a good little car for reasonable money. I think that GM should be given kudos in the volume this car is producing considering that the Cobalt is a bit more expensive and upmarket from the Cavalier it replaces. In fact, GM's strategy of offering two different vehicles in the "entry-level" segment with the Aveo and the Cobalt is a good one, seeing as the Aveo is the number one selling car in its segment.
Just my opinion.
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Zorro the Gay Blade 12:37PM (9/03/2006)
The Chevy Cobalt is trash. It reeks of stink (stank). Aesthetically it pleases much like a pile of dog crap found on the sidewalk, mit flies.
And you wonder why only college students would be interested in this untimate evolution of the Cavalier?
Hey, people are a hurtin', dude! They needs wheels and they need 'em cheap.
Cheap...cheap!!!
This is GM's future, by the way. Building crap to sell on a dime. Hell, even Hyundai is rising above that mentality.
GM, the most General Motors one can afford.
Blah...I think I just vomited in my mouth a little bit.
But that's ok, I'll just spit it out on the passenger-side floor of the Cobalt.
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jack 3:43PM (12/01/2007)
what a moron.
Zorro the Gay Blade 12:39PM (9/03/2006)
PS, come on out of the woodworks all you closet "Cobalt" lovers!!! I want to hear how much you Adore this raving POS!!! ;)
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Didier Torsten 12:49PM (9/03/2006)
had this as a rental and it was a piece of crap. the interior was so horribly cheap looking that i would say a neon i also had as a rental a few years back would be a better choice.
i am glad that GM is having good sales with this car but i wish they would upgrade the materials so it didn't feel like it was a '97 cavalier. maybe then their sales would be even better.
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techline 12:57PM (9/03/2006)
Hey chevy is cannibalizing the sales at ford anc DCx. If ford wants to blame anyone for its poor sales blame GM. I have heard american car enthusiats lamet over the demise of the Neon and the long in tooth ford focus and say that the chevy is their only small car choice. Gm could bring the cavalier back with a makeover and it would sell well again i presume
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Drewboy 1:02PM (9/03/2006)
My best friend has the coupe, and loves it. The only problem I have with his particular car is that the interior is far too plasticy (and grey) for my taste. It handled and accelerated well considering there were 5 people in it!
This morning I pulled up next to a sedan, and took a look inside to see how it looked. I was very pleasantly surprised to see tan leather and a very nicely done dash! No doubt this was a different trim level from the one my friend drives.
To those of you who have had bad experiences renting them... I got an Impala on vacation this spring, the POS was out of allignment and the transmission was jerky as could be. Rental cars are abused and aren't taken care of like they would be if they were in my garage. I don't think people should judge a car just based of a rental.
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Soph 1:06PM (9/03/2006)
I wailed on an SS coupe and an SS supercharged at the RevItUp event.
I'd have to say I was well impressed with everything except the lack of a standard armrest and the center console digging into my knee after one run (but then again I'm 6'4" and I didnt get the chance to really get fully adjusted)
Fuckin sweet powerband though, and handling was comparable to an 06 Si (not as good but certainly close enough to be entertaining)
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sr20de 1:08PM (9/03/2006)
Anecdotally, I have seen a noticable increase in Cobalts on the roads around where I live.
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Zo 1:27PM (9/03/2006)
This car has no appeal except as an alterntive to the Camery/Civic. My rental experience (7 days) is neither as good nor as bad as some of the above comments. All-in-all -- it was Ok, nothing special but nothing to spit at either.
As an A to B car, its just as good as any econbox -B-class car.
My experience is, its a good (not great) daily driver and grocery getter. Its a good car for the kids to have as first car and also a good 2nd or 3rd car because of the great MPG. (only 30mpg in my experience)
However, there is nothing fun about this car and I will take something else on the weekend or vacation. I would be Ok taking this into the city, nobody it going to want to take it and I will not cry over dents.
Anything the big 3 can make that people are willing to lump down their hard earned cash for works for me.
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mainfr4me 1:41PM (9/03/2006)
It would be nice to see GM make the SS a REAL SS. I mean, other than some badging, some different body pieces and such that they do today so much (anyone ride in a Grand Am GT from the last generation?). One thing I would like to see is a different tail end with the lights. The front is not bad, but the taillights look like someone designed them on a coffee break.
But overall, not a bad car. Just has potential I think.
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iQuack 1:47PM (9/03/2006)
Cobalt is better than the Cavalier which was about as bad as any new car has been in recent years.
Too bad the Cobalt's style isn't more inspired--I think it's a drab-looking thing compared to other compacts.
The GM "Ecotech" engine is pretty good--drove a rented Malibu with that engine and although the GM engine wasn't nearly as refined as Camry or Accord 4 cylinder engines, it was still generally good.
Should be durable, too.
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Steve 2:01PM (9/03/2006)
I brought my 2007 cobalt home 2 weeks ago, and I have loved it ever since. I am a GM fan, and I really like the way the car looks on the inside and out. Of course, the black looks a lot better than the grey interior.
I love the ride, and everyone who has seen it says they really like how it looks inside and out.
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Howard Kerr 2:26PM (9/03/2006)
My guess is that GM won't put the turbo Ecotec into a sedan until Ford does it with the Focus or Fusion. Look at smallcar "development" (what an oxymoron in Detroit) among the Big 3? over the years.
GM labors mightily, and produces the Vega....a 2/3 scale Chevy Malibu. Ford builds a slightly smaller Maverick with the Pinto. Chevy adapts the T-car design in the late 70's and produces the final version (every other country on the planet got it first), and we get the Chevette. Ford "federalizes" the Fiesta. Over at Chrysler? They import British and Japanese captive imported cars. In the '80s Ford takes a decent design...and wrecks it to produce the American version of the Escort. Is it any surprize history repeats at Ford with the Focus? GM labors mightily in the late '80s and produces....the Saturn. A car line that is changed minimally for nearly 12 years and still manages to lose money for 11 of those years.
Granted, I'm not really making my point which was: GM won't do anything til Ford does it or vice versa. So what if Honda, or for that matter DCX builds a high-performance small 4 door sedan. GM will blow it's chance with a "true" Cobalt SS until Ford pumps up a Focus or Fusion.
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