The new cobalt is a respectable car. As the current record for the fastest production FWD car in the 'ring' its no slouch. However, I'd still take the S.

I've considered trading the S for pocket rockets such as EVOs but every time I go for a drive on a nice day with the top down I forget about all those urges and realize how much I would miss the S.

In the end, its all up to you. If you're the kind of person that gets upset when some pocket rocket has beat you to the next light then this may not be the car for you.

Just relax and enjoy cruising topless.

 

Cobalt is faster! Faster ring time, fast quarter mile times etc.

 

Faster to develop rattles, faster to fall apart.

 

Used to be

 

Domestic haters will knock the Cobalt SS and ignore its obvious assets: good handling, great power delivery, value...just like they put down the neon-based SRT-4.

Real car people will appreciate these domestic efforts and respect their capabilities.

Kids worry about whether their car will outrun brand x from a dig or a roll or in the quarter mile.

Adults know its stupid to run on the street and that there is always someone faster. Its about enjoying your own ride and making it the best it can be given your own personal budget and preferences.

 

(of course there is a little "kid" in all of us.)

 

my buddy has one.

its a good car and is surprisingly fast and nimble. i can't knock it. it's great and makes no pretenses for what it's about. for strictly maximum performance per dollar, the turbo cobalt ss is a very hard mark to beat. looking at it exclusively in that way, it's a considerably better deal than the CR. also, i can't imagine it's difficult to dial up the boost and get it moving faster, while the CR will require a larger investment.

however, my friend who bought it and I both like my S a lot better than his cobalt. we should--i spent a fair amount more to get the S, and all the money went into engineering the car. all the intangibles in the S are a lot better--the sounds, the emotions it evokes, the build and materials, the way it takes corners feels better, it's RWD, the styling is more classic, the top comes off, etc.

the lap times are probably nearly identical--a good/bad driver would make one faster than the other--but the S is a nicer car to drive, and the cobalt leaves more money in your pocket.

 

Good post.

 

Toyota is made in Japan?!?!? Sure, and you're going to tell me GM builds cars in Canada.

 

I paid 25k for my mint S with 4.5k on the clock, so that's about a toss-up with the new Cobalt....the vanilla looks of the Cobalt will kill sales no matter how well it performs, the S is far classier

sorry, GM, I'll pass, but I do like the C6 and the Sky RL, although QC and longevity on the Sky RL is still a big question mark, while the reliability record of the S is well established