New 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt Exterior Review [ 2009 , 2008 ]
Chevrolet Cobalt Exterior Review
Exterior - 7.5 (Good)
There have been mixed news on the Cobalt's exterior. The majority agrees that while the Cobalt's styling is simple, its also nothing to write home about. The Sacramento Bee says, "Outside the car, the Cobalt LT's exterior styling came off as understated, but attractive."
However, there are a few disagreements. The Cobalt looks "ho-hum," according to Car and Driver and other reviewers. Calling the Cobalt "not hot," U.S. News reviewer Rick Newman says that it is "aerodynamic but not especially distinctive. The sedan is bland."
Introduced in 2005, the Cobalt sedan is not a simple redesign of the discontinued Chevrolet Cavalier; it's an entirely new car. Its style is "just saucy enough," says USA TODAY, "embracing neither the juvenile, in-your-face look nor the generic small-car appearance." While some reviewers quibble with that assessment, all of them agree that the new build is solid. This is especially surprising considering that the Cobalt is built on GM's Delta platform, which is also used for the less-appreciated Saturn Ion. In Cobalt guise, the Delta platform works for a small car, "right down to its shoes and socks," says Auto Mall USA. The Cobalt sedan is longer, wider and lower than most of its compact competition, and has a modern roofline sweep and an available small rear spoiler.
The coupe version "has a sporty fastback shape, but is not a hatchback," according to The Auto Channel. "It is, appropriately, much sleeker than the sedan, and the rear is raised for a sporty wedge profile. At the front, the contemporary Chevrolet grille, complete with bowtie logo, sits between large, bright faired headlights and underneath a slightly sculpted hood." The Cobalt has a slightly shorter (1 inch) wheelbase and is about 2 inches shorter in length than its Cavalier predecessor, an attribute that prompts the Sacramento Bee to call it "a little too chopped at the back." Still, the New York Times says Chevy took "an inoffensively generic car shape, making its lines crisp and simple, then ornamenting it with just a few interesting details" -- in other words, capturing "the essence of Chevy styling."
One feature that draws criticism is the oversized rear-wing spoiler that comes standard on the SS Supercharged coupe. "I definitely would not get the high-mount rear spoiler, even if you think it looks cool," warns BusinessWeek. "The spoiler bisects the rear window so you can't see cars coming up behind you on the highway, which is annoying and a potential source of speeding tickets."
Standard exterior features on the base LS include 15-inch steel wheels with bolt-on wheel covers, two-sided galvanized-steel body panels, body-color door handles, a body-color grille, daytime running lamps, and black manual mirrors. For those who want to customize the exterior styling, there are plenty of options available. However, the Sacramento Bee cautions, "If you're looking at a Cobalt, shop carefully. Little extras include tire/wheel sizes varying from 15 to 18 inches."
