CD Article: 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LS XFE

[CD_Editor]

Test Drive:


"XFE" stands for "extra fuel efficiency" - but Contributing Editor Chris Chase wonders if the new Cobalt XFE's compromises in performance and convenience are worth its minimal gains in fuel economy.
 More: View the photos | All the Test Drives

[footlong58]

Why does GM need 25 billion again??

[safristi]

 ..............

[Honda Owner]

Why does GM need 25 billion again??

It is simple. To solidify their base as the makers of the best cars of the world and try to end the Great Conspiracy.

[safristi]

  ...

[footlong58]

Why does GM need 25 billion again??

It is simple. To solidify their base as the makers of the best cars of the world and try to end the Great Conspiracy.

So until that happens we get stuck with Cobalt XFE's I guess...

[articsteve]

It must be bleak to be an engineer at GM these days spending most of your day studying various historical versions of the ALAMO.

[marineboy]

It must be bleak to be an engineer at GM these days spending most of your day studying various historical versions of the ALAMO.

I think the good engineers are studying Oriental langauges 101 and resume writing.

[Honda Owner]

So until that happens we get stuck with Cobalt XFE's I guess...

Now, now, tut, tut. Be a good boy and take what GM builds like a man. It's for your own good.

[carcrazy]

I wish I could see Wagoner driving down to Washington in a brand new shiny Cobalt XFE to prove us how blind and ignorant we, the consumers, are at the great fuel efficient small GM cars and how much we are missing by buying Honda, Toyota and other foreign crap.

[[ EMT ]]

This is the kind of car that GM should have built more.....in the 70's.     Seriously speaking, GM deserve a better fate than what they have inflicted upon themselves.

[articsteve]

I wish I could see Wagoner driving down to Washington in a brand new shiny Cobalt XFE to prove us how blind and ignorant we, the consumers, are at the great fuel efficient small GM cars and how much we are missing by buying Honda, Toyota and other foreign crap.

 

Ya and with 3 other passengers.  Enjoying all that great gas mileage with the "taller" gear.  

[carcrazy]

I wish I could see Wagoner driving down to Washington in a brand new shiny Cobalt XFE to prove us how blind and ignorant we, the consumers, are at the great fuel efficient small GM cars and how much we are missing by buying Honda, Toyota and other foreign crap.

 

Ya and with 3 other passengers.  Enjoying all that great gas mileage with the "taller" gear.  

Yeah, one of them should be Lutz with his distrust in small, good looking, high-quality, fuel efficient vehicles.

Forgot to mention, give them only gas money for the round trip based on the EPA estimates. If that's not enough, they should walk the rest of the distance.

[Honda Owner]

I doubt Rick Wagoner has driven a car in years.

[carcrazy]

I doubt Rick Wagoner has driven a car in years.

This may be one of the reasons he's so disconnected from the reality and he thinks GM makes the greatest cars in the world and they are in the hole now due to some foreign forces conspiracy.

[2hondas1BMW]

I wish I could see Wagoner driving down to Washington in a brand new shiny Cobalt XFE to prove us how blind and ignorant we, the consumers, are at the great fuel efficient small GM cars and how much we are missing by buying Honda, Toyota and other foreign crap.

I bet he can't even drive stick!! 

[initial_D]

What Chevy has done is take its basic Cobalt LS and add taller gearing and low rolling resistance tires to create a car it says is 13 per cent more efficient in city driving, and eight per cent more so on the highway than a comparable 2008 Cobalt LS.

Very obvious the engineers were fired, and the marketing department is doing the new design and engineering.

[PJungnitsch]

Here's a test comparing the Cobalt/G5 XFE to the Focus, Civic, and Corolla:

EPA ratings:
    * 2008 Ford Focus SES sedan: 2.0-liter four-cylinder, five-speed manual; 24/35 mpg city/highway (28 mpg combined)
    * 2009 Honda Civic EX-L sedan: 1.8-liter four-cylinder, five-speed auto; 25/36 mpg city/highway (29 mpg combined)
    * 2009 Pontiac G5 XFE coupe: 2.2-liter four-cylinder, five-speed manual; 25/37 mpg city/highway (30 mpg combined)
    * 2009 Toyota Corolla XLE sedan: 1.8-liter four-cylinder, four-speed auto; 27/35 mpg city/highway (30 mpg combined)

Test results:
The numbers are in, and the Corolla came in first at 36.4 mpg, outperforming its 27/35 mpg city/highway ratings — and it was the only car to do so. The other three posted more modest results: The Civic (25/36 mpg city/highway) achieved 34.6 mpg, the G5 (25/37) achieved 33.1 mpg and the Focus (24/35 mpg) achieved just 31.0 mpg.


http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/11/mileage-blog-1.html
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/11/mileage-blog-2.html
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/11/mileage-blog-3.html

[Farscaper]

Price as tested: $19,190

Really, $19K for manual windows, manual locks, bad seats and ugly???
This car, at this price, makes looking and finding a good used car a definite pleasure.

[Honda Owner]

I bet he can't even drive stick!!

If driving stick meant the difference between getting to the bank to cash the bonus cheque Wagoner had just written himself before it bounced, I am sure he could learn really fast.