Exceeding Expectations What is (sort of) big, yellow and has a pretty large wing span? No... not Big Bird. It's the new 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt SS in "Rally Yellow" paint. And
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| The Chevy Cobalt SS is a pretty sweet ride. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press) |
just like Big Bird, it is recognizable from a distance, brings smiles to small children, and once seen it's hard to forget. I'll start off by saying that the Chevy Cobalt SS is a pretty sweet ride. I'm also going to be totally honest and say that I wasn't expecting much. Why so harsh? I suppose I'm basing my opinion on one of GM's other "tuner" models, the
Saturn ION Red Line . I really didn't think that the Red Line was the cats meow. It drives well, but it is hardly put together very well... or at least it doesn't feel like it's put together very well. And while based on the same chassis architecture and powered by the same drivetrain as the ION Red Line, the Cobalt SS has been an entirely different experience. As many of you know, the Cavalier's epic, yes I mean EPIC tale finally came to an end, making way for an even better plot-driven vehicle, the
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| With its bright yellow paint job and its rear deck-lid aero wing, it just screams TUNER. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press) |
Cobalt. I have not yet driven the new entry-level Cobalt sedan, but have spent a week with its
Pontiac Pursuit sibling, which is basically the same vehicle, and I liked it. But as I mentioned, I had my reservations. Going back to the Saturn ION Red Line, perhaps its lack of appeal was its not-so-exciting exterior styling, the rattling shutter that followed when closing any of its doors, and high gloss, hard plastic surfaces everywhere, low rent switchgear.... it was just so blah. While it handled impressively, offered plenty of power and a nicely gated short-throw five-speed manual and well-weighted clutch pedal, and had some nice touches here and there, like the clamshell-type rear access doors, this chapter in the GM saga was a yawner. Even though the content was decent, the whole story just didn't tickle my fancy. The SS however, is a page turner. Judging from the Cobalt's exterior, with its bright yellow paint job and its rear deck-lid aero wing, it just screams TUNER. So do the P215/45R18 all-season performance tires on 18-inch aluminum rims. Its exterior styling fuses together tastefully, without yelling boy-racer overkill. Besides, what's a tuner car without it being lavishly decked out? No pun intended.