Chevrolet Cobalt SS

I’m a fan of Chevy’s Cobalt compact, especially in sedan form. It’s not perfect, but it is a much better car than its reputation would imply. The back seat is on the small side, as is the trunk opening, but I think Cobalts are better equipped and more refined than most rivals.

Chevy has offered SS versions of the Cobalt since 2006, but the current version dates to 2008 when a 260-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder mill replaced the 173- and 205-horsepower 4-cylinders used previously. The revised SS is an impressive piece that has outshone many well-established sport-compact competitors in various car-magazine comparison tests.

Customers haven’t noticed in large enough numbers to make the car viable going forward, though. Chevy says the slow-selling SS sedan will be discontinued at the end of the 2009 model year, and the SS coupe will be phased out during 2010.