2026 Chevy Cobalt Specs, Interior, MPG – GM has been a distressing also-ran in the small-car race for as long as there’s been a small-car race. Just recently, however, the company brought out the new Chevrolet Cobalt, which replaces the ancient and long ago outclassed Cavalier. Unlike the Cavalier, which also was sold as the Pontiac Sunfire, the Cobalt has no corporate twin, although it was developed from the same platform as the uninspiring Saturn Ion.
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2026 Chevy Cobalt Redesign and Update Plan
Exterior and Interior
the standard for frugality. By this standard, the Cobalt is not merely a revelation but a genuine miracle. Sure, there’s a lot of plastic, but it looks and feels good, and the fit and finish are in the hunt with the best in class. Much of the switchgear is a cut above the GM norm. The mostly plain cabin is dressed up with well-intended touches such as chrome trim around the gauges and stereo controls, but don’t look too closely–it’s plastic and appears cheaply wrought.
The seats are upholstered in high-quality cloth, but while the front units are comfortable, rear legroom is a bit cramped even in the four-door sedan. Air conditioning, a rear-window defroster, CD player, and tilt steering are all standard in even the base model. Moving up to the LS gets you cruise control, keyless entry, and power everything, while the LT comes with leather, heated seats, and a thumping Pioneer audio system. The interior motif of the SS is “Speed Racer” Lite, from the leather-wrapped shift lever to an A-pillar-mounted boost gauge. An MP3 player is also part of the SS product mix.
2026 Chevy Cobalt Specs
The Cobalt is a godsend for “buy-American” small-car shoppers and a legitimate alternative for more broad-minded consumers–especially when Detroit revs up the rebate machine, as it often does when sales wane. In addition to the car’s inherent goodness, the Cobalt comes with a generous five-year/50,000-mile powertrain warranty. To minimize service costs, the Cobalt is fitted with the GM Oil Life System (GMOLS) that carefully monitors vehicle use to ensure maintenance is performed only when needed, extending oil-change intervals. The engine also features an innovative cast-in oil-filter housing on the Ecotec engine that eliminates throwaway oil-filter cans. The bad news is that Cobalts have already started flooding into rental-car fleets, which is bound to accelerate depreciation and undermine resale value like the Cavalier before it.
Engine and Performance
The front-wheel-drive Cobalt is powered by a 2.2-liter version of the competent Ecotec series of engines shared with several Pontiac and Saturn models, as well as overseas GM products. The four-cylinder design features an aluminum block and head, topped with a twin-cam valvetrain. Like most four-bangers in this class, however, the Cobalt tends to thrashiness when pushed. 
Not so the top-of-the-line SS. Equipped with a Roots-type Eaton supercharger and an intercooler, as well as a steel crank and forged pistons, the SS pumps out 205 horses and 200 lb-ft of torque. Even though it displaces only 2.0 liters, it sounds much bigger thanks to its bad-to-the-bone exhaust rasp. A five-speed manual is standard in all models except the LT, but the vast majority of Cobalt owners no doubt will opt for the acceptable four-speed automatic.
2026 Chevy Cobalt Fuel Economy
If the Mazda3 is the sportiest car in the compact class, then the Cobalt slots in at the pampering end of the dynamic spectrum. There’s nothing exotic about its suspension noisy performance, Chevrolet engineered the Cobalt with plenty of sound-deadening and chassis-strengthening material. The result is a ride that’s solid, supple, and relatively isolated.
Although by no means a driver’s car, The Cobalt is quiet and refined by the standards of the class. The SS, however, is different, more-exciting story. To corral the additional 60 horses generated by the supercharged engine, the SS is graced with a sport-tuned suspension that allows it to carve corners like an autocross ringer. A Quaife limited-slip differential and Recaro seats are optional. 2026 Chevy Cobalt Specs
2026 Chevy Cobalt Safety Features
Safety is an area where manufacturers can cut costs in ways consumers often overlook–a common tactic in the small-car wars. The Cobalt is as good as, if not better than, most of its competition on the safety-equipment front. The standard brake configuration puts large vented discs up front and composite drums in the rear.
All trims except Base feature four-channel anti-lock brakes with rear proportioning as standard equipment; it’s a recommended option on Base. Dual front airbags are found across the board, and side-curtain airbags are available. Typical of this class, stability control is not available. In case of emergency, the optional OnStar in-vehicle safety and security service can provide an extra measure of comfort. 2026 Chevy Cobalt Specs
2026 Chevy Cobalt Price and Release Date
Our Chevy Cobalt was the top-of-the-line version of the sedan: the LT. All Cobalt sedans have the same 2.2-liter, 145-hp Ecotec four. (A supercharged, 205-hp, 2.0-liter is reserved for the Cobalt SS coupe.) Due to its luxury model ambitions, the LT only comes with an automatic; lesser Cobalt four-doors offer a five-speed stick. The Cobalt LT easily surpasses the Mazda 3s in the standard equipment department: The LT includes antilock brakes (albeit on a disc/drum set-up versus the Mazda’s all-disc), traction control, and heated leather seats.
The base price is $18,760. Our additions of an MP3 and XM satellite radio ($150, and $325, respectively) to the standard AM/FM/CD stereo; an OnStar ($695); a rear spoiler (a dubious $275 expenditure); and side curtain air bags (well worth $395, we’d say) brought the total to $20,600. 2026 Chevy Cobalt Specs
