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Sedans Chevrolet Cobalt Chevrolet Cobalt Real World MPG
293 messages, Last post on Oct 29, 2009 at 5:42 PM
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Replying to: gr00v3 (Dec 23, 2008 9:02 am) 1. If these tweaks to tires, gear ratios, etc were so minor (ie: it wasn't accomplished with a radical new engine design) then why did it take Chevy so long to produce it? The actually accomplished tweaks to the tires, air dam, and transmission very quickly when the marketplace was beginning to respond to rising gas prices. And to be fair the 2009 XFE does have a new engine as well. It is the same displacement but now features VVT on intake and exhaust valves. 2. If Chevy was capable of accomplishing this, why are they, along with GM, Chrysler and Ford, bitching and moaning about trouble meeting higher EPA standards?? All automakers were oppposed a rise in cafe standards, some (including Toyota) were just more vocal about it. The reason is that sinking billions of dollars into fleet development to meet an arbitrary federal standard doesn't lead to an increase in sales, its just expensive. Companies want to invest in response to the market, not in response to regulations. We should thank those that spoke out against CAFE for their efforts to preserve personal liberty and personal choice. American consumers sharply changed their purchasing decisions and driving behavior when gasoline went above $3.50, not in reponse to CAFE or anything else. Its all about the $$$. No political leader in this country has the will to promote a flat and substantial federal gas tax, which would similarly cut consumption for most while protecting the rights of those who are willing to pay for more fuel. Politicians took the path of least resistance (and self preservation) with CAFE. Shame on them. 3. If Chevy can accomplish this then why on earth can't Toyota and Honda et al?? Has the world turned upside down?  They certainly can accomplish this. There is no secret to designing and engineering cars. And their is no magic elf that works in asian-brand factories that makes their cars superior. The Asian brands thumped the big three in cars forced them to improve their entire lines. The lessons were learned and the improvements were made. Its up to us as auto consumers and to give domestics the same open-minded consideration we gave the Asian brands 10 years ago. So enjoy all the great choices that we have now...and no doubt the other brands will make XFE-type tweaks if they haven't already.  I hope my marketing point of view wasn't too much. Lots of great discussion today! Thanks and good job
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Replying to: jameer (Dec 23, 2008 1:23 pm) The ride was reasonably comfortable and the engine had plenty of pep. Cruise would have been nice but I got a weekend rental deal on this Cobalt for around $35. I figured I could rent a car and save gas money and wear/tear vs driving my 19 mpg F150 all weeekend. It worked darn well and I got in a great round of golf at Bully Pulpit in the badlands. http://www.medora.com/attractions/golf/index.html Amazing place if you like a good road trip! |
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Replying to: jameer (Dec 23, 2008 1:23 pm) "The actually accomplished tweaks to the tires, air dam, and transmission very quickly when the marketplace was beginning to respond to rising gas prices" That's the problem with American auto manufacturers (up until now, at least): They are reactive, not proactive. While CAFE standards may indeed have impacted all the auto manufacturers (and yes, Toyota fought them too), it was Honda, Toyota, and VW, among others, who saw the writing on the wall and got to work producing technologies that would address the foreseeable changes in the market. (And it's interesting to note that those are three of the highest quality and most reliable brands in the industry. Surely not a coincidence.) Any nut job with a trailer and a six-pack could have told GM et al TEN YEARS ago that their insistence on continuing to produce big trucks and SUVs would prove to be counter-productive and, ultimately, self-defeating. (One has to ask one's self who was at the helm.) "American consumers sharply changed their purchasing decisions and driving behavior when gasoline went above $3.50, not in reponse to CAFE or anything else. Its all about the $$$." Unfortunately, our history is replete with examples of consumerism driving bad market decisions, instead of common sense and necessity. GM et al insist that they were reacting to what the market wanted, yet the market was bound to shift; all evidence pointed to this. But, once again, Detroit was slow on the uptake; unwilling to change even basic offerings and adjust to changing conditions that even the uninitiated could have identified. Yes, while purchasing decisions are usually decided by cost, we also have a responsibility to act on behalf of the environment--something that few would do voluntarily if not encouraged to do so with appropriate incentives. I know, I know; you can't regulate morality. But you CAN regulate the cost of things, so offering LEV and Hybrid discounts and tax deductions, and special HOV-lane privileges is one way to mitigate those for consumers who care as much about their environment as they care about their pocket books. We've become apathetic, and it shows in our buying as well as our manufacturing habits. "And their is no magic elf that works in asian-brand factories that makes their cars superior." Having abhorred for too long the quality and air of American automotive products, one actually begins to think that there IS a magic elf at work in those Asian factories. Lastly, I find it telling that American car companies begin to fall back on old favorites and old habits when the going gets tough--or perhaps when they simply run out of ideas (Ford even nixing their new "500" label in favor of the old "Taurus" one, for Pete's sake!). Their show rooms are now replete with the big V6 and V8 Mustangs, Challengers and Magnums of their golden years (sure, VW and others have done this, more modestly, but always with an eye toward improving their engineering proficiency, not simply for pomp, bluster, and The American Way). Unwilling to reinvent themselves, or just unable? Anyway, so yeah: I buy Asian. For now.
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Replying to: cbmtrx (Dec 20, 2008 12:23 pm) Do you know how that car was upgraded to get the extra couple mpg? You may want to read up on that instead of complaining about an American car that out does your beloved foreign Japanese car. |
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In early June 2008, when I bought my stripped down 2008 Cobalt LS with auto tranny and spoiler as the only options (no power locks, no cruise), the low sticker price, combined with the generous $2000 GM rebate, and the EPA fuel economy rating were the primary factors in my decison. This purchase was based stictly on practical considerations, and there was less "thrill" involved in buying this car than had been the case for any of my preivous new cars. (Lord knows, there had been way too many of them.) The great thing about this little car is that it has turned out to be so much fun to drive, and the good gas mileage is just icing on the cake. I am no longer concerned with squeezing every single MPG out of it, and I drive it now more like I have always driven, not crazy fast or anything, but not super conservatively either. That little car will get me a minimum of 27 MPG for my daily commute, including my in town trip to eat lunch each day. Sure, I could go back to driving no more than 55 MPH out of the highway and accelerating a little less aggressively in town, and that would bring the MPG up to 28.5 to 29.0. I got tired of driving that way, though, and the excitement over MPG waned. I guess the way gas prices have dropped has been a factor, too. Now, don't get me wrong, I am NOT one of those people who is constantly going back and forth between the brake pedal and the gas pedal and wasting all kinds of gas. I'm just no longer going to the other extreme to maximize gas mileage. I am totally satisfied with that little Cobalt. Well, I DO wish that it had cruise control. I didn't realize how bad I would miss that feature. Tom
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Replying to: tsjay (Dec 27, 2008 6:03 am) 
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2009 Sedan 1LT. Mylink Package, Auto Tranny, 16" Aluminum wheels/tires, cruise control. First highway mileage drive. 166 miles, half on Interstate  65 mph using cruise control, rest on secondary highways through small towns 50-60 mph average. Easy foot, slow acceleration. Moderate hills, some headwind on the Interstate. 30 MPG. Driver's info shows a 25.5 mpg average. 630 miles on the car at this point. A little dissapointed in this mileage, as was hoping for 33-34. 
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Replying to: Amunhotep (Dec 28, 2008 12:19 pm) |
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Replying to: tsjay (Dec 27, 2008 6:03 am) When driven solely for my 35 mile commute, I get 33 mpg. When driven mainly on the weekends to haul my kids around the city, plus one day in the middle of the week to work to "exercise" it, I get 28 mpg. Even a modest amount of city driving drags down mpg significantly. On the other hand my Ford Focus now gets 34 mpg (stick shift) on the commute, since it no longer has city duty.
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Replying to: micweb (Dec 29, 2008 5:03 pm) I have seen as high as 33.9 MPG on long trips, but my normal driving mix, which is mostly rural two lane roads and a little bit of city driving gets me from 27.0 to 29.0 MPG, depending on how conservatively I want to drive. I have decided to be happy with the 27.0 and not drive like an old lady just to get the MPG up to 29.0. Once again, I do not drive in such a way as to waste fuel needlessly, it's just that I am no longer thinking about gas mileage every minute that I am behind the wheel. I am just enjoying having a fun little car to drive. I now have 10,970 miles on that little car, and I am still very happy with it. Tom Tom
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