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Used 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt Consumer Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
254 reviews
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Pros
Cons
4 out of 5 stars

Best car experience ever

K. Bristol, 07/23/2015
updated 01/25/2017
2005 Chevrolet Cobalt LT 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 4A)
31 of 31 people found this review helpful

To be fair, I drove my Cobalt 323,624 miles, no extra maintenance, 37 lifetime combined mpg, 40 mpg in final two years, beautiful blue paint in great shape after 10 years in the Colorado sun, interior decent given its use, engine in perfect condition. Transmission finally gave after 2-3 car-lives. I get paid for driving, and this car not only paid for itself, but then 4 more times! There is nothing wrong with these cars. Miles were approximately 50/50 miles city/highway. And no, I'm not slow, I drive assertively, but not aggressively. Two occasions I scored 44 mpg round trip Denver to Gr. Junction. Car has been sold to a junk dealer, who replaced transmission, and has since resold it. I've heard from the new owner, and the car is still in service.

Safety
3 out of 5 stars
Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
3 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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4.25 out of 5 stars

It's been a great car!

silveeto, 01/21/2013
2005 Chevrolet Cobalt LS 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
17 of 17 people found this review helpful

I've had my Cobalt for 3 years. Bought with 80,000km and now have 155,000km on it. Aside from oil changes and regular maintenance I haven't had to do a thing to this car. It's fun, zippy, good on gas, and being fully loaded with leather and heated seats I really can't complain about much. The only problem is one that many 2005 gm cars had - intermediate steering shaft gets sloppy. Kind of annoying, but have never felt unsafe... just a 1/4" of play in the steering wheel. My mechanic said it was safe to drive as is or I could spend a small fortune replacing it, so obviously I went the free route, lol. Other than that it's been a fantastic car!

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4 out of 5 stars

11 years and 203K with a Cobalt

markjennings, 10/10/2016
2005 Chevrolet Cobalt LS 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
28 of 29 people found this review helpful

Bought this car brand new in 2005, LS model 2 door with the 2.2 and automatic. Has a hair over 200K now. Nothing has ever gone wrong with the engine or transmission, it's been a dependable car that has never left me stranded. I love the fact I've never been faced with a $900 timing belt change because the Cobalt uses a chain. The car still runs like new and always manages to get nearly 40 mpg on the highway. I've had all the usual issues that Cobalts seem to have, control arms, wheel bearings, sway bar end links, struts, ignition switch, and a few minor electronic glitches through the years. I consider this stuff mostly normal wear items and was honestly no different than the 1998 Civic I owned previously, the big difference is the Cobalt is much, much cheaper to fix. I'd recommend the cobalt without hesitation, they are basic cars, somewhat spartan in feel, but mine has been a dependable and economical mode of transport.

Safety
4 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
3 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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4.5 out of 5 stars

Bulletproof

breannarae, 10/26/2012
2005 Chevrolet Cobalt 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful

I have to agree with Jason2012, I think the real problem you all are experiencing is operator error. My 05 Cobalt Coupe rides, handles, preforms and is more reliable than a lot of new cars my friends own. I have an extremely bad back and long trips in the car never irritate it, I find the seats very comfy. The suspension is unreal, it has nearly 150,000km on it and still runs like new. Never had any problems with it, but I always maintain it. I worked at a GM Dealer for quite a while and these cars don't often have problems. They have a bulletproof drivetrain. You could have this car for 300 000 km + if you maintain it. I just wish I had and upgraded model with more options than base.

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2.88 out of 5 stars

2005 Chevy Cobalt major problems

shadow076, 07/07/2014
2005 Chevrolet Cobalt LS 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
13 of 14 people found this review helpful

On 6/22/14, I was coming home from Philadelphia and while on the Brunswick Highway, my 2005 Chevy Cobalt's dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree and I lost my power steering, traction control, brakes, abs, engine lock, door locks were clicking on and off and I had to pull over 4 times off the highway. My odometer didn't work either. This also made my transmission jerk and slip. It was so bad that when it was switching gears, it was making my entire car shake. I was afraid for my life. I nearly crashed into a semi-truck because my brakes and power steering didn't work. Also, I couldn't go below 65mph on the highway because the transmission was slipping. I made it home but I was still shocked

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