Chevrolet Cobalt vs. Suzuki SX4

Comparative Review

The 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt

The Chevy Cobalt is a quiet and refined vehicle considering its size, which is small.  It is built on a strong, stiff platform, and it delivers crisp handling and a smooth ride. Standard safety features now include head-curtain airbags and a tire-pressure monitor. Anti-lock brakes and stability control are standard on some models, and available on others.  The 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt is available in two body styles: a two-door coupe and a four-door sedan.  The 2009 also comes in LS, LT, and Sport trim levels. The Cobalt LS and LT models are powered by a 148-horsepower 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine and ride on the softer FE1 suspension, which includes a 19mm anti-roll bar in front and a 16mm bar in the rear. The Cobalt Sport gets a 171-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder and benefits from the firmer FE3 suspension, with 22-mm front and rear stabilizer bars, four-wheel-disc brakes, and 17-inch wheels and performance tires.
 
All models come standard with a five-speed manual transmission and offer a four-speed automatic as an option.  Chevrolet Cobalt LS sedan and coupe come standard with air conditioning, cloth upholstery, height-adjustable driver's seat, 60/40 split fold-down rear seat, automatic headlights, electric rear defogger, tilt steering column, PASS-Key III Plus theft deterrence, driver information center, two 12-volt power outlets, and a four-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo with an auxiliary input jack. New since 2008 is standard XM Satellite Radio. These models are still very basic, and come with wind-up windows and manually operated mirrors. Tires are 195/60 on 15-inch steel wheels.  Options are rather limited. An option package for LT called 2LT bundles ABS; StabiliTrak; color-keyed bodyside moldings; 205/55R16 tires on more stylish, plastic-faced wheels; cruise control; OnStar; and a trunk cargo net. Safety features for the Cobalt include dual-stage front air bags, front seatbelt pre-tensioners, rear center shoulder belts, and the LATCH child seat retention system. Head-curtain side airbags are now standard on all models, as is a tire pressure monitor.

The Chevy Cobalt is built on GM's Delta platform, which it shares with the domestic Saturn Astra and European-market Opel Astra.  In the interior, the instruments are large, well placed, and easy to read. An available Pioneer seven-speaker sound system with the Delphi AM/FM/CD delivers good sound and uses a huge subwoofer mounted on the left side trunk wall.  The heating, ventilation and defroster system works quickly and responsively.  The 171 hp developed by the Cobalts 2.4-liter engine is 16 percent more than the base engine produces. With 167 pound-feet of torque at 4500 rpm, the Sport delivers about 10 percent more torque than the base LS/LT.

The 2009 Suzuki SX4

The SX4 is offered in two body styles, the SX4 Sport four-door sedan and the SX4 Crossover four-door hatchback.  Both versions offer pleasant interiors with controls that are easy to use and interior materials appropriate for the price. The front seats are spacious. The rear seat in the hatchback is roomy but the back seat in the sedan is cramped for taller adults.  Head room in either body style is excellent up front.  SX4 Crossover offers cargo versatility and looks like a cute mini-SUV. The SX4 Sport has sharper steering and more nimble handling. Standard features for SX4 Sport include cloth upholstery; air conditioning; power windows, locks and mirrors; remote keyless entry; AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with four speakers; tilt steering wheel; and P205/50R17 all-season tires on alloy wheels.

The SX4 Crossover adds all-wheel drive, 60/40 split folding rear seats and roof rails. The Crossover is fitted with P205/60R16 all-season tires on 16-inch alloy wheels. Options include a Convenience Package  with cruise control and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with integrated audio controls. The Touring Package for the Crossover  and Sport  includes the Convenience Package items plus antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, traction control, electronic stability control, SmartPass keyless starting, automatic climate control, four tweeters and a subwoofer, sport pedals (Sport only), fog lamps, heated outside mirrors and a rear spoiler. Safety features include six airbags: front driver and passenger airbags, torso-protecting driver and passenger side-impact airbags and head-protecting side curtain airbags, these are all standard.  All-wheel drive is also an excellent safety feature option. The exterior of the SX4 curves from the front of the distinctive front fenders and extends down to the lower lip of the front bumper with its large air intake. One of the most unusual designs is the large quarter windows set in the front doors. 

The Suzuki SX4 offers the most powerful engine in its class. With standard AWD, the Crossover grips much better on slippery surfaces and the AWD system can even help on a dry road. The Sport lacks AWD, but its lower ride height and tauter suspension make it more nimble than the Crossover. Both body styles have a relatively high seating position, which makes the SX4's moderate body more pronounced. The SX4 Crossover is a versatile hatchback body style with the advantage of all-season all-wheel drive. The SX4 Sport offers a taste of sportiness for a low price. Read a driving impression from Road and Track for another look at the SX4.

Conclusions

For 2009, the Cobalt offers more value and more safety than ever.  It represents an inexpensive, high-value transportation with a new-car warranty.  Cobalt is longer, wider and lower than most of its direct competitors and its interior dimensions and trunk capacity are comparable for the class. For more details and information on the Cobalt, click here. The Chevrolet Cobalt will satisfy the needs of drivers looking for economy of price, economy of operation, and a nice, quiet ride. It is actually a well equiped vehicle. It carries four people comfortably, five if necessary. The Sport model offers a more fun to drive version. The MSRP for the Cobalt is $15,660 - $23,425. The fuel economy range is 37 mpg Hwy, 25 mpg City.  It comes with a basic warranty of 36 months/36,000 miles.  The Suzuki SX4 is well priced on both body styles. It is a small car that is more than just basic transportation. It has a wide track for good handling and a solid body. The downside is that it's relatively heavy, and weight is the enemy of  performance and fuel economy.  The SX4 is not much faster than its competitors, on dry pavement, that is, and fuel consumption is not quite as good.  The MSRP is $13,339 - $17,839.  The fuel economy range is 28 mpg Hwy, 21 mpg City.  The basic warranty is 36 months/36,000 miles.  As an added bonus, Suzuki offers a 100,000-mile, seven-year, fully transferable, zero-deductible powertrain limited warranty.