But we can tell you that projecting a winner through a stretch of curvy mountain road or on a racetrack would be next to impossible.Ĭreating a car with as much bang for the buck as an SRT4 is a formidable feat, but Chevy has arguably done it with the SS Supercharged.

Since we were unable to drive the two econo-rockets back-to-back, we'll reserve our in-depth comparisons for an upcoming test. The Dodge, armed with a 230-hp turbocharged four-cylinder, is quicker to 60 (5.3 seconds) and the quarter-mile (13.9 at 103) but, like the Z28, slower around the skidpad (0.86 g) and longer in 70-to-0 braking (169 feet). Thankfully for Chevy, the Cobalt's numbers also put it in the same league as the cross-town rival $21,195 Dodge SRT4. Moreover, the Cobalt outgunned the Camaro on the skidpad-0.88 g versus 0.84-and in 70-to-0 braking, posting a distance of 160 feet, 22 better than the Camaro and just four short of a Corvette Z51 (' Almost Supercars,' C/D, December 2004). The last Z28 coupe we tested in February 1999 was quicker but not out of range-0 to 60 in 5.2 and the quarter in 13.8 at 104. Our test vehicle, which resembled a sunburned lobster, ripped from 0 to 60 in just 5.9 seconds and through the quarter-mile in only 14.4 at 100 mph. A far cry from the rear-drive, V-8-powered, 3400-pound Camaro-indeed, the 2911-pound SS Supercharged scorches its front tires with only a four-cylinder engine-it nonetheless performs within earshot of the old Z28.

So after a few years of not offering an affordable sports car, Chevy is back with a stepping stone to the Vette: the $21,995 Cobalt SS Supercharged. 20 Best Cheap Performance Cars, Trucks, and SUVs.

Chevy cobalt ss