The market for mid-size sedans is crowded and is currently dominated by imports like Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. For good reason: they are built to last and give good value for money, plus they are a pleasure to drive.

For a long while it has seemed like the domestic manufacturers have almost given up on the niche. The Chevy Cavalier was clumsy half-hearted attempt at producing a car. Cavaliers were plagued with build quality issues. In particular, later models suffered from subpar materials quality, not to mention the outdated design.

The Chevy Cobalt is Chevy’s replacement for the aging Cavalier line. With Chevy’s failings on the Cavalier it’s easy to have low expectations with the Cobalt. We recently test drove Chevy Cobalt LT for about a month and there are some rather pleasant things that stood out.

On the outside, the car looks nice with plain and simple lines. Nothing radical or dramatic in that department. It more or less looks like a more upbeat version of the Cavalier. Chevy could have done better if it wanted to set the Cobalt apart from the Cavalier.

Getting into the car, well that can be a problem if you are 6′ or taller. The first time I tried to get out of it, I banged my head on the door frame. But once I got a feel for it it was rather nice. The seats fit my frame rather well, but the neck rest is not adjustable and it feels more like a backstop to your head in case of a collision.

Driving around, the ride felt real good. The Cobalt’s 145 hp 2.2 liter GM Ecotec engine gives just about enough power; nothing racy but nothing shabby either. The steering wheel is rather thick but it fits the palm of my hand just right and it has that fun video game steering wheel feel to it. Engine response was prompt with acceptably low noise levels. The suspension is pretty much on par and gives good handling on curves and bumpy roads.

On the interior, the dash is plastic but it’s pretty decent, typical of today’s commodity cars. The one I drove came with an XM radio built-in. There’s a bonus feature with the radio. You can turn off the engine and the radio keeps going and it does not turn off until you actually get out of the car. This car also came with a key lob to open the doors. The doors automatically lock themselves shortly after you turn on the ignition and put the car in gear. Another nice touch: the lights come on automatically once it gets sufficiently dark.

While the front seats provide enough space for both driver and passenger, the rear seats fall short. It’s not as spacious as in a Civic or Corolla but it’s enough to keep your kids in place.

When it comes to safety, the car provides good frontal collision protection¹. The 2005-2007 models do not come with side airbags, although you should be able to get one with front and rear head curtain airbags.

On maintenance, the GM Ecotec engine is pretty common so finding replacement parts should not be a hassle. The transmission and suspension is pretty basic and it should not be difficult to find a cheap repair shop.

Overall, it’s a pretty decent car that surprises you with features that you would not expect in a Civic or Corolla. The price on preowned Cobalts make this our pick for the month. A very well maintained LT model Cobalt with about 50,000 miles goes for around $8,500-$9,000. That’s a whole lot cheaper than any comparable Civic or Corolla or Mazda 3.

So if you are single mom with a kid who is wary of repair bills² and on tight budget but want some comfort and niceties in the car, the Cobalt is worth your consideration especially if you can get a bargain out of it.

Review by Srikanth Narra