Chevy Cobalt XFE Bests Segment, 36 mpg

How badly are fuel prices impacting car sales? So badly Chevy has gone under the hood of the Cobalt economy car and magically found 3 more mpg on the highway. Dubbed the XFE — Xtra Fuel Economy — the revised Cobalt is on sale now and delivers 25/36 mpg equipped with a manual transmission. The XFE replaces the base offering in both coupe and sedan versions of the LS and LT1 trim packages. Prices still start at $14,885.

Hitting the magical 36 mpg number propels the Cobalt XFE past the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus in terms of mileage for their manual transmission and represents a 9% gain in highway fuel efficiency. The Honda Civic with an automatic also gets 36 mpg.

How was the magic done? According to Chevy, “it uses revised engine calibration, low-rolling-resistance tires, a new, 3.74:1 final drive ratio and other technologies.” Meaning, they didn't have to do too much.

We’re glad automakers are adding more efficiency, but we’re not sure how we feel about slapping a special badge on what isn't a dramatically different vehicle. It will save confusion on the lot, though, where older 2008s that didn't receive the tweaks will look identical to the XFEs.

Comments

It would have been nice to know what kinda "features" this base model now has. I mean, it's good to know that it has the best fuel economy, but
(1) this is just GM's estimate, and not real world driving, right? Almost all of today's data (EPA) from Civic, Corolla, Sentra, etc. are based on real world driving feedback;
(2) In addition to the engine calibration, is it possible that the better mileage is achieved by NOT offering stuff like a/c, CD player, more than 2 airbags, ABS, cheaper/lighter materials, less sound proofing foam, etc. that are "heavy" stuff which affects fuel economy? I'm not saying that the Cobalt has none of the above, but even for other brands, if u do the above + more, u get better fuel economy too.
(3) What 'bou a relatively equipped model comparison - base model of whatever brands, but with same type of features? IOW, u can have a based Civic with all the stuff that Cobalt doesn't have in the XFE, but when u put all those thgs back in to the Cobalt, does it still have the same good mileage?
(4) Another trick is to decrease hp hence increase fuel economy. Is that what the "engine calibration" means? Since it's a manual transmission, and with potentially lower hp, drivers are more likely to gas the Cobalt - hence unlike to obtain the 36 mpg rating.

If only GM will do this on an auto tranny, where most people buy anyhow. This will greatly benefit the environment...

Bully for General Motors for showing some adaptability and quick thinking. It's about time they get some good news on their small cars - too often people criticize the Cobalt and other American small cars.

AR,
It's the same car as the current base models so nothing has changed. A/c, side-curtain airbags etc are standard.

Good for them to react this quickly. It may not be the slickest way to gain more fuel economy but at least it seems like a step in the right direction. If someone else wants to beat them at it then that just seems all the better for consumers.

I think this is great, why didn't they do this sooner. Their city mileage is still iffy. My big question is why didn't they do this is the Aveo first? Isn't that their "ultra-economy car?" Now this XFE get's 2mpg better highway than the Aveo and also better city.

the ecotec in the cobalt is more modern than the engine in the current aveo, which is a korean engine (daewoo) based on an older design from GM australia (i'm pretty sure). according to press releases, the new aveo hatchback is coming with a new 1.6L engine, with improved fuel economy. we'll have to see if it's better than the cobalt's.

Nice job by Chevy. Its about time. For the article though, there should be some fact checking. 25/36 does not propel the cobalt past the Civic and Corolla. The automatic Civic gets the same while the standard Corolla gets 28/37. The article should say that this now makes this model of the Cobalt competitive with the Honda and Toyota. That is saying something considering the past offerings from GM.

Comaring any Cobalt to a Corolla or Civic is like comparing rotten apples to ripe oranges.

So, at 70,000 or 80,000 miles, when the Cobalt belching out huffs of blue oily smoke, clinging and clanging like a custodian's key ring and nickling and diming you to death in repairs while the Corolla and Civic still run and ride smooth as silk, how would the Cobalt compare? Please. Fuel economy is just one piece of the pie.

GM is (finally) on the right track, but they have a long way to go before you can truly compare their cars to japanese cars. This is out of real-world experience, having owned both GM and Japanese cars.

It really makes you wonder how many other "calibration" tweaks could be made to so many other cars to eek out another 1, 2 or 3 mpg.

Car companies are so lazy sometimes. This IS why they get NO sympathy when they bitch and moan at the Fed for wanting to increase CAFE standards.

Anonymous,
Sort of... Check Honda's own site if you don't believe us the Civic gets 36 mpg highway. with an automatic though! 34 with the manual. So it's tricky. I'll revise the post.

every calibration is a compromise between performance and economy. if horsepower ratings came down, mpg would go up, but everyone bitches today when a 2.0L 4-cylinder doesn't blow the doors off a mid-90s sports car...

...and if any modern car is belching blue smoke and 'clinging and clanging', it probably has more to do with how you performed the maintenance.

First let me say everyone here hits the nail right on the head.

Did they remove the A/C, that could get the 3mpg? That was how others have done it.

They could have offered a 6 speed or put a dual range differntial (like the 79'-84' Colt/Champ) and probably could have got more. You only need the extra grunt to get on the highway and a extra lower gear to put it into when you get into the moutains. It is sure not for towing.

Dave T: Please remember that the base Civic DX ($15,010 + freight) does not include air conditioning, not is it an option.

If you want a/c, you have to fork out $16,960 + freight for the LX.

The base Cobalt LS does have a/c for $14,885 +freight. To be fair you have to add $400 to the Cobalt for the ABS option. So you end up at $15,285. If you just don't want to sweat in the heat, the Cobalt saves quite a bit.

When you throw on the fact that Chevy is giving a $1500 rebate for owners of competitive brands, that price can drop to $13,785. You're looking at saving $3200 if you just want a/c.

Even if you go up to the loaded LT, you're looking at 14,495 (with ABS), after rebate vs. 16,960; a savings of almost $2400.

Like Ford, Chevy is trying to woo customers by charging less than Toyota and Honda - with rebates. They're also giving a better warranty simply by throwing in free roadside assistance and towing. If the American companies can get people into their cars, and they prove reliable, they may regain market.

Remember that the Japanese gained their market share by providing cheap, efficient cars. Then buyers found out they were reliable.

Sparky,
You're completely right. I just posted a new story about the XFE clarifying how it does come with the same standard options like A/C as the previous base cobalt.

It also has the identical rebates to other Cobalts. $1,000 nationally, more in Florida, $1,800. Before any loyalty, military, grad cash.
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/04/more-on-the-200.html

This seems like such a waste when the 2.2 liter engine is getting variable intake & exhaust valve timing for the 2009 model year.

Sparky,
Please do factor in that the Cobalt offer only a dated 4AT when the Civic offers a 5AT.
There are a lot of drivers that do not like to live with a third pedal in every day driving.

Well I for one have always been partial to the U.S. name plates.

I want to remind everyone about what G.M. used to build. My mother-inlaw had a 1980 Chevy Citation, with a 2.0 four cyl., stick shift. This car may not have been the best riding or the best looking but it had over 200,000 miles on it when it was wrecked in an accident. It was still getting 32 mpg on the highway.

I have always felt that the U.S. auto makers could build high mileage cars and trucks. If they would forget about high performance and get back low rpm high torque engines I think they would have much better success!

The Cobalt XFE that my brother just purchased last Friday has a 5 speed stick in it.

This is a good day late and dollar short start by GM. And good for them for eking out an extra 3 MPG by adjusting the gear ratio and tweaking the gear ratio and other technologies. However, I don't see how the Cobalt XFE @ 25/36(EPA) beats the Corolla @ 28/37 in fuel economy.

Last, Amuro asked if these were real world MPGs. If they're advertised then they are the EPA real world MPGs. Real world MPGs test the vehicles while driving like typical inefficient drivers while using A/C. https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/ratings2008.shtml

Rick Evans,
If they are real numbers, please explain briefly how in the world did I get over 39mpg on my 07 Civic in 100% CITY driving?

J, I would have to say on a wing and a prayer.

To answer my own comment, GM is comparing the Cobalt XFE's fuel economy rating to that of the '09 Corolla which has gained 200lb and has had a boost of 6h.p. over recent models.

In reply to J., you don't say which trim Civic. However if you go to www.fueleconomy.gov, login and navigate to shared MPG estimates you'll see that 07 Civic drivers were reporting overall average MPGs of 30.6(auto),31.7(5spd man) and 27.9(6 spd).

Uh? What?
How's this?
Wasn't this the same company that claimed that it couldn't raise fuel economy like 3mpg just a few years ago during elections? It would cost "millions" of jobs, trillions of dollars, and take away all those SUVs that everyone luvs to drive.
Hey, wake up American execs. You missed the boat. One word, aerodynamics. Say it, a-e-r-o dynamics. It can save you 30-40% fuel efficiency. The big suvs look like the same shape they did in the 1930's. Like a refrigerator on wheels. Answer me this, do we really need a 10000lb thing to move a 150lb person?

Why was the Toyota Yaris omitted? It comes in a 4 door model that has better city mpg and the same highway. It comes with A/C too.

They could push mpg way higher then they did but they don't care. The Cobalt is being replaced in 2010 (the Cruz is being shown at Paris auto show) and they aren't going to put money into changing it now with 2009s comming out in 2 months.

Best modification to get getter mpg is adjusting the nut behind the wheel.
My average of my past 6 tanks of gas is 45% OVER EPA mixed driving estimates for my car.

Run a Cobalt XFEs tires at just below rated sidewall max, pulse and glide, keep your highway speed down, and acelerate slowly and drift to stops instead of gassing it till you need to break and you will AVERAGE over 42 mpg for tanks of 60/40 highway/city driving.

Check out www.gassavers.org or Google to find other hypermiling websites.

This is not rocket science. It is not hard to increase gas milage on any car using these techniques:

1. Replace 5-speed manuals with 6-speeds.

2. Lower the final drive ratio

3. Add hard-as-a-rock eco-squealer tires

4. Use smaller engines or reprogram existing engines to output less power (which in turn uses less fuel).

5. For SUVs, elimnate gas-wasting full-time four-wheel drive (rarely used by most people) or make the 4wd selectively engagable.

The car companies claim that high milage cars are unobtainable without special research or esoteric technology. The Colbalt XFE demonstrates that neither are required.

Of course, the XFE is not as "desirable" a car, in that it rides rougher and accelerates more slowly than the regular or sport versions.

Impressive little cars. I'm almost finished working on the Project Ecotec website and wanted to get some feedback from Cobalt fans.
There's also a section for the Ion, Solstice, and sky. Thanks guys, JC

I don't mean to be a doubter/naysayer, but if Toyota can barely coax 35 mpg out of a 1.8 liter Corolla, then I absolutely don't believe that Chevrolet can magically produce 37 mpg out of a 2.2 liter Cobalt.

Have they become alchemists?

In fact, Honda just manages to squeek 37 mpg from their minuscule 1.5 liter Fit model, so this rating is highly suspect, to say the least. (And since when was CHEVY the authority on FUEL EFFICIENCY, for heaven's sake? Please.)

From where did this amazing fuel economy magically appear??

"...revised engine calibration, low-rolling-resistance tires, a new, 3.74:1 final drive ratio and other technologies..."? Bull crap. If Toyota and Honda couldn't accomplish this monumental feat with such apparently minor "tweaks" then I smell something rotten.

Bottom line: Chevrolet, I don't believe you. I think this is a publicity stunt designed to move merchandise in the face of impending bankruptcy.

...and on TOP of that, the Cobalt weighs over 200 lbs MORE than the Corolla, and over 500 lbs MORE than the 2008 Fit!!

37 mpg? No way.

Chevy, I just don't believe you, I don't care what the spec sheet says.

cbmtrx,

A larger engine doesn't need to work as hard as a smaller engine. This is the reason why the highway mileage with the 3.4L V6 in my '02 Grand Am GT is slightly better than the 3.0L V6 in the '02 Toyota Camry. That little 1.8L in the Corolla needs to wind up to higher RPM's to keep up with a 2.2L Cobalt, and those higher RPM's translate to worse fuel economy.

cbmtrx,

I just bought one of these Cobalts and it can do 37 mpg. I drive between 50 and 60 mph and I easily get in the 40's. The DIC or whatever it is called gives you a digital readout of mpg and other information. It will calculate the average mpg over a selected trip. On flat highway surfaces I was getting 46-48 over a 20 mile test ride and am getting 41-43 on 120-240 mile trips on interstates. I have only 1500 miles on the car and once the engine gets broken in I expect even more. I am a conservative driver and I am sure that helps. I
don't accelerate a lot and am happy just driving along at 55 mph. It's really a nice little car and very quiet too with a nice ride as well. I rented an Aveo last summer and was getting 31 mpg with an automatic and the air conditioning running. I am sure this summer my mpg will drop with the AC on. Chevy dealers here were selling these Cobalts for $9999 at an autoshow in March. My 2009 sedan (XFE) with a 5 speed manual transmission came with a AC, CD radio, DIC (computer that gives average mpg, outside temperature, tire pressure and more, OnStar free for 1 year was a steal. It's a nice combination of performance, economy and luxury.