Body panel fits are extremely tight. So tight, in fact, that there are no rubber trim gaskets around Cobalt's compound complex headlamps.

The fastback coupe bears a resemblance to the Cavalier it replaced in 2005, right down to its high, rounded tail and triangular rear quarter windows; though in fact Cobalt shares little with its predecessor but its looks.

The Cobalt sedan looks less like its curvier Cavalier ancestor, and more like a contemporary small sedan, with a tall roofline and short, chunky tail.

The coupe weighs about 50 pounds less than the sedan, although it's doubtful anyone but a professional race driver would feel the difference on the road. Same for the sedan's slightly better front-to-rear balance: 59/41 vs. 60/40 for the coupe.

Cobalt is longer, wider and lower than most of its direct competitors and its interior dimensions and trunk capacity are comparable for the class.