Best Compact SedanChevrolet · 2005
Cobalt
2005 · LS
Resale price
$3,750
5-yr depreciation
76%
Of original value, first five years
Yearly maintenance
$535
Parts and labour beyond oil and tyres
Combined MPG
26
EPA combined city and highway
Trouble-free miles
90,500
Before a first repair above $500
Known issues
Ignition switch recall; electric power steering motor failure.
Where it is made
Final assembly · Lordstown, Ohio, USA
Country of origin
United States
Home market of Chevrolet, the brand that designs and engineers this car.
Parts from United States
70%
Share of the car's parts content sourced in the United States.
Made in the USA
70%
parts
100%
assembly
Finished in a US plant, with the parts share above sourced domestically.
| Measure | This vehicle | Median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resale price | $3,750 | $8,200 | −$4,450 |
| 5-yr depreciation | 76% | 55% | +21% |
| Yearly maintenance | $535 | $482 | +$53 |
| Combined MPG | 26 mpg | 30 mpg | −4 mpg |
| Trouble-free miles | 90,500 mi | 138,000 mi | −47,500 mi |
Fun fact · 02
Toyota Corolla · 1998 — 2002
The car that outlived its own warranty twice
The last of the truly boxy Corollas is the high-mileage benchmark of the segment. Almost nothing on it is exotic: a plain 1.8-litre four, a four-speed automatic, and body panels that bolt on instead of being bonded into the structure. Documented examples in courier and taxi service pass 600,000 miles, and the failure that finally stops them is usually rust rather than the drivetrain.
What it is
- 1.8-litre 1ZZ-FE inline-four, 125 hp
- Chain-driven cams, iron-liner alloy block
- Four-speed automatic or five-speed manual
- 41 mpg highway with the five-speed