Chevrolet offers the Cobalt in a wide variety of styles and flavors, from budget-friendly commuter to canyon carving sport coupe, enhancing the car’s appeal across a wide demographic.

Choose between the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt coupe and sedan in base, LS, LT, or SS Supercharged trim levels. Coupes can be outfitted with base, LS and SS Supercharged equipment, while sedans are decked out in your choice of base, LS, or LT trim. In 2006, a new SS Sedan debuts with a more powerful motor and other performance upgrades.

Standard equipment on base Cobalts includes a five-speed manual transmission, 15-inch wheels and tires, air conditioning, a CD player, a driver information center, a folding rear seat, and a powertrain warranty for five-years/60,000 miles. Cobalt LS adds body-color fascias, power exterior mirrors, cruise control, power windows, power door locks with remote keyless entry, a cargo net, upgraded cloth upholstery, and antilock brakes. Step up to the Cobalt LT for chrome exterior trim, fog lights, aluminum wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, a storage console between the front seats, and a Pioneer audio system with a subwoofer and seven speakers. The LT also comes with a standard four-speed automatic transmission, traction control, fake wood interior trim, and heated leather seats. Several LT standards are optional on the Cobalt LS.

In addition to performance upgrades and styling tweaks, the hot Cobalt SS Supercharged includes titanium-faced sport gauges, floor mats, and color-coordinated cloth inserts for its sport leather bucket seats. The only Cobalt not offered with the five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, the SS Supercharged delivers 205 horsepower and 200 lb.-ft. of torque to the front wheels through a beefed-up five-speed manual transmission. A sport-tuned suspension, four-wheel-disc brakes, and 18-inch wheels wearing 215/45 Z-rated performance rubber are also standard.

Key Cobalt options include side curtain airbags, a dubiously titled LS Sport package, OnStar telematics with a one-year Safe & Sound subscription, a power sunroof, XM satellite radio, and Pioneer audio.

We spent a week driving a Sandstone Metallic Cobalt LS sedan equipped with just about everything, including an automatic transmission, OnStar, XM, Pioneer audio, a power sunroof, and side curtain airbags. Sticker price, including the $595 destination charge, was a stunning $19,625. Had we been shopping for a car like this, the sunroof, OnStar, XM, and Pioneer audio would be dropped from the window sticker, resulting in a far more palatable, and competitive, $17,730.