Cobalt vs. Corolla

Rikki and I went on Vacation to Denver this week (more about that later). We reserved a compact rental car (as it was just the two of us). When we arrived, we received an almost new Chevrolet Cobalt. What a piece of junk. The trunk is impossible to access as the opening is just too small, the seat belt is difficult to reach, the emergency brake is placed under the armrest, so it cannot be engaged unless the armrest is lifted. This causes the contents of the armrest to fall out. The seat is so firm that it is uncomfortable. The engine is very noisy, but produces minimal power. The various panels on the dashboard and steering wheel are not even or flush with each other. The rear window is so small, that it is dangerous backing up. Just an overall junky car.

On Thursday we got a flat tire. We called the rental cal company and they said it would be at least an hour until they could get a service truck to us. They said I can change the tire myself and bring in the car and trade it for a new one. I did that.

When I returned the car, for some reason they just told us to go to a certain area and pick any compact car. So I picked an almost new Toyota Corolla.

This car is similar to the Cobalt in class and size, but is a vastly better vehicle. Everything just works and is easy to use. The trunk is huge and easy to access, the emergency brake is easy to pull, the seat belts are easy to reach, , the seats are very comfortable, the engine is quiet, and all of the components fit together like they are one big piece. The Corolla is a vastly better vehicle than the Cobalt.

Consumer Reports gives the Cobalt a 50 out of 100 and a Corolla a 71 out of 100.

Then, on our way home we heard on the radio that GM is no longer paying a dividend, closing factories and laying off workers. No wonder.