The Chevrolet Cobalt LS sedan and coupe ($13,675) come standard with air conditioning, cloth upholstery, height-adjustable driver's seat, 60/40 split fold-down rear seat, automatic headlights, electric rear defogger, tilt steering column, PASS-Key III Plus theft deterrence, driver information center, two 12-volt power outlets, and a four-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo with an auxiliary input jack. New for 2008 is standard XM Satellite Radio. These are still fairly basic models, though, with wind-up windows and manually operated mirrors. Tires are 195/60 on 15-inch steel wheels. And options are limited.

The LT ($14,375) sedan and coupe get power windows and door locks, plus upgraded upholstery, adjustable lumbar support for the driver, and some other amenities. LT's with the neutral interior color now feature woodgrain trim. Options expand to include cruise control ($275), sunroof ($750), six-disc CD changer ($295), seven-speaker Pioneer audio ($295), remote vehicle starter ($190, and requires automatic transmission), heated leather seats ($695), and a leather-wrapped steering wheel ($195).

An option package for LT called 2LT ($1295) bundles ABS; StabiliTrak; color-keyed bodyside moldings; 205/55R16 tires on more stylish, plastic-faced wheels; cruise control; OnStar; and a trunk cargo net.

Replacing last year's Sport Package is the new Performance Appearance Package ($795), which includes a rear spoiler, 16-inch aluminum wheels, stainless steel exhaust with chrome tips, fog lamps, white-face gauges, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob. A new Chrome Exterior Package is available on LT sedans and includes a chrome grille, bodyside moldings and door handles.

Cobalt Sport ($18,875) replaces last year's Cobalt SS. The Sport comes in coupe and sedan body styles. In addition to the bigger engine, beefed-up chassis, ABS brakes and StabiliTrak, Sport makes the seven-speaker stereo standard, along with a leather-wrapped shift knob and leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls. Otherwise, standard equipment and options are similar to the LT.

Safety features include dual-stage front air bags, front seatbelt pre-tensioners, rear center shoulder belts, and the LATCH child seat retention system. Head-curtain side airbags are now standard on all models, as is a tire pressure monitor. Sport and 2LT come with StabiliTrak electronic stability control. Anti-lock brakes (ABS) are also standard on Sport and 2LT, optional ($400) on 1LT and LS; the system includes traction control on Cobalts with automatic transmission. OnStar is standard on 2LT and Sport, and optional ($295) on 1LT. It's a good safety feature because operators will direct emergency crews to your exact location should your airbag go off and you fail to respond. For 2008 it includes the General Motors Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN) system, making crash data available to participating 911 centers to help them dispatch the appropriate live-saving personnel and equipment.

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