Focus or Cobalt, opinions?

[Baggage Handler #2]

Am quite likely to replace a 3/4 ton truck with a much smaller vehicle, specifically I'm looking at an
'06-10 Cobalt or
'08-'09 Focus.
Either would have to have a manual transmission.

I think all Cobalts have an average MPG display (is this correct?) but the Focus needs the SE trim or higher. Does that sound right?

Many of the manual transmission Cobalts are coupes, and I'm wondering about how big of a deal is that in real life. Will use it primarily for a commuter, but will want to truck a couple of kids around sometimes.

I suspect the Cobalt might get just a little better mileage. I've looked through the "garage" and didn't draw any real conclusions - so much seems to depend on the driver.

It probably doesn't make a whole lot of difference, but just in case, anything big I'm missing?

[Daox]

The cobalt comes in XFE trim which some users here have and really like. I suggest going and driving them both and seeing which you like more.

[rmay635703]

This is fairly easy, if you want a stick get the cobalt, my 010 XFE on its maiden voyage got 43mpg or so, which goes up as the motor breaks in.

If you want auto get the focus, if you want gimmicky craptaskic options that to me are useless, get the focus.

That said I would not recommend an 06 Cobalt as all the electric problems were not worked out then, newer seem to be better and you are much more likely to still be under GMs 5 yr, 32k/100k warranty if you are newer. Get an 06 if they have its history and if its CHEAP.

I have a 2door XFE, I would have rather had a hatchback with 4 doors, but can't be picky, to be honest I have no idea why the XFE 2 door is not a hatch since it has a big trunk and cloth cover in the rear. With a microscopic tiny opening.

My elderly mother had no issue fitting in the back of the 2 door and I don't either (6'2") so if you don't mind a few extra seconds of effort the 2 door works.

My main concern is reliability of the transmission and clutch, not really sure how well these will hold up (in either the focus or cobalt)

Also fit and feel, I don't much care but some people are strongly motivated by interior, fit and finish, if you do the cobalt is quite basic, though it seems to be as good or better than any of the other vehicles I've owned. Can't say I've ever owned anything less than 8 years old before either.

In the end you will have to figure what your priorities are, the Cobalt is a basic people mover that happens to get good FE driven correctly. I am kicking myself I didn't order it from the factory with the things I wanted and DID not want, but I likely would not have gotten 4 grand off either.

Sadly though I bought the XFE that was there because around here there just aren't any, I always have to drive off somewhere to find one.

Ideally an XFE LT stick is the best Cobalt (oppinion) but they are rather rare.

Good Luck
Ryan

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

In the end you will have to figure what your priorities are...

This.

Me, I love the cargo versatility of a hatchback. I bet you'd appreciate it, coming from a pickup background. 5sp Focus Hatchbacks are pretty easy to come by, and when I drove one, my impressions were positive.

[Baggage Handler #2]

This is good. Thanks!
I've been riding my bike to work and using the truck only occasionally, but am now about a 25 mile round trip from the office.

I'd rather have a hatch too, but the price is pretty decent and the fuel economy very good.

My mother has a 2.4L HHR with a manual and at 65000 miles, it's still pretty tight. I've seen 33 highway with it (pencil/paper), and it's "new" EPA rating is 19/28. The Cobalt, being on essentially the same platform, really ought to share some of the positives.

Originally Posted by rmay635703

This is fairly easy, if you want a stick get the cobalt, my 010 XFE on its maiden voyage got 43mpg or so, which goes up as the motor breaks in.

If you want auto get the focus, if you want gimmicky craptaskic options that to me are useless, get the focus.

That said I would not recommend an 06 Cobalt as all the electric problems were not worked out then, newer seem to be better and you are much more likely to still be under GMs 5 yr, 32k/100k warranty if you are newer. Get an 06 if they have its history and if its CHEAP.

I have a 2door XFE, I would have rather had a hatchback with 4 doors, but can't be picky, to be honest I have no idea why the XFE 2 door is not a hatch since it has a big trunk and cloth cover in the rear. With a microscopic tiny opening.

My elderly mother had no issue fitting in the back of the 2 door and I don't either (6'2") so if you don't mind a few extra seconds of effort the 2 door works.

My main concern is reliability of the transmission and clutch, not really sure how well these will hold up (in either the focus or cobalt)

Also fit and feel, I don't much care but some people are strongly motivated by interior, fit and finish, if you do the cobalt is quite basic, though it seems to be as good or better than any of the other vehicles I've owned. Can't say I've ever owned anything less than 8 years old before either.

In the end you will have to figure what your priorities are, the Cobalt is a basic people mover that happens to get good FE driven correctly. I am kicking myself I didn't order it from the factory with the things I wanted and DID not want, but I likely would not have gotten 4 grand off either.

Sadly though I bought the XFE that was there because around here there just aren't any, I always have to drive off somewhere to find one.

Ideally an XFE LT stick is the best Cobalt (oppinion) but they are rather rare.

Good Luck
Ryan

[Old Tele man]

...which?

FORD who didn't take any Government money and is high on quality

...or:

GM who did take Government money and is wallowing out of the quality "mire" only slightly ahead of Toyota (hidden meaning intended).

...or:

CHRYSLER = no show (until the Fiat 500 gets here).

[Clev]

My next commuter will be a Yaris... and this is coming from someone who has the twin to the Cobalt.

My rented Yaris averaged 42 mpg with an automatic, including my nightly climb to 4,675 feet. That's about 6 mpg better than my Saturn Ion (sister to the Cobalt) gets with a 5-speed.

[bikin' Ed]

Having driven neither my gut instinct is to go with the Focus. Ford is a couple of years ahead of GM in the reorganization and quality built departments. The cobalt is now extinct, which will make parts more scarce in the future, while the focus lives on.

The biggest thing is that you have to be satisfied with the platform...'cause we know that you are going to have to mod anything you don't like.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

This.
Me, I love the cargo versatility of a hatchback. I bet you'd appreciate it, coming from a pickup background. 5sp Focus Hatchbacks are pretty easy to come by, and when I drove one, my impressions were positive.

Looking over the sea of Focus'ss and the sea of cobalts in the garage, if his main usage is to go point A to B with occasional cargo

The cobalts have many more drivers in the mid and upper 30's up into the 50's while the Focii seem to all hover around the same FE my buick lesabre could get while hypermiling. With a pair in the 40's (low end 40's)

The cobalt does have plenty of cargo area for its size but to access it you need to fold the rear seats down and load larger objects from the front It does work though.

Possibly a DIY Dodge Charger to cobalt XFE hatchback mod project is needed around here.

If his primary purpose is to move bulky cargo the focus hatch or even a little metro hatch probably works better.

The cobalt is mainly a people mover econobox not a cargo mover. Though it isn't impossible to load cargo, just harder.

Oh and one last thing, I would never buy a cobalt non XFE, the other cars get no better than the Buick could hypermiled.

Cheers
Ryan

[Old Tele man]

...as a musician (guitar player) I looked at the Pontiac version of the XFE, because of its fold-down rear seat and cargo (amp, etc.) capacity.