Clearly, the Chevrolet Cobalt SS is no errand-running sort of car. That's what I did with our Arrival Blue tester during an extended lunch hour, and I did not enjoy myself. Unlike other small, speedy vehicles that make any run to the corner market fun -- like a Mini Cooper S, for example -- the big, clunky, cheaply-outfitted Cobalt SS struck me as the anti-thesis of nimble. Nimble cars are fun to drive. The lumbering Cobalt SS seemed happiest going fast in a straight line.

But take my opinion with a large grain of salt, for I did not venture out to my usual driving loop in the Malibu mountains. In Malibu, the Saturn Ion Red Line, which shares many of the Cobalt SS's hardware, was an impressive machine. And those who perform errand running should take note that the Saturn has rear access doors that make daily living a whole lot easier. The Cobalt's big doors are a pain in the butt in a tight parking lot. Aside from my non-plussed attitude about the driving experience, the Cobalt SS's interior let me down. If I'd dropped almost $25K on a new set of wheels, I'd be pretty mad that the cheap silver plastic trim was coming off within the first few thousand miles. Those Recaro seats are serious gear though, quite comfortable unless you're clutching the Cobalt through rush-hour traffic, but the car was noisy no matter the speed or road surface. But dude, this is a huge step up from the old Cavalier.

After the Cobalt SS left us, I had an opportunity to hit the Streets of Willow Springs road course in one. It was stock, and was clearly in its element at speed on the straights and screaming through the turns. But the inside front tire lights up pretty easily, the tail wags if you're anything but smooth, and the car rolls around like a balance ball at Gold's Gym. It's fun, but it's work.

I know, I know. The Cobalt SS has been lauded by the press since its debut, and some folks inside Chevrolet prefer to ram around in this car over the Corvette. But I'm not hooked. I can't figure out why most GM products seem to come out of the oven half-baked, like the recipe used to create them was five or ten years old, but that's usually the case. Around the time IT geeks were raking in the cash getting everyone prepped for Y2K, this car would have been a revelation. Today, we've had a chance to sample the Dodge SRT-4, Ford SVT Focus, and the Mini Cooper S. But the real death sentence for this $25K Cobalt? The 2006 Honda Civic Si. Unless Chevy can figure out a way to match the Civic Si's quality, safety, and sheer driving pleasure for a significant discount in price, it's game over. -- Christian J. Wardlaw

Photos courtesy of General Motors