Technically speaking, the Nova/Cavalier/Cobalt are all different iterations of the same car. They're in the same class and price segment and are marketed towards the same sort of buyers. So I thought it would be interesting to see how they stack up to each other and how things have evolved over the years.
1978 Nova Concours Sedan
Original MSRP: 4,408$ (15,890$ in 2007 USD)
Wheelbase: 111 inches
Lenght: 196.7 inches
Width: 72.2 inches
Height: 53.6 inches
Weight: 3880lbs
Engine: 5.7 liter OHV V8 with 4 barrel carburator making 165hp @ 3800rpm
Transmission: 3 speed automatic
Brakes: Disc/Drum
Warranty: 12 months or 12,000 miles
0-60 8.8 seconds
Quarter Mile: 16.6 seconds
Fuel Economy: 17mpg average
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1988 Cavalier RS Sedan
Original MSRP: 9,835$ (17,729$ in 2007 USD)
Wheelbase: 101.2 inches
Lenght: 174.5 inches
Width: 66 inches
Height: 53.6 inches
Weight: 2558lbs
Engine: 2.8 liter OHV V6 with fuel injection making 125hp @ 4700rpm
Transmission: 3 speed automatic
Brakes: Disc/Drum
Warranty: (unknown)
0-60 8.5 seconds
Quarter Mile: 17.3 seconds
Fuel Economy: 20mpg average
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1998 Cavalier LS Sedan
Original MSRP: 14,250$ (18,344$ in 2007 USD)
Wheelbase: 104.1 inches
Lenght: 180.7 inches
Width: 68.7 inches
Height: 54.7 inches
Weight: 2729lbs
Engine: 2.2 liter OHV L4 with fuel injection making 115hp @ 5000rpm
Transmission: 4 speed automatic with overdrive
Brakes: Disc/Drum
Warranty: (unknown)
0-60 10.9 seconds
Quarter Mile: 18 seconds
Fuel Economy: 23mpg average
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2008 Cobalt Sport Sedan
Original MSRP: 20,355$
Wheelbase: 103.3 inches
Lenght: 180.3 inches
Width: 67.9 inches
Height: 57.1 inches
Weight: 3216lbs
Engine: 2.4 liter DOHC L4 with fuel injection making 171hp @ 5800rpm
Transmission: 4 speed automatic w/ Overdrive
Brakes: Disc/Disc
Warranty: Basic 36 months or 36,000 miles - Powertrain: 60 months or 100,000 miles - Corrosion: 72 months or 100,000 miles
0-60 7.8 seconds
Quarter Mile: 16.0 seconds
Fuel Economy: 25mpg average
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Obviously the Cobalt wins, but it still blows me away to see how little fuel economy has increased in 30 years. It went up an average of 3mpg per decade. That's insane. Also cars lost lots of weight in the 80's but then began to pork up because of safety regulations. They're still lighter than the original Nova, but we're not going in the right direction that's for sure. Car prices have also gone up quite a bit. The 1978 Concours was a fully equiped car for it's time and cost about the same as a base Cobalt.
Using this graph as a guide, I'm guessing that the Chevrolet's compact sedan in 2018 should look like this:
2018 Chevrolet Compact Sedan
Original MSRP: 22,500$ (in 2008 dollars)
Wheelbase: 102 inches
Lenght: 180 inches
Width: 66.5 inches
Height: 59 inches
Weight: 3716lbs
Engine: 1.4 liter DOHC L4 Turbo with fuel injection making 200hp @ 7000rpm
Transmission: 6 speed automatic w/ Overdrive
Brakes: Disc/Disc
Warranty: A millio bajilion years
0-60 6.9 seconds
Quarter Mile: 15.5 seconds
Fuel Economy: 28mpg average
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The Cav is over 1000 pounds lighter. It has a higher compression engine, it also requires judicious origami to stuff 2 grown adults in the rear seat, and performs marginally well in a crash.
Cobalt is heavier because it actually performs better in a crash, and lets 2 adults in the rear.
You also have to know that it's not just how good the rated fuel economy is, it's also how you drive and maintain the car, right?
Weird, coulda sworn the cavy and cobalt both got alot better Gas mileage than that...my cavy musta been a factory freak...
my g5 gt gets 29mpg all city driveing . i dont ever have to go on the highway. once i do get on the highway and just drive at around 75 i can see about 35-37.my cavalier only gets about 27.
yeah those mpg's are way off.. my boosted cavalier got around 30 mpg....
LE61T PTE6262 Powered 
I think the late 70's novas are considered X body cars and there is no way in hell one of them weighs 3800lbs.
and btw, very few of them got the 350. most either got a straight six, 3.8l v6, or a v8 smaller than 305(it was the 255 I think).
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Those so naive, so hard headed, so narcissistic, that think that buy their own efforts can single handedly change the world, are always the ones that do.
make that no v6 and the v8 was a 262
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevy_Nova#Fourth_generation_.281975.E2.80.931979.29'
wiki ftw
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Those so naive, so hard headed, so narcissistic, that think that buy their own efforts can single handedly change the world, are always the ones that do.
Quote:
From model year 1980 onward, the Nova's original niche in the Chevrolet lineup was filled by front-wheel drive compacts including the Citation (spring 1979 to 1985), and Corsica (spring 1987 to 1996).
taken from the Wikipedia page.
I got all of the Novas info out of a 1977 Car Buyer's Guide and assumed the identical 1978's had the same engine options. They were testing the Nova Concours. So I'd say that was a pretty trustworthy source. All the fuel figures are from www.fueleconomy.org
As for wikipedia... here's what else it has to say about the Nova:
A completely restyled Nova was introduced in 1975 and continued through 1979. Base coupes, including the hatchback, had fixed side windows (or optional flip-out windows) and vertical vents on the B-pillar. This generation is sometimes called the "Disco Nova" due to the popularity of disco music during this era.
The base model carried the inline Six-cylinder 250 CID, 115 hp (86 kW), and couples V8 engines (305 and 350 CID) were offered. Mated to a three speed automatic, 3 speed manual or 4 speed - V8s only - Which remained the norm through the end of the decade (and the end of the rear-wheel drive X platform).
The front suspension and subframe assembly was similar to the one used in the second generation GM F-body cars (the Camaro and Pontiac Firebird), whereas the rear axle and suspension were carried over from the previous generation. All this made this car very solid but also heavy (1,600 kg empty and 2100 kg (4630 lb) curb weight)
1976 Chevrolet Nova coupeThe Nova lineup ranged from the stripped-down "S" model, base, Custom (1975 and 1978 to 1979, which in later years became the LN and Nova Concours replacement), and the luxury-themed LN (the LN was the first to sport metric displacement badges — either "4.3 LITRE" or "5.7 LITRE"). The LN was replaced with the Nova Concours (1976 and 1977; 1977 models had a 3-taillight lens scheme much similar to the Impala with a Cadillac-esque front clip).
Maybe the '78 didn't have a 350, but the 1977 certainly did. Notice the curb weight as well. 3880lbs isn't that heavy when you consider that the Concours came standard with everything and had heavy power window engines on all four of it's doors.
I stand by my figures.
To the best of my knowledge they are correct and backed up with sources.
Phil aka QBE wrote:yeah those mpg's are way off.. my boosted cavalier got around 30 mpg....
Yup. Mine too.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Saturday, June 07, 2008 3:19 PM
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4 Cams...32 Valves...5 Liters...This Could Get Fun!
actually your wrong, the monza/vega would be the comparible model of the time.
2009 Ford Mustang V6
The01Cav wrote:actually your wrong, the monza/vega would be the comparible model of the time.
x2
they were also assembled at Lordstown
The01Cav wrote:actually your wrong, the monza/vega would be the comparible model of the time.
All Cavs are classified as compact cars, as was the Nova at the time (While the Vega was a sub-compact), but the definition has always been rather fluid so it's an arguable point. But I just meant it in a rough general way. The guy who bought a Nova in 1978 would be the same sort of dude who'd buy a Cobalt today. The Vega is more akin to the Aveo now.
sub compact would have been the chevette which came out in 1976. The Monza ran through production till 1980 and it was made to take place of the vega which stopped in 1977. The pontiac astre/ pontiac sunbird Chevrolet vega/chevrolet monza were the compact.
2009 Ford Mustang V6
There was a 262ci (4.3L) V-8 based on the old 1st-gen Chevy small-block V-8 in '78, and if it made it to under the hood of the 4th-gen X-cars (Chevy Nova, Olds Omega, Pontiac Ventura, Buick Apollo, Caddilac Seville) I'm sure it was outta GM's desperation to meet the just-started CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) mandates. As for the last-gen X-car being compact, that seems like it'd be a relative term since it was about the same size as the A/G-body (Chevy Malibu, Olds Cutlass, Buick Regal, Pontiac LeMans/GrandAm) coupes & sedans from '78-'87. BTW, IIRC the 305 was only available in the 9C1 police package Nova for '78, which was the package's final year on that platform before being moved to the A/G-body and then the B-body Full-sizes (Caprice/Impala).
Go beyond the "bolt-on".
