Here's what Edmunds.com has to say about the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt (for example): "Smooth ride and sporty handling, torquey four-cylinder engine, premium content for basic-car price. The car is well equipped, competitively priced and, most importantly, very well engineered."

With its introduction in 2005, the Chevy Cobalt was quick to raise some eyebrows with its impressive reviews and the unmistakable conclusion that an economical four-cylinder compact car doesn't have to come from Japan to be good.

We've had several of them here and were equally impressed. And we're happy for Chevrolet, as an American car maker, that they've ramped up the quality factor when it comes to a compact car.

The Cobalt is available as either a sedan or coupe, and with its four trim levels, there are models that are quiet and easygoing as well as those that will please the more sporty-inclined driver.

The LS model is the moderately featured base model with filtered air conditioning and a CD player. Additional features such as power accessories, cruise control, keyless entry, OnStar, XM radio, leather upholstery and an upgraded Pioneer stereo are featured on the LT, LTZ and the supercharged, performance-oriented SS trim.

The Cobalt is equipped with a quite capable and lively 2.2 liter, 4-cylinder engine with 145 horsepower that's also very good on gas (24 mpg city and 32 mpg highway). The SS has a 2.4 liter that produces 171 horsepower with basically no loss to gas mileage.

And those drivers looking for plenty of fun may be interested in the Supercharged Cobalt SS, with its feisty 205 horsepower, 2.0 liter engine, and only available with a 5-speed manual transmission.

We happen to think that the Cobalt makes a solid choice as a used car purchase. And we have two suggestions to help you save when buying one:

ONE: We're always on the lookout for the nicest used Cobalts for sale at the wholesale Dealer-Only auctions we attend. And we can purchase one specifically for you.

You see, we specialize in purchasing all vehicle makes and models at big discounts to retail ... and passing these savings directly to our customers. Here's where to discover more about our unique, money-saving, and very simple Car Buying Service.

TWO: You can go to Public Car Auctions in your own geographic area. While this will take some additional time and effort on your part, there are indeed truly outstanding buys for those who shop these events.

Here's an article with additional information on locating these auctions and the key issues in using them to your advantage: Find A Chevy Cobalt At Public Auto Auctions In Your Area.

Also ...

If You're Interested In A "Brand New" Cobalt: People swear by the excellent method detailed in this article for getting the lowest prices on any new car.