In 2010 Chevrolet is going out with the Cobalt and in with the Cruze—a move that is expected to make waves not only here in America but across the entire globe. It’s being hailed as one of GM’s best new cars in years, and it looks like critics dug it at the 2009 L.A. Auto Show, too; MSN named it one of their ten coolest cars of the event.

A large part of the appeal of this vehicle is its attractive and comfortable interior, its smooth drive on a number of difference surfaces, and, perhaps most importantly, the low price it affords consumers despite all the quality it provides. With comparable cargo space and seating to the Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla, the fact that the Cruze can start at around $15,500 is pretty incredible. In Kansas City, used car sales of Civics or Corollas a few years old are hard to find for that price.

Rear seat passengers have more room in this vehicle than any other car in the class, providing 39.4 inches of head room in the front seat and 37.9 inches in the back. The leg room back there isn’t too shabby either—a solid 36.1 inches—while the 54.5 inches of shoulder space is even more than the old Cobalt. Throw in 15.9 cubic feet of trunk space, and you’ve got yourself a pretty roomy little vehicle. Sure, it looks small, but when it comes to this class of vehicle you’re lucky to have something so spacious and comfortable.

In Missouri, Warrensburg Chevy dealers are excited about receiving the new Cruze on their lots. The reasoning goes beyond just looks, space, and price (as if it needed anything more). What else could buyers want? How about fuel economy. With a 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine capable of 138hp, this little fireball still gets up to 40 miles per gallon. If that’s not enough, power-hungry drivers can wait a little longer for the Cruze SS, which has a 260hp, 2.0-liter inline-4 for a little more juice.

Kansas City used Chevy dealerships still can offer the old Cobalts, but the future of that class of vehicle for Chevy is very clearly the Cruze. It’s coming soon, folks, and not a minute too soon. The Cobalt had run its course, and now the Cruze steps in to take the reins. It may have been named one of the coolest cars at the L.A. Auto Show, but chances are this vehicle could be one of the coolest of 2010, period.