The fit and finish were much better than materials used in the cabin. There also was plenty of room inside.

Tough times cause people to evaluate needs and wants.

The difference between the two, of course, is money.

What we need, we can afford. What we want, we can’t.

This simple truth has revealed itself again during our current “economic situation,” which is political jargon for “sucky.”

Chevrolet has taken a chapter from the Rolling Stones and devised a way to consider wants and needs: Cut all of those pesky luxury features out of a car and build a point A to point B compact –– the 2009 Chevy Cobalt LS XFE.

Technically, this is not a new addition to the Cobalt family. It’s a back- to-basics machine that has one goal: Stretch every drop of gasoline for a few more miles.

There are crank windows, a manual transmission, little 15-inch steel wheels and cloth seats. It’s a do-it-yourselfer’s dream because you’re doing everything yourself. The benefit, of course, is savings: fuel and money.

Chevy didn’t sacrifice much really, just those things spoiled American consumers –– and by that, I mean me –– have grown to expect in every car. My wife will never buy another car without heated seats; who can blame her? I moan every time I have to move my foot 6 inches and apply the brakes when the car ahead slows down because I’ve gotten used to radar-based cruise control. And I’ve heard car buyers complain about everything from the lack of 110-volt outlets in some vehicles to how GPS navigation systems are really safety features. Have we gotten over ourselves yet?

This Chevy has none of that. The exterior is straight-laced Cobalt: long hood, short deck and big windows –– which require arm strength to lower.

Of course, the crank did remind me of two things: Where did the expression “roll down the window” originate, and how much easier it is to crack a car window open by hand instead of the herky jerky auto down / auto up switch.

The spartan approach may not win the big ring, but it does more than enough to make the final four in Detroit. Few cars top the Cobalt LS XFE’s 37 mpg highway numbers. Not the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic or Volkswagen Jetta –– all comparable compacts.

And the Cobalt LS XFE comes in with a cheaper price tag. My test vehicle, cost $15,925, including the $660 shipping charge.

Now in fairness, you could buy a subcompact for less and many come with more amenities and almost as good fuel economy –– but those cars are also smaller, that’s why they’re called subcompacts.

Really, the Cobalt LS XFE had everything I needed: a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine and four wheels –– only four, instead of a spare. Chevy gives you bottle of sealant, an inflator and the phone number to a towing service. (OK, Chevy doesn’t provide the towing service number, but I’d recommend a AAA card or pay $75 for the spare.)

There’s also the host of safety features that nowadays are not a matter of want or need, but rather required. The Cobalt comes with front and side curtain airbags, daytime running lights and front disc brakes and rear drum brakes –– yes, some cars still come with those. This is the base model Cobalt.

There were even a few amenities that most people want, but don’t necessarily need: XM Satellite Radio so you can play obscure music and have up-to-the-minute sports scores, a tilt steering wheel (it doesn’t need to telescope when you can adjust the seat ), a remote trunk release (a key works just fine) and even air conditioning (see the part about crank windows).

Sitting inside this Cobalt is not an overwhelming experience. The interior looks cheap, in part because it is inexpensive. The dash is shiny and the cloth seats are very firm. But try as I might, I couldn’t find anything particularly wrong with the layout or the interior construction. Simple and clean, the interior provided me with everything I needed.

The fit and finish were much better than materials used inside the cabin. There also was plenty of room inside. The front seats provide 42 inches of legroom and 38.7 inches of head room. The second row, which folds down to provide more storage space, is a cramped 32.2 inches of legroom.

The Cobalt LS XFE (it stands for extra fuel economy) also has a few silly features, such as the shift light, which I think will burn out in a few weeks; it’s always on. The light is designed to help drivers get maximum eco performance from the five-speed manual transmission. Every time the tachometer hit 2,000 rpm, the yellow light would come on. Shift early and shift often seems to be the Cobalt’s response to getting better fuel economy.

However, the Ecotec 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine provided excellent mileage. I managed 33 miles per gallon in mixed driving. I could have probably done better, but I ignored the shift light and, instead, revved the engine to see how much pickup the little engine could provide. Chevy added variable valve timing to the engine to increase power and efficiency –– a combination we all need.

While the Cobalt LS XFE is not fast, its performance was not bad. It gives you more than you really need, but I did feel as if I was wanting for more.

The ride was noisy on the highway, with a lot of road noise leaking into the cabin. A loud stereo is a must and the Cobalt’s stereo included an auxiliary jack to connect my iPhone so I could hear reaffirming classics from the album Let It Bleed.

But the ride was smooth and I was never uncomfortable. The MacPherson strut front suspension and semi-independent rear suspension provide a solid foundation . If you put this car through the paces and push it hard through corners, the body rolls some and it feels like it may start sliding early in the turn. But the bigger question is, why would you do that to this car?

The electric power steering, however, feels firm. Then again, it’s a base model Cobalt; I wasn’t expecting it to take Le Mans much less a hot lap on Belle Isle. I may want the Cobalt SS –– a fabulous car that tears up the roads with its 2-liter turbocharged engine –– but I just might be able to get by with the XFE, which felt like it was up for its fair share of abuse.

But that’s the everlasting debate between wants and needs, at least according to Mick Jagger.2009 Chevy Cobalt LS XFE

Type: Five-passenger coupe or sedan

Price: $15,010

Engine: 2.2-liter I-4

Transmission: Five-speed manual

Power: 155 horsepower, 150-pound-feet torque

EPA gas mileage: 25 mpg city / 37 mpg highway

Exterior: Good. Basic compact look without anything too showy.

Interior: Fair. It’s the base model of an inexpensive compact. In that context, it’s OK.

Performance: Excellent. Peppy engine and solid handling.

Safety: Good. Full complement of airbags but electronic stability control is not standard.

Pros: Has everything a driver today needs.

Cons: Missing many amenities consumers want.