Overview & Reviews

Born in the early '80s, the Chevrolet Cavalier was General Motor's attempt to regain market share that had been lost to Japanese manufacturers who had been the first to recognize the public's need for compact, more fuel-efficient transportation. Though inferior to its competition in most respects, the Cavalier proved to be a hit with consumers, emerging as a consistent sales leader for Chevrolet.

The Cavalier's success was built in large part on the value it offered, though updates were few and far between. The Cavalier was on the market from 1982-2005, and in those 24 years, there were only two generations. Still, despite the fact that many models were built on aged platforms relative to the competition, the Chevrolet Cavalier enjoyed popularity, largely because of its irresistibly low price.

One significant factor to consider when deciding whether a Cavalier is right for you is safety. Throughout its life cycle, the Cavalier has received poor to lukewarm crash test scores. Another is overall quality. Cavaliers have suffered from build quality issues; subpar materials quality and outdated design were also problems, particularly with later models.

Resale value has been low for Cavaliers, making them an extremely affordable option. Still, in light of its shortcomings, we'd recommend that those shopping in this category consider other alternatives, such as later-model Korean imports.

Most Recent Chevrolet Cavalier

The Chevrolet Cavalier's second and most recent generation was built from model-year 1995-2005. Cavaliers built in 1995-2000 were available as sedans, coupes and convertibles, but as of 2001, drop-top versions of this Chevy were dropped from the lineup.

Trim levels varied over this generation's 10-year run. Chevrolet offered base, LS and Z24 trims for the majority of the time but later changed the lineup to just base, LS and LS Sport. The standard features list on base-model Cavaliers included little more than air-conditioning and an AM/FM stereo.

When the second-generation Chevy Cavalier was first unveiled, buyers had a choice of two engines. Base models were motivated by a 2.2-liter, 120-horsepower four-cylinder. Those seeking more power could choose a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine ("Quad4") good for 150 hp. After just one year, the 2.3-liter was replaced with an updated 2.4-liter version that also made 150 hp.

A new 2.2-liter, DOHC, 16-valve, "Ecotec" four-cylinder engine appeared in the Cavalier for the first time during the 2002 model year. While base Cavaliers continued with the ancient OHV 2.2-liter four and the Z24 still had the 2.4-liter unit, the 140-hp Ecotec was a clear improvement over any previous Cavalier power plant in terms of overall drivability and refinement. The 2.4-liter engine was dropped in 2003.

Although there weren't any redesigns in the final 10 years of the Cavalier's life, the model did see some upgrades. In 1999, the 2.4-liter engine was refined to improve reliability, emissions and fuel economy. And in 2000, the car was given a smoother-shifting manual transmission; its antilock brake system was also improved, and it saw exterior revisions like new body-colored front and rear fascias and new headlights and taillights. The car's exterior was updated once again in 2003, and XM Satellite Radio became available as an option. Audiophiles should know that in 2004, the base-model Cavalier was given an improved stereo, with CD and MP3 playback capability.

One unfortunate Cavalier hallmark is its dated interior. Build quality is subpar and materials quality leaves a lot to be desired. Seats also miss the mark when it comes to comfort. On the plus side, though, later models are available with both OnStar and XM Satellite Radio.

In editorial reviews, the Chevrolet Cavalier was praised for offering acceptable handling and power, and a reasonably compliant ride. Cons included a dated platform and poor crash test scores. In consumer reviews, the car was praised for its fuel economy but panned for its dull interior styling.

Past Chevrolet Cavaliers

The first-generation Chevy Cavalier existed from 1982-'94. Standard features amounted to little more than an AM/FM audio system. A Cavalier wagon was available, in addition to the coupe, sedan and convertible. (The wagon was dropped with the second generation.) There was also the sporty Z24 variant, which debuted in 1986 and offered a spunky V6, a firmer suspension, alloy wheels and obligatory tape graphics.

With such a long spell between redesigns, Cavaliers built in the '90s offered a positively ancient platform compared to the competition. The model did see some tweaks over the years, though. In 1991, the Cavalier received sheet metal revisions. The following year, ABS joined the standard features list, and base engines saw hp increase by 15 to 110. In 1994, base engines saw another horsepower boost, up 10 hp to 120. Air-conditioning, a sunroof and a CD player were all available as options.

Again, resale values on these Chevys are low. Other than bargain-basement prices, though, these older Cavaliers have little to offer.

User Reviews:

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  Great Value - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Cavalier9 - October 17 - 5:55 pm

  Bought my Cavalier in 4/04. It is fully loaded with a 5 speed (a must have). Had a $4,000 rebate from GM when it was purchased. Got it for around $14,500 brand new! Have almost 100,000 miles on it. I have a long commute everday to work, and this car has taken it in stride. The only things I have had to replace on this car was a idle control sensor (within the first month after I bought the vehicle), front brake pads (just once), and I just bought my third set of tires. Thats all--I have not even had the rotors turned on this car--I cant believe it. Does suprisingly well in the snow. If you are looking for a great/affordable car--this should without a doubt be your choice.

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  Fun Car - 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Richard - October 6 - 4:28 pm

  I purchased this convertible in a salvage yard 4 years ago and after getting my R title it was back on the road. The following summer I took it on a 3700 mile road trip with no problems what so ever. This has been a great car and I really like it. It has all the options except the rear window defroster and all the options work. Problems have been minimal and easily repaired parts are cheap and can be obtained at my favorite auto parts store or junk yard. For me this has been a joy to own and I am looking forward to taking this car on a trip to the Florida gulf coast and then to the Keys next year.

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  Very dependable - 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Rgrimes - October 6 - 4:27 pm

  Car has 246,000 miles with no major issues except for normal maintence like tune ups and tires. Still runs like new and had no problem going through the sniffer.

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  Satisfied - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By G in NC - October 5 - 10:30 am

  I bought my Chevy new in 2004. I have had only two problems: In 2006, my horn stopped working, and the airbag had to be removed to fixed the problem. A pricey fix but was covered by my warranty. Now at 56000 miles, my check engine light has come on and am told I need to replace an Oxygen sensor. No biggie. Overall, the ride in my car is comfortable but noisy in traffic. I am short, so I like that the car is more compact than others Ive driven. I am not happy with the interior features: My dash has cracks from the sun, and the center console lid has completely fallen off. Other than that, I am happy with my purchase and love the gas economy. Good car for students!

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  02 Cavy base coupe - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By seanyboi142 - October 1 - 12:18 pm

  I love this car so much. Its got a little power to it (110 hp base model). Its not so good when accelerating with the AC on it puts a drag on the engine. I took it back to a Chevy dealership twice. The first time I took it back because I got tired of the base engine and ordered a LS sport engine which was much needed for power (140 hp engine). Well my engine light came after I had the car for about 2 or 3 weeks. Turns out someone put some of the parts in wrong. Well thats it. Its a great car.

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  2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Dmagic - September 25 - 1:03 am

  I recently purchased the cavalier LS Sport Sedan. I must say that for the buck, this is a best buy! It has all the custom features most people want, available in factory make. The sound system is excellent, and puts a little bump in your ride. Considering it only has a 4 cylinder, the car has quite an amount of pickup too.

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  Bought in 2005 - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Mike J - September 19 - 2:43 pm

  Bought this car for my daughter in late 2005. She went on to something else in 2006 so Ive driven this car since then. No problems. This is a bottom end car for Chevrolet and I expected more issues. I see others that are beat to death but still run so I expect mine to run for a long time. This car will put a 6 cylinder older Mustang down without breaking a sweat and still get 25-26 mpg!

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  Worst Cavalier I have ever had. - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CM - September 16 - 10:22 am

  This is my third Cavalier and I would warn anyone to beware. I have had more problems with this Cavalier than any other and have had over 100,000 miles on all my vehicles. I just had to replace the engine, have replaced the fuel pump and now all the gages are crazy. I can be driving along at about 30 miles per hour and the next thing I know my speedometer says I am going 110 Miles per hour. Same thing happens to gas gauge and temperature gauge and now the tachometer is starting to go crazy too. Also the switch for the heater wont work right either. This car has been giving good treatment and service but this kind of problems should not be happening. Needless to say GM fix it for a price!

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  Reliable - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Kevin - September 9 - 12:51 pm

  We purchased our 2000 Cavalier in October of 1999. We have 123,000 miles on the car. We get 28 mpg average between city and highway. We have the 2.2 litre engine. The car is very easy to drive and still runs very well. We have had very little trouble out of it. It has been very reliable. No leaks of any kind, and everything works. Still looks good and I enjoy driving it every day. We paid $13,000 for it new and have had the car for nearly ten years. I have no plans to sell or trade my Cavalier. I have owned many different cars from many different manufacturers, but I have kept this one the longest and have found it to be the most reliable.

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  love it - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By aj starr - September 9 - 2:00 am

  for the money you cant beat it, had one before and rang up 180,000 miles and not much trouble at all.