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 Cavaliers have suffered from build quality issues; subpar materials quality and outdated design were also problems, particularly with later models.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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  Fantastic little car. GM girl for life - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Amy - August 13 - 8:14 am

  After having a baby in 2001, I was beginning to feel way too momish. I missed having a small sporty car and purchased this car new in March 2002. Loved the car from the very start, very comfortable and roomy interior ( rear-facing car seat fits easily in and out of the back seat), great handling, and quick/zippy performance from the 2.2L Ecotec engine. Unfortunately, I have a tendancy to drive my cars extremely hard and often forget about routine preventative maintenance (like oil). Oil was changed maybe 5 times. My engine siezed in April 2007 at 83K miles. I have since replaced the engine with a 2005 2.2L Ecotectand now running great. Even at 5 yrs old the interior looks almost like new.

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  A good city driver - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cav_rider666 - August 12 - 1:26 pm

  The Cavalier may not be the most exiting compact sedan out there but its definitely worth taking a closer look at this value filled sedan. The 2.2L OHV engine design offers acceptable power, great fuel economy and offers one of the best automatic transmissions in its class. The Cavaliers timeless yet elegant lines make it pleasant to look at and its poor resell value makes it a great used buy. The interior is roomy, somewhat comfortable on long trips and offers ample cargo and storage space while still being able to comfortably accomodate 5 adults.

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  My first new car - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Chris Rock - August 10 - 10:00 am

  Wasnt a real big fan of the cavalier but really enjoying the car

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  Nice Little Car - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By REMICH - August 10 - 2:00 am

  The Cavalier is a lot of car for the money. Plenty of power and torque, handles well and gets good gas mileage even at 75 mph. The style should be updated though. The chassis is pretty solid, but I have an annoying squeak in the front suspension that they only seem able to fix for about 2000 miles at a time. The manual 5 speed takes some hunting for gears and even after 10,000 miles I still get the wrong gear sometimes. All in all though, its well worth the $10,700 I paid for it.

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  Economy doesnt meet comfort - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Bri - August 2 - 4:48 pm

  I owned this car for 3 years, and Im just now trading it in. My husband is in the military, so it was easy to put 60k on it in that amount of time. This car gave me no trouble for 2 1/2 years, until the fuel pump went out. I wasnt surprised, as GM is noted for recalls. With an aftermarket air filter, I got 39 miles to the gallon in this car. The only reason Im trading in is because were expecting a baby, and theres no way a car seat will comfortably fit in this back seat. Moderate comfort for 2 people, but dont bother if you have a child or any friends to drive around. The front controls are horribly placed, and its small. But all in all I loved this car. Very reliable.

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  Chevy Cavalier, only so-so - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CHill - August 2 - 4:17 pm

  This car has had more issues than not. The steering has always made a griding noise when at low speeds, the air conditioner has been broken since the second day after we drove off of the lot, and the cab space is next to nothing. I do not feel safe driving this car. Personally, I do not like it, but for a first car that is only to be owned for a short period, its ideal. Its cheap, and the price shows it. Youll drop the price of a new car to repair the a/c alone, though, so if comfort is your game you may want to steer clear of this model and year.

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  Great Car - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By TUowl05 - July 31 - 8:57 pm

  I bought a 2002 2 door LS sport in July of 2003 with 5k miles on it. It was a great car that was extremely reliable and relatively fun to drive. I only had to replace the drivers side window motor as that went out at about 35k miles. Other than that the car was flawless. My only complaint was the paint is pretty crappy. You could scratch it with your fingernail. Despite waxing it reguraly nicks and scratches always seemed to pop up. I recently traded it in on an 06 Saab 9- 3 but even with the step up I still miss my Cavalier. It was a great little car during my college years. It had 55,000 miles on it when I got rid of it and was pleased with the $5k trade in I got for it.

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  Good Car, Not - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By btdoug - July 30 - 11:42 am

  I bought this car a few months ago, with less than 100k miles on it. Ive had a lot of electrical failures that needed to be replaced, and the engine overheats on long drives. I know its getting to be an old cheap car, and its an American car, but I expected a little more reliability than what Ive got so far.

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  Cavalier --- Sporty, Fun and a best buy - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Corinne - July 25 - 11:06 pm

  This is the second Cavalier I have owned. I put right at 100,000 miles with little more than oil changes, tires, a couple air filters and a set of brakes. My new Cavalier has the new 2.2l EcoTech motor that has ample power and I get about 27 miles to the gallon in town. With all the standard features like 4 wheel ABS brakes, air conditioning and a cd player, its in my opinion a "BEST BUY" among compact small cars.

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  2001 Cavalier - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Linda - July 25 - 9:52 pm

  This vehicle is GREAT! I got into a wreck where another driver hit me head on, and broke my windsheild and also made my airbags bust. But my engine was in GOOD shape nothing happened to it. Thank God!! This goes to show you that the engine in this car is GREATLY MADE!