Overview & Reviews

New LS Sport trim level for coupes and sedans that features an all-new 2.2-liter EcoTec engine. A Z24 sedan joins the Z24 coupe at the top end of the lineup, while both the LS and base model Cavalier gain additional standard equipment and an optional Sport appearance package. Both Z24 models get an upgraded stereo and an optional Sport appearance package will be available later in the year. Three new colors have also been added along with an upgraded cloth interior.

• Affordably priced, new EcoTec four-cylinder engine, Z24 is a stylish and speedy low-buck sport coupe.

• You get what you pay for in terms of feature content, haphazard build quality, dreadfully uncomfortable seats.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 154.00

• Worst investment i ever made - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By amy - May 3 - 5:32 pm

  this car is nothing but a money pit. it was a 2002 with 52,000 miles on it. cost me 5000 dollars. it was year 2006 when I bought it, and every single year that I had it it had problems. thermostat, the fan, the radiator, the fan that cools of the engine was broke it was ALWAYS overheating. Brakes went bad. transmission issues. you name the issue I had it with this car. I took very good care of my car but the car definitely wasnt taking care of me at all, it didnt return the favor. finally after the hose started leaking, and the head gasket was cracked I had had enough. in 2013 I sold the POS and have no regrets. I only got 950 for it but better then nothing. From the time I got this car in 2006 to the time I sold it in 2013 I spent more then 10,000 dollars to fix this car keep in mind I only paid 5000 for it. the only reason I kept it so long was because I couldnt afford a new car. After I sold it I got a Malibu. Never had a problem with that car. Cavaliers are bad news and the biggest crap machine ever. I put twice the amount of money I paid for the car to fix the car! not worth it. everytime a picture pops up showing the car I get mad cause it takes me back down to memory lane. From now on its only gonna be civics, corollas, Camrys, and malibus.

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  Lemon - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Jared - March 24 - 4:36 pm

  Bought this car used with 147k miles, 2 dr, auto, 2.2L I4. Test drove it and all was good. Maybe it was neglect, or maybe it was the dealership, but soon after buying it, things went south. The seats are AWFUL on long trips and has no power. GM also had the bright idea to not put a tranny dipstick in this model, so you cant check the fluid. The tranny cooler lines were leaking, so no idea if it needs fluid without taking it to the shop. Also had rusted brake lines and fuel lines leak. I have an 89 olds 88 and its not even as rusty as this Cavalier. Oil filter is also IMPOSSIBLE to get to. Have to take the front passenger wheel off and its still difficult then.

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  Not that great of a car - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By christinafeb7 - October 8 - 7:39 am

  I got a 2002 cavalier coupe (auto) as my first car. When I got it, it had around 140k miles. Didnt own the car for 2 months and i already had to replace the fuel pump which was about $500. Couple months later my serpentine belt broke and burned in my engine, horrible smell! The belt was about $20. a couple months after this, the bracket that holds the muffler rusted and broke and the muffler was almost falling off. then my car got super loud and i found out there was something wrong with the catalac converter(bad speller) well, then someone pulled out in front of me and i wasnt going over 30 and my car got totaled. Not reliable or safe if you get in an accident.

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  This Car Will Not Die - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By smk92 - July 25 - 7:14 pm

  I bought this car 14 months ago for 1500 dollars. It had 273,000 km on it and the only major thing that had been replaced by that point was the water pump (I know cuz it was my sisters). It now has 312,000 km on it and still running like a charm. I am now replacing the fuel pump because it just went but for a car with 312,000 I cant complain. I love this car to death and I will drive it until it dies. In the last 14 months I have spent maybe 300 dollars on it for minor repairs (sensors etc.)

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  318,000 with 2 repairs - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By roadwarrior13 - June 23 - 9:15 am

  Finally totalled on NJTPK in multi-vehicle pile-up with 318,000+ miles, only 2 real repairs ever = water pump, alternator. Other = 1 wheel bearing & exhaust. Change oil regularly & do very little else... looking for another one :)

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  Best car! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By kad44664127 - June 17 - 2:07 pm

  I bought this car in 2012 for $1500 with 83000 miles on it and crank windows. started every single day without a problem. during a snowstorm i slid on some ice and hit another vehicle. got it fixed with parts from the junkyard and worked like new again. then i got bundle with an acura mdx hit a telephone pole and it got totalled. when i saw it for the first time after i expected it to look worse by the size of the car that hit me but it didnt look as bad as i would expect it to. was great on gas and cheap to fix. i loved that car as my first car and never really had to do any major mechanical work other than the accident. had 97000 miles when it did. i would buy it again no question.

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  The best $5500 I ever spent - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By joebloe1 - May 23 - 2:54 pm

  Bought a 2002 4 speed auto with 60K on the clock in 2007. It now has 147K. It has been absolutely reliable with routine maintenance. With a set of Pirelli tires it handles great on our curvy roads. We average about 30MPG. Minor problems with outside mirror, sun visor and cracked dash. Apparently due to poor choice of materials, workmanship or design. The odometer works intermittently. There is apparently a bad connection. When you bang on the instrument cluster it works. The seats are really uncomfortable after a couple of hours. This is an inexpensive car that is very reliable. I expect to get well over 200K miles. If they still made them I would buy another.

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  Average at best - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cav_rider666 - June 4 - 12:27 pm

  I have owned my Cavalier for six years now and the car has treated me well. The interior is roomy and comfortable, however the build quality is terrible and I have a nice crack that formed on top of the dash. The handling is ok if you drive sensibly, but the Cavalier isnt a blast to drive. It will do the trick to get you from A to B but you wont have much fun in the process. The 2.2L OHV engine is reliable and relatively cheap on gas, but dont expect the same level of performance or sophistication as the japanese brands. Overal the Cavalier was a good car for the price paid but there are far better cars out there.

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  Never trust this car! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By lenoram - February 5 - 4:38 am

  I own a 2002 cavalier. I bought this car with 5k miles. Within 6 months of ownership my starter went out. Thank God for warranty. After my starter was fixed more problems arised. I want to say I bought a used car. Electrical problems, broken trunk, broken sunviser, problems with my headlights, seat belt broken, and other problems under the hood. I HATE this car.

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  Super Great Car - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Gracie - November 28 - 2:00 am

  I have loved this car. Although it isnt fancy, it has done me well. I havent any major issues with it. I did have to replace two of the power window motors, the starter and the water pump, but all together less than 500.00 in almost 5 years. Never had any sign of trouble, and it always gets me to where I need to go. I have taken it on several 1000+ miles trips with no problems.