1995 Chevrolet Cavalier Specs
Call it "The Curse of the Cimmaron" -- it exists in the history of every manufacturer, not just GM. This curse is what happens when a single car -- a terrible, embarrassing, vile abortion of all things good and pure in a marque -- destroys every other car it's related to simply under the weight of its own awfulness. Was the Cavalier a bad car? Absolutely not; neither were the Pontiac Sunbird, Buick Skyhawk or Oldsmobile Firenza. But they did have the bad luck of being related to the Cimarron in the 1980s, and that was enough to sign the badges' respective death warrants. Still, the spunky little Cavvy managed to last a full 16 years after GM flushed the last Cimarron into history's septic tank -- testament to just how good a car the Cavalier truly was.
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Basics
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The fuel shrotages of the 1970s introduced America to the concept of down-sizing for fuel economy. Most manufacturers responded to the sudden demand for economy cars by rebadging Japanese and Korean "captive" imports; GM though, at least initially, resisted this international cheating by introducing the J-body series of compact replacements for the outgoing Monza. Along with the Pontiac 2000 and the aforementioned Cimarron, the Cavalier debuted in 1982 to instant acclaim. The second-generation Cavvy appeared in 1988 -- the same year GM killed the Cimarron -- and the third showed up in 1995. This third-generation car, which ran until the marque's discontinuation in 2005, was a clean-sheet redesign that bore little in common with its J-Car predecessors.
Powertrains
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Base and LS Cavaliers came standard with a 2.2-liter version of the 122-series four-cylinder that powered those original J-Bodies. This engine was a pushrod -- non-overhead-cam -- design. So, it was an utter dinosaur by 1990s standards. But its 120 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 130 foot-pounds of torque at 3,600 rpm were adequate enough for daily duty. It mated to a five-speed manual transaxle standard; base-level buyers could upgrade to a three-speed auto, and LS buyers could opt for a three- or four-speed automatic. Coupe-only Z24 buyers and smart LS buyer got GM's real sweetheart: the 2.3-liter, dual-overhead-cam Quad Four that was effectively half of a 4.6-liter Cadillac Northstar V-8. Mating to a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic, the Quad Four pumped out 155 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 185 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 rpm.
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Dimensions and Options
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The Cavalier -- in coupe, sedan and convertible forms -- measured 180.3 inches long, 67.4 inches wide and 53.2 inches tall, and used a 104.1-inch wheelbase. The sedan and coupe both weighed almost exactly the same, at about 2,600 pounds even; specifying a convertible top added 91 pounds to that. Keeping base-model car costs at about $10,000 meant sacrificing a few amenities: base cars weren't available with power windows, mirrors or seats, fog lights, 16-inch alloy wheels or the largest 205/55SR16 tires. Even the AM/FM radio was a $322 option. LS models got all but the tires as either standard or optional equipment, along with a snazzy electronic instrument cluster and optional spoiler. Sporty Z24 models got a spoiler, fog lights, the good tires, a tachometer and a tilt steering wheel standard, but had to do without the Knight Rider instrument panel.
Consumer Data
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The good news is that if you can afford a pack of gum, you can buy three excellent-condition 1995 Cavaliers with room left in the budget for leopard-skin seat covers. At about $1,400 for a base coupe to $2,000 for a convertible or Z24, Ford's Escort is one of the few contemporary cars that competes price-wise. A cheap Civic will run you about $600 more than a good Cavalier, and a 1995 Toyota Corolla will hit you for about $1,000 more than a Cavalier. Those more expensive offerings don't repay at the gas pumps, either; a manual, base-model Cavalier will net about 22 city and 33 highway mpg, and a Z24 will hit 19 city and 29 highway. Compared to a base Cavalier, a B16 five-speed Civic rates 3 mpg better in the city and 1 mpg worse on the highway. Ford's Escort puts in a good economy performance at 26 city and 34 highway, but it's going to take a long time to save $600 worth of gas given the Escort's slim mpg advantage over Chevrolet's cheap and efficient Cavalier.
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