By Steven D. Gatt, Automotive Editor
Looking for a car that won't break the bank yet, will provide you and your family with decent transportation. Chevy might have the answer for you in the 1996 Cavalier LS.
The Cavalier LS sedan came well equipped with standard safety features such as: traction control, 4 wheel anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights, dual airbags and child-security-rear-door-locks. Other standard equipment included battery rundown protection, Passlock theft deterrent system, air conditioning, intermittent wipers, tinted glass and a one piece folding rear seat.
Power in our Cavalier comes from the 2.4L twin-cam engine (formerly known as the Quad 4) which has 150 hp; plenty for this class of car. The engine also created plenty of noise under hard acceleration. Acceleration is quick in the Cavalier and the 4-speed automatic transmission made precise shifts near redline through the gears.
The Cavalier is budget friendly at the gas pump. The EPA rates the Cavalier at 22 city and 32 highway. During our week of testing I got 28 mpg in all around driving.
The test Cavalier had a base price of $12,900 and was not option free. The test car was fitted with the following optional equipment: tilt steering, cruise control, aluminum wheels, rear defroster, keyless entry, upgraded radio with compact disc player, the 2.4L engine and power locks, windows and exterior mirrors. The 4-speed automatic transmission was a 'No Charge' option. The price of the options was $2,405 plus $495 destination charge for a total price of $15,800.
The Chevy Cavalier is a value in the market. Its long list of standard features makes it a venerable bargain. In the first year of the redesigned Cavalier, 1995, Chevy sold over 212,000 units, 79,000 more than the Dodge Neon, and just 5,000 less than the Honda Civic. Chevy was also handicapped by the fact that 1995 was a startup year for production.
My recommendations for changes to the Cavalier would include making the lock/unlock indicator travel further; it was difficult to tell whether it was in the locked or unlocked position, and more sound deadening to reduce engine noise into the passenger compartment. In my opinion, the Cavalier LS is better than the Saturn SL2 and Dodge Neon but not quite as good as the all-new 1996 Honda Civic, which is more expensive anyway.
Chevy did its homework on the Cavalier and has come out with a great product. It handles well in all types of weather, provides great gas mileage without sacrificing power and provides the driver and passengers with a multitude of amenities.