Review Car

2011 Chevrolet Cavalier

The 2011 Chevrolet Cavalier coupes look sportier, while the sedans offer the advantage of four doors and roomier rear seats. The Cavalier will be replaced for 2011 with an all-new compact called the Cobalt. Buyers should watch for rebates and other incentives on 2011 Chevrolet Cavaliers. Coupes and sedans are available. The coupes look sportier, while the sedans offer the advantage of four doors and roomier rear seats. Otherwise, they are essentially the same.

Cavalier's base retail price is $14,045. However, LS models are better equipped, with power windows, power mirrors, remote keyless entry, and other convenience features most of us now take for granted, and an LS sedan starts at $15,815. LS Sport models come with sport suspensions and special trim. XM Satellite Radio and OnStar are available.

The 2011 Chevrolet Cavalier two-door Coupe and four-door Sedan are trimmed about the same and their dimensions are essentially the same. Three trim levels are available, base, LS, LS Sport. As mentioned, all are powered by the Ecotec 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on all models. A four-speed automatic is optional. Side-impact air bags are optional and are designed to protect torso and thorax (but not the head).

OnStar is optional. Should an air bag deploy, OnStar automatically notifies the system's battery of operators over its wireless network and pinpoints the car's location using the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite network. OnStar operators will dispatch emergency crews if the driver does not respond to their calls. OnStar can also unlock your doors remotely should you lock the keys in the car, and OnStar operators can dispatch roadside assistance or direct you to the nearest gas station or that Italian restaurant you can't seem to find.

With 101 cubic feet of interior space, it is extremely roomy for five passengers. The seats are comfortable. The front seat cleverly folds flat for carrying long objects such as skis. A neat feature is the remote starter system, useful for starting the car from inside the house when it's very cold or very hot outside.

To start the Chevrolet Cavalier , press the lock button on the remote key fob, then press and hold the remote start button for one and one-half seconds. The rear seat is a 60/40 split folding one. Lots of nooks and crannies are available for storage, including a center console with a roomy bin, four cupholders, a storage tray and a clip pad. It further has requisite power outlets. The interior is conservatively styled but everything is logical and easy to use. Controls on the center dash are conveniently backlit for night driving. The biggest problem with the interior is its inconsistency. Some interior parts used extremely high quality materials, such as the soft rubber door handles, which reminded us of Volkswagens, the benchmark for interiors. Yet, other parts, such as the plastic surrounding the audio and climate controls, appeared cheap.