2004 Chevrolet Cavalier Review
Fuel Economy
27 mpg
Summary
What Edmunds.com says
Despite the new look, there's no hiding the fact that this car was engineered more than a decade ago, leaving it hopelessly outclassed by nearly every other car on the market.
Pros
Low price, torquey four-cylinder engine, optional satellite radio and OnStar.
Cons
Ancient design inside and out, cheap interior materials, poor build quality, low resale value, poor side-impact and front-offset crash test results.
What's New for 2004
Not much. An upgraded stereo with a CD and MP3 player is now available on the base coupe and sedan. The Sport Appearance package that includes 16-inch wheels, a rear spoiler and sport suspension is also available on the base coupe and sedan.
Consumer Ratings & Reviews
Second one for me
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 10 | Build Quality: | 8 |
| Comfort: | 8 | Interior Design: | 7 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 10 | Exterior Design: | 10 | ||
Vehicle
2004 Chevrolet Cavalier LS Sport 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
Review
This is my second Cavalier and am loving this car! I currently have a 98 coupe with 214000 miles on it and can expect the same from this one. These cars have always been reliable and inexpensive to repair. I really like the eye-catching exterior of the sport sedan, ie. wheels, spoiler and front end. Its a shame that GM discontinued the Cavalier and began producing the lemon named Cobalt! I will enjoy.
Favorite Features
Reliability of engine/powertrain, wheels
Suggested Improvements
Bring it back
Reliable not comfortable...
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 7 | Build Quality: | 2 |
| Comfort: | 5 | Interior Design: | 5 | Reliability: | 7 |
| Fuel Economy: | 6 | Exterior Design: | 2 | ||
Vehicle
2004 Chevrolet Cavalier LS Sport 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
Review
Love that the transmission and engine seem rock solid. Hate the noise and all the electrical issues. The low profile tires make for a noisy ride when combined with the lack of passenger cabin insulation. The paint job is not durable. Like the body moldings which gave the old classic a newer sporty look. Hate that pricey as it was to get the sport upgrade, it didn't come with power windows. Watch for lower blower motor issues, dash electronics issues and AC problems. The drivers side seat blew a spring in the first year. The gas tank reservoir will crack on these bad boys too. All pretty spendy repairs.
Favorite Features
Very dependable engine and transmission. I am sure I can put 250K on it.
Suggested Improvements
Insulate the passenger cabins, put decent paint on the car, power windows, fix the electrical issues it will help the AC last longer and the lower blower. Lose the low profile tires they make it ride like a box of rocks.
Lots of problems
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 7 | Build Quality: | 5 |
| Comfort: | 6 | Interior Design: | 4 | Reliability: | 5 |
| Fuel Economy: | 8 | Exterior Design: | 6 | ||
Vehicle
2004 Chevrolet Cavalier 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
Review
I bought this car last year and it had 91,000 miles on it. I am close to 100,000 now & had lots of problems. A spring in the clutch system was broken making it impossible to switch gears with the pedal. $1,100 to fix this and the auto-repair guy had never ever seen this happen. Sensors are bad and keep sending check engine messages or check fluids when everything is fine. Now I have another $500 in repairs because the muffler is gone and the transistor that regulates the fan for heat/AC is dead. I could change that myself ($25) but it is impossible to put the blower motor back since it uses special plastic screws. Only an auto- repair shop can do it.
Favorite Features
Gas mileage and engine power. The trunk is pretty big too for such a small car.
Suggested Improvements
The interior design is straight from the 90s and pretty cheap.One of the air register popped out, the plastic is cracked on the dashboard, dents easily. I park far away from cars for tha purpose.
completely recommend this car
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 8 | Build Quality: | 8 |
| Comfort: | 7 | Interior Design: | 8 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 9 | Exterior Design: | 8 | ||
Vehicle
2004 Chevrolet Cavalier 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
Review
I bought this car to commute to school/work with. Averaging a little over 100 miles a day I bought it with the sole purpose of racking up a ton of miles, no extras. This is an extremely reliable car. The cartridge oil filter is Nice since im usually due for an oil change about every month. I changed the transmission filter and spark plugs at 60k. Fuel pump went out at 68k. I like that it has a timing chain instead of a belt. More maintenance free. Avg 34 mpg. With good tires this car is excellent in snow. Bottom line, this car is nearly as good as a civic, and for about half the price you cant go wrong as long as you take care of it. Mines at 90k it runs like new, no leaks or noises.
Favorite Features
Plenty of power for a 4 cyl. Gas mileage. Reliability. Handling. Very good air conditioner but I hardly ever use it. Good in snow. Split folding back seat.
Suggested Improvements
i guess a little bit more leg room would be nice
Love My Chevy!
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 10 | Fun-to-Drive: | 10 | Build Quality: | 10 |
| Comfort: | 9 | Interior Design: | 8 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 10 | Exterior Design: | 10 | ||
Vehicle
2004 Chevrolet Cavalier 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
Review
I love my car! I have never had any major issues with this car. I get my oil changed as recommended, new tires, breaks things like that. It's sporty, and I think it's fun to drive. It's got a great stock stereo system.
Favorite Features
Spoiler, sleek look, fun to drive
Suggested Improvements
Cup holders...They are in the way of the temperature controls
View Pricing for Other Years
Research the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
Buying & Selling
Vehicle Details
Multimedia
Ratings & Reviews
- Model Review
- Road Test Ratings
- Road Test Reviews
- Consumer Reviews
- Awards History
- Reliability
- Consumer Discussions
Payment Calculators
Helpful Tools
