Driving Impressions
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The Cavalier is a fun car to drive, one that enjoys being tossed around. Its light weight adds to the fun. The front suspension uses McPherson struts and coil springs. In the rear, trailing tubular control arms locate wheels along with a twist beam axle. The suspension is taut and gives the driver a good feel for the road, yet the Cavalier RS handles road bumps with aplomb. Not untypical of compact cars, the higher the speeds the more noticeable the bumps become.
The 2.2-liter, inline-4 produces 115 horsepower and 135 foot-pounds of torque, which are not necessarily numbers to brag about when compared to the more powerful engines offered in the sport categories of other compacts. With a low first gear, the 5-speed gearbox does not offer comparable close ratios, either. But they're close enough. Combined with sequential fuel injection, overhead valves, hydraulic lifters and roller cams, the drivetrain encourages high revving and quick getaways.
The engine tends to be heard in compacts. In the case of the Cavalier, the noise level was acceptable, and, perhaps more important, the little four-banger sounds sweet.
The rack-and-pinion power steering makes this a rapid response vehicle. The excellent turn-in as well as precision in the steering adds a lot to the enjoyment of the Cavalier, although the body roll was sometimes excessive in cornering. The gear shift clicked predictably into place, adding to the desire to run quickly through the gearbox, not to mention through corners.
The anti-lock braking system comes with disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the rear. The system worked well under extreme braking conditions. But under normal braking, the brakes grabbed slightly in the rear and one had to pay attention to applying pedal pressure smoothly.
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