Edmunds Generations: Chevrolet Small Cars

[Petra]

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Featu...rticleId=109161

These comments from an old Car & Driver on the 1988 Cavalier Z24 made me laugh. The more things change...

"The Cavalier Z24 lies well behind the leading edge of technology yet cannot claim the mitigating circumstance of low price," wrote Car and Driver about the '88 coupe. "At a base price of $10,725 the Z24 faces vigorous competition from such players as the Acura Integra, the Volkswagen GTI 16V and the Toyota Corolla FX16. Each of these cars moves at the behest of a modern double-overhead-cam, 16-valve four-cylinder engine, while the Z24 draws on a pushrod V6.

"The car's power unit represents the major character difference between the Z24 and its major competitors, and also explains why the Z24, fun though it is, gives you the feeling you should have seen this car a few years back….

"Instrumentation quibbles aside, the Z24 — at an as-tested price of $13,365 — isn't a bargain, but neither is it unfairly priced. With discounts and rebates having, apparently, become facts of life, you can probably obtain a well-equipped Z24 for something less than that sticker price, a possibility that makes the car's attributes and its price less uneasy as companions."

[Chicagoland]

As long as there is CAFE, there will be limited numbers of RWD cars.

By the late 70's, the Nova was outdated. The 1978 -83 A body Malibu was the same size outside and more room inside. The RWD X body had no where to go but away.

Keep dreaming if one thinks GM will switch to "all RWD cars".

[cavalier36]

this article brings back some memories.. as im on my 4th cavalier.. ive had a black 1995 base coupe, a green 1996 base coupe, a red 1997 LS convertible of only 1108 were sold.. and i currently have a 2004 yellow base coupe.. next year ill replace it probably with a 2007 cobalt SS... my other current car is a 2006 pontiac G6 sedan..

[ocnblu]

Hehehe, absolutely nothing, of course, Joe. As if the drive wheels have any bearing on fuel mileage. Of course, the list of benefits of RWD is miles long. Edited March 3, 2006 by ocnblu

[chevelle454]

Read the Article about the 200 Cav LS. It finished 6th out of 9 in a comparison test. The cars it beat were the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Dodge Neon.

Econo car comparo

[Snate]

First place was the Sentra...I guess that shows you what doing nothing to a car for 6 years will do.

[MyerShift]

Bah, Daewoo ahead of Honda, Dodge, Toyota, and Chevrolet? Whatever. Ooh, it's such a great car that its sales didn't help prevent bankruptcy of the company, and has no redeeming qualitites, but it has electronically operated stuff, so that makes it better.

Whatever! I guarantee that a better car could be made with no power anything, not even the steering!

[ToniCipriani]

They definitely need to research a bit more before writing.

The Astra does NOT ride on Delta.

[Chicagoland]

I wrote "small," not "all." And what does drivetrain configuration have to do with CAFE?

Well, CAFE has to be 27.5 mpg. And adding V8 and RWD cars witl bring it down. With noises being made to raise it o 40, a 'new RWD Nova' will never fly.

The new Camaro is enough. Hot Rodders buy used cars anyway, too.

[Robert Hall]

They definitely need to research a bit more before writing.

The Astra does NOT ride on Delta.

I've read for years in various articles that the current Astra is on Delta..the 5dr appears to have the same door shapes as the Cobalt 4dr also. Anyway, it's a small FWD GM product...whether they are the same or not, the basic ingredients are pretty similar.. (transverse OHC 4cyl, FWD, yada yada yada)

[ToniCipriani]

I've read for years in various articles that the current Astra is on Delta..the 5dr appears to have the same door shapes as the Cobalt 4dr also. Anyway, it's a small FWD GM product...whether they are the same or not, the basic ingredients are pretty similar.. (transverse OHC 4cyl, FWD, yada yada yada)

No. Opel was originally slated to use Delta for this Astra, but they opted for the older platform instead.

I was confused that it was using Delta at first.