2003 Chevrolet Cavalier

The interior sports a nice set of instruments (including tachometer and coolant temperature) and good, ergonomic, easy to use controls for most functions. The cockpit is hardly plush yet quiet, comfortable and reasonably attractive for an inexpensive small car. With the driver's seat all the way back, rear legroom behind it is tight but livable for adults.

The interior sports a nice set of instruments and good, ergonomic, easy to use controls for most functions.

Both instrument panel and door panel plastics do seem a bit cheap, and the HVAC rotary controls look fine but feel low rent. So, too, are the puny sun visors, which provided minimal sun protection, interfered with the large (automatic-dimming) mirror when rotated to the side and ended up uncomfortably close to my head in that position. Only two other complaints: no way to prevent the interior lights from illuminating, whether you want them to or not (and sometimes you don't) when a door is opened or the key is pulled, and the console-mounted power window switches seemed intuitively backwards, down for up, up for down.


New safety features for 2003 include GM's LATCH (Lower Anchor and Tethers for Children) child seat retention system, and optional side air bags for driver and front passenger. Also optional in Cavalier LS and LS Sport models is GM's OnStar safety, security and information system, which (among many other things) notifies an operator of airbag deployment, unlocks your car (at your request) if you lock your keys inside, and can locate your vehicle any time, almost anywhere, if it's ever stolen.


Another new option is XM Satellite radio, which offers more than 100 digital channels of music, talk, news, sports and most anything else for less than $10 a month. Except for the fact that its line-of-sight reception cuts out inside buildings and tunnels, we love this feature and thoroughly enjoyed it during our week with the Cavalier.


We also loved the "Retained Accessory Power," a much appreciated GM feature that keeps radio, wipers and windows energized for several minutes after pulling the key. Our test Cavalier LS sedan was surprisingly well equipped at its $15,575 starting price, including power rack-and-pinion steering, stainless steel exhaust, 2-side galvanized body panels, 4-wheel anti-lock brakes, remote keyless entry, power door locks, theft alarm, power windows and mirrors, cruise control, tilt steering column, center console with armrest and cupholders, 60/40 split folding rear seat, AM/FM stereo with CD, battery rundown protection and more.