| Chevrolet Cavalier | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Chevrolet (General Motors) |
| Production | 1981–2005 2016–2021 (China) |
| Model years | 1982–2005 2016–2021 (China) 2019–present (Mexico) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Compact car |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel-drive |
| Platform | J-body (1981–2005) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Chevrolet Monza |
| Successor | Chevrolet Cobalt (United States and Canada) Chevrolet Optra (Mexico) and Chevrolet Aveo |
The Chevrolet Cavalier is a line of compact cars produced by Chevrolet. Serving as the replacement of the Chevrolet Monza, the Cavalier was the second Chevrolet model line to adopt front-wheel drive. Three versions of the Cavalier have been sold, including three generations sold in North America from model years 1982 to 2005, a version produced by SAIC-GM for China from 2016 to 2021, and a SAIC-GM version produced for Mexico since the 2019 model year.
The Cavalier was among the inaugural vehicles of the GM J platform. One of the first "world cars" of General Motors, the J platform was developed for use by each North American GM division (with the exception of GMC), alongside international models for Opel, Vauxhall, and Holden. Though sharing chassis underpinnings, J-body cars from Europe and Australia used slightly different body designs and different powertrains; in Europe, the Vauxhall Cavalier and Opel Ascona were marketed as mid-size cars. Initially a divisional counterpart of the Buick Skyhawk, Cadillac Cimarron, Oldsmobile Firenza, and Pontiac J2000, the Cavalier was primarily marketed alongside the Pontiac Sunbird (renamed the Pontiac Sunfire for 1995).
The 1982–2005 Cavalier was produced by multiple GM facilities across North America; all models from the 1990s on were made at Lordstown Assembly, which became synonymous with the Cavalier and compact Chevrolet modes in general from the earlier Chevrolet Vega all the way to the Chevrolet Cruze. For 2005, the Chevrolet Cobalt replaced the model line in North America.