The 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier continued to be one of the most popular midsize compact cars in America. Part of its success was undoubtedly due to an affordable sticker price; the Cav was solid enough to feel like a bargain for its price. Available in three trims, the Base, LS, and sporty Z24, the '01 Chevy Cavalier met the needs of first-time and economy-minded car buyers. The Base trim was offered in both sedan and coupe bodystyles; the Z24 came only as a coupe, and the LS only as a sedan.

In addition to a low price at the dealer's, the '01 Chevrolet Cavalier offered big savings at the gas station. (That may not have seemed quite as important in 2001 than it does in today's fuel-efficiency conscious market!) With an EPA estimate of 22 miles per gallon city, 33 miles per gallon highway, the Cavalier was easy to feed.

And it was easy to drive, too. One of the smart moves in the Cavalier's design was the inclusion of some higher-end standard features like ABS, tilt-column steering, and air conditioning in the entry-level models. This made the 2001 Chevy Cavalier seem less like an econobox and more like its higher-priced competitors, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.