Vauxhall Cavalier Overview: Specs, Generations and Which to Buy
Vauxhall Cavalier specs at a glance: a cabrio built from 1975 to 1995 with 58–100 hp, rear-wheel drive, and a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes.
The Vauxhall Cavalier is a rear-wheel-drive cabrio produced from 1975 to 1995, with outputs spanning 58 to 100 hp. If you are checking Vauxhall Cavalier specs before a purchase, the range is compact: one generation, ten modifications, manual or automatic transmissions, and RWD across the board. It suits buyers who want an open-top classic with straightforward mechanics rather than outright pace.
Vauxhall Cavalier generations
1 generation
The 1 generation Vauxhall Cavalier covers the full 1975–1995 production span and was offered solely as a cabrio. Power ranges from 58 to 100 hp, with both Automatic and Manual gearboxes available, and every version drives the rear wheels. In total the generation counts 10 modifications. Two versions stand out in the data: the Vauxhall Cavalier 1.9 AT, a 1896 cc automatic with 90 hp built from 1975 to 1981, which was the mass-market choice; and the Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0 AT (100 hp), a 1979 cc automatic built over the same 1975–1981 window, which tops the range at 100 hp.
Which Vauxhall Cavalier to buy
- 1.9 AT (1 generation): the mass-market version of the range, pairing a 1896 cc engine with 90 hp and an automatic gearbox on RWD, built 1975–1981.
- 2.0 AT (100 hp) (1 generation): the most powerful version in the data at 100 hp from a 1979 cc engine, also automatic and rear-wheel drive, built 1975–1981.
Buying used means buying an old car by definition: even the youngest Vauxhall Cavalier is from 1995, and the two notable versions above ended production in 1981. With a single generation and only ten modifications, the lineup is simple to navigate — the main decision is engine size and gearbox, since body style (cabrio) and drivetrain (RWD) are fixed.
Which Vauxhall Cavalier to avoid
The numbers point away from the bottom of the range: with the spread starting at 58 hp, the weakest versions give up 42 hp to the Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0 AT (100 hp) and 32 hp to the mass-market Vauxhall Cavalier 1.9 AT. Since both of those stronger versions were available with the same cabrio body and RWD layout, a 58 hp car offers no configuration advantage in this data — only less power.