The Chevrolet Caprice is a full-size car built from 1981 to 2026 over 6 generations. Most were assembled in the United States — 98.6% of those on record. Between 1971 and 1996 it grew 2 cm longer and gained 253 kg. Engines offered: V6, V8. Worth buying? It depends heavily on which year you buy at 3.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Caprice is
The Chevrolet Caprice is a full-size car that Chevrolet built from 1981 to 2026 — 46 model years. Our measurements put it at 6 generations, the current one starting in 1980. It has been offered with V6, V8 power. Its closest siblings in the Chevrolet range: Impala, Impala Limited.
Where the Caprice is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 504 Caprices on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1G1 | 1984-1996 | |
| Canada | 2G1 | 1983-1984 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Chevrolet VIN decide which of these 6 lines your Caprice belongs to. What every character in a Caprice VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Chevrolet Caprice adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Caprice generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Caprice's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Caprice that gives 6 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 542 cm | 304 cm | 1542 kg | - | - |
| 1972 | 552 cm | 304 cm | 1820 kg | +10 cm | +278 kg |
| 1976 | 557 cm | 304 cm | 1988 kg | +5 cm | +168 kg |
| 1977 | 540 cm | 290 cm | 1715 kg | -17 cm | -273 kg |
| 1979 | 530 cm | 290 cm | 1627 kg | -10 cm | -88 kg |
| 1980-1996 | 544 cm | 294 cm | 1795 kg | +14 cm | +168 kg |
Between 1971 and 1996 the Caprice gained 2 cm in length (+0.4%) and 253 kg in weight (+16.4%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Caprice that is 253 kg against 2 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Chevrolet Caprice tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Caprice owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Chevrolet Caprice have? Power & range
The Chevrolet Caprice is offered with 2 powertrains — 4.3L 6-cyl, 4.3L 8-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 2 for the Chevrolet Caprice, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 4.3L · 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | RWD | Regular |
| V8 | 4.3L · 8-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | RWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Caprice by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Chevrolet Caprice. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Caprice | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 95 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 862 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 3.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Used value | 85 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Chevrolet Caprice?
The Caprice is a full-size car, built from 1981 to 2026 across 6 generations. Engines offered: V6, V8.
Where is the Chevrolet Caprice made?
Across 504 cars in our records the split is: the United States (98.6%), Canada (1.4%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Caprice have?
6 by our measurements, the latest starting in 1980. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the Caprice grew 2 cm longer and gained 253 kg.
What is the Chevrolet Caprice warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Caprice reliable?
It scores 3.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Caprice?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Chevrolet
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Silverado | 1999–2026 | 444 | 27 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chevrolet Equinox | 2005–2026 | 64 | 109 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chevrolet Camaro | 1981–2026 | 204 | 25 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chevrolet Traverse | 2009–2026 | 75 | 23 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 1995–2026 | 169 | 24 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chevrolet Corvette | 1981–2026 | 153 | 21 mpg | 4.0/5 |
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