Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

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  Chosen over Fit, Versa, Yaris, PTcruiser - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By road gypsy - October 23 - 7:35 pm

  I have owned Aveo 5 now for 2 weeks. I chose this vehicle over the honda fit because of price difference (about $3000), Versa because no fold flat or flip and fold seats, Yaris because I needed a 4 door hatch, and PT because of fuel economy. I also chose the Aveo because by far it had the best styling of all of them. The seat covers are durable and attractive and I loved the carbon fiber look trim. On to the driving, it is a much better driving experience than would be expected from a budget sub compact. It is quiet, zippy for such a low horsepower,and overall handles as well if not better than some of the pricier cars I have owned. Plenty of cargo room with flip and fold seats too! Love it!

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  Average Truck - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By My Tahoe - October 23 - 1:56 pm

  When I purchased my Tahoe on year ago, I didnt really expect to encounter the problems that I have run into. I have had my tahoe in the shop severaltimes in the past year for things that should have not failed. First, the main module in my computer system failed while I was driving, tires went bald at 14,000 miles. The dealership then had my car for almost two weeks trying to repair. I have had severaly issues with the computer system since that first time and it is actually in the shop as I speak for problems with the transmission, computer failure, lock/unlock buttons not working, back door pad not working, and Rear seat dvd system not functioning properly. Will be the last Tahoe for me

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  Still love it after all these years. - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By jackw972 - October 23 - 12:58 pm

  I got my Monte Carlo LS brand new in 02. It had 48 miles on it, and shined like a new Penny. The car now has 140,000 miles on it. Ive had little to no problems with the car till it had 100,000 miles on it. The problems came in waves. When I had trouble, it wasnt just one thing, it would be 2 or 3 things go bad about the same time. Id get them fixed, and it would be fine for a while. At this point, the BCM went bad. Im still working with that problem. It has 140K, it aint perfect. I still like it, and still like driving it. Im going to run the wheels off of it.

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  The Best Vette I ever owned - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By paul stark - October 23 - 10:00 am

  Ive had 85,87,95,97, & 99 Corvettes, they all been great, but this takes it to a completely new level. This is the greatest car I have ever owned. For the price, there is now better car made. I would give it the highest marks on everything.

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  Great Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Dave - October 23 - 5:10 am

  I did a lot of research between the Tundra, Frontier and Colorado, and with the latest GM discounts the Colorado wins because it gets better MPG. If you need to tow anything over 5000# you really need a full size pickup, and although the Colorado tows less that the Tundra and Frontier, it feels just as tough.

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  GM Needs to improve quality - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By Not Impressed - October 22 - 6:09 pm

  Bought this car used in February 2006. It had been privately owned with 16,000 miles on it. It has the 3.4 liter V6. Two weeks after purchase the CD player quit and had to be replaced. A couple of months later the transmission developed a vibration when shifting from 1st into 2nd. This was apparently a factory defect because there was a campaign out on it. The day I got the car back it began to slip when accelerating from a stop. 3 trips to the dealership to figure this out. A solinoid in the tranny was bad. The manifold gasket started leaking. The steering column rattles and I was told GM was working on this. Not very quickly, my moms 95 Olds does the same thing. The AC has musty smell too

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  Greystone/Ebony 4WD LTZ - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Watchman - October 22 - 4:24 pm

  Ive only owned this vehicle for a week but I can say that after driving the Nissan Titan and the Chevy Silverado, the Suburban based Avalanche has the best finished interior and best ride of the three vehicles. The 5.3L (327ci) engine feels a bit undersized but the fuel economy is surprising so I have no complaints with performance. It would be nice if the engine would idle in 4 cyl mode to further improve city mileage. A 6 or 7 spd transmission would help bolster acceleration as well as mileage. The column shifter somewhat obscures the sterio controls. Seating is comfortable and the large console storage is a plus. Steering wheel audio control functionality is better than in my Acura-Nice!

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  I Love My Warner Bros.Edition! - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By tawnie - October 22 - 4:11 pm

  I have had little to no problems with my van. It makes road trips a blast and is very comfortable not to mention roomy I have driven my family all over and have only had to pay for recurring maintenance and minor repairs. I would definitely buy this van again.

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  My first...and wont be my last Chevy - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Wolf - October 22 - 3:40 pm

  Been a Mopar/Ford guy all my life until now and am very pleased with my Avalanche LT. It tows my boat better than the Ford I had and yet rides like a sedan. Well appointed inside the family loves the room, cup holders and power outlets. Very glad to have seven airbags too safety-wise. Lots of storage room and the tonneau cover is easy to remove. Plenty of spots to tie down a large load in the bed too. Way to go GM!

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  HHR = Retro, Comfort, Style, and Fun - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Jason Morris - October 22 - 12:04 pm

  This car is great! I have always loved the retro look but it was not till I test drove one that I realized how great the car is! We have the 2.4L and it has some good get-up-and-go to it. We have the Leather and it is so comfortable! The interior has great styling. We moved recently and the cargo room was great when you lay the rear seats flat. The back of the seats are lined with Plastic just like the rest of the cargo area. The stereo is great with the 7 speaker Pioneer amplified system. The car is fun to drive and fun to show off to family and friends. Even if they do not like the way it looks, once they drive it they love it! We have the chrome package which adds some great styling!