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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  Efficient, fun ride. Cosmetic issues, however. - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Alex Hammond - October 9 - 10:46 am

  Got this car with around 30k miles on. Everything has been fine with the car up until about 165k miles where some interior and exterior cosmetic issues began to happen. The paint on the hood, roof, and front bumper began to either fall off or fade. Not sure if this is due to sun damage, bird poop, or factory quality but I have seen many other Cavaliers with the same issue. Also, the dashboard piece near the window has cracked horribly and the faux leather cover around the stick shift has ripped. Although these things come with age, the dash should not crack like it did. Overall good features are that the car is amazingly comfy, fun to drive, and offers good mileage. The downsides are the cosmetic issues, horrible placement of temperature and directional AC knobs, and headlights.

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  Days Of Thunder - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Florida Girl - October 9 - 10:00 am

  I love this car. My wife likes it but is having seperation anxiety from the Tahoe we turned in. She feels like its to small now. LOL. Overall though we love it. Once she gets used to it I plan on spending many nights on the beach staring at the stars through the awesome sun roof. AAAAAAAAAAA++++++++++++

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  Great Car! - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cdorrell1 - October 9 - 10:00 am

  I just purchased my 2004 cavalier 08/15/03. I love this car!! I highly suggest the 5 speed transmission as it is way cool and very fun to drive. This car gets great gas mileage and is a true gem to drive!

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  BEST TRUCK - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By SR7 - October 9 - 10:00 am

  CAN HAUL AN 18 FOOT XMAS TREE

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  My Impala LS - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By MarinesVixen - October 9 - 10:00 am

  There is nothing more to life than having a car that is fun to drive. Plus, it looks great just drinving to the local supermarket or mall. It a very under estimated family sedan. Awsome for long trips, because of the great gas mileage. We can get from Washington DC to Wheeling WV and still have a quarter of a tank left!

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  I love it,... - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Chevy Hater (ex-) - October 8 - 11:06 pm

  I love it, wish it got a bit better mileage, but on a truck this big you cant really do much about it. It has more than enough horse power for most any job. I love the way it looks. I think I might upgrade mine to a 2500 though.

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  Great Car Until the End - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By thatboyt - October 8 - 5:48 pm

  Love the car overall until the end. Great gas mileage also spacious. But ended up blowing a piston. Would own another.

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  HHR the best compact wagon/suv - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By asian_chevyfan - October 8 - 12:27 pm

  I did an extensive research for the best wagon/suv that has 2.4L engine before buying our HHR. RAV4, Sportage, CRV, XB, Element, and Tucson beat the HHR in cargo capacity. But HHR beats them all in engine power, fuel mileage, and price. And HHR is also one of the CRs "Consumer Recommended" car. A loaded HHR for $22K like ours is a price that is hard to beat!

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  Okay truck but forced to have OnStar - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dukeblu - October 8 - 5:30 am

  Told the dealership I did not want OnStar. OnStar activated anyway. Tried to call and cancel. Only the dealership can do so in the first year. My truck and I cant cancel the service. Worst customer service i have experienced in a while from GM. Dealership has been fine. Okay truck beyond OnStar, but this service which hijacked my radio the other day drives several low ratings ratings. Think the gas mileage was better with the 5.3 in my 2007 Classic than the 5.3 in the 08. Will not buy another GM until OnStar in not mandatory. Sad that they cant figure out to center the OnStar antenna on the roof. 4th new GM truck in the last seeral years and the last until OnStar is optional

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  Velocity - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By CR - October 8 - 1:23 am

  Change your life driving experience on the road. Style oohs on the street. Some defects, but overwhelming a winner.