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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  Extremely Disappointed - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By GP - July 12 - 3:46 am

  Unfortunately, for all the good attributes this truck has, power, performance, comfort, gas mileage for a big car, its an extremely unreliable vehicle. Ive had it at the dealership 4 times in the last 6 weeks for various issues that have required major repair. Fortunately, I found a good dealership that has made the repairs under warranty. The selling dealership was horrible. Along with all the other problems Ive had in the past, I could never recommend this vehicle. The other funny thing is that some things that one dealerships says is covered under warranty is not at another dealership.

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  Solid car - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By GreggVT - July 11 - 6:05 pm

  I purchased this car five years ago and have been happy with it. Being an older car, I have had to get some repairs done on it. However, none of the repairs have been major. I bought it with a little over 100000 miles and its running strong at almost 160K.

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  Great Mid Size Truck - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By bud - July 11 - 3:11 pm

  I have owned this truck for almost 2 years an it is the best truck I have owned an I have owned several. The 5 cylinder engine gives you the right amount of power for the size of the truck. The MPG for a 4x4 truck is great I get 18 city an 27 highway you can not ask for any better. I use this truck for hunting an I have had it in some tight places an it has performed great. If you use the truck properly an not abuse it you will have no trouble I have 34000 mile an not trouble.

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  WAS a great car!! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By grg011668 - July 11 - 10:02 am

  I loved this car. The gas door cable broke for the 3rd time & last time - didnt fix it again. I was the only owner/driver. GREAT gas mileage. I do a lot of traveling & the car was comfortable. On a trip to Houston this week, the timing belt broke. Turns out this is a known issue - covered by recall up to 60k miles. My car had 59335 miles. After the 60k, should it happen again, Im out of luck. So the car got traded for a Colorado. Lots of other little things have gone wrong with this car, but thats to be expected for a first year model. Otherwise, the travel aspect - comfort & mileage - were wonderful!!

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  Love my 2500HD - 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By nurseratched - July 11 - 8:30 am

  I have the 2500HD WT. I wanted a basic truck for heavy hauling and some towing. Thats exactly what this is. I can put muddy boots or a wet dog in the cab and not have to worry about the interior. It cleans easily with the vinyl floors and Ive installed a nice set of seat covers that can be removed and washed. This truck will haul lots of firewood in the mountains of Colorado without any issues. Handling and turning are much better than any Ford Ive ever owned. Over the 2 years Ive had this truck its been 100% reliable. Fuel mileage is about 13mpg. I also installed a plug n play GM information center upgrade that works perfectly. All in all, one of the best trucks Ive owned.

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  Gashog - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By thomas55 - July 10 - 5:13 pm

  Does not come close to EPA ratings. average is 12.5mpg mixed road traffic (some city some country). Same trip every day with a 2002 4.3L Silverado averages 17.9 - 18.3 mpg. So why does a smaller engine, lighter vehicle stink for the same trip?? Another person at work says his wifes 2005 at 10K still averages 13 mpg. Beware! Gave up a 1998 Grand Voyager 3.8L that averaged 23mpg for same trip. Wish I would have kept the Voyager now and put 3000 dollars to fix it up.

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  Pleasure of having owned 1999 Blazer LS - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By eileen wolf - July 10 - 4:23 pm

  Have been extremely satisfied with performance, with most miles from long trips. It is solid, safe and most comfortable and has served me well since time of purchase. I have replaced water pump, had larger battery installed and new cables over the past two years. Also, two years had the four original tires replaced with identical issue, and U-Haul hitch installed, but only because I had planned a one time 600 mile trailering trip. At my age, I nolonger have need of a V-6 engine and the cargo space utilized in my travels. I have been the only driver of this vehicle.

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  Nice little car.... - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By jdkeene - July 10 - 10:00 am

  First time buyer. Have found the car to be very good on gas mileage. 33 mpg. My daily commute is 18 miles one way. For such an inexpensive car it has all you need. CD, AC. Only time will tell on on how it stands up, but am pleased so far.

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  Chevrolet Malibu - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Debra Shields - July 10 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love my new Chevrolet, Malibu. It handles excellantly. I couldnt be more pleased. It is compariable to a Toyota Camry. Toyota has got some definite competition on their hands. In my opinion, the Malibu is much nicer all around than the Camry.

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  Great Car - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By jkh83 - July 10 - 10:00 am

  Although many car magazines analysis of this car are harsh, I feal as though thi sis an excellent car. I have had for eight months now and have had no problem. The fuel economy is great (26mpg avg.) and the ride is quite compliant. This car isnt the fastest car on the block, but it is a joy to own.