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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  Great little car - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By dieselpower - April 7 - 12:05 am

  Im now rapidly approaching 20k miles. My Aveo continues to run with clockwork reliability. Fuel economy has ranged from a low of 32, to as high as 43 mpg. Im 62" tall, and have no problem finding enough room to stretch out in this car, even on long highway trips. I also love the European urban runabout styling. I have the 5 speed manual in mine, and find the power to be plenty adequate. My only issue has been the tires, which seem to have trouble maintaining balance. Plans are to swap em out in the near future. Overall, I would highly recommend buying one. My neighbor was impressed enough to buy one for himself two days after I bought mine. His has also been flawless.

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  My Lil Deuce Coupe - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Tadd LaDuke - April 6 - 3:20 am

  Much better than the previous models in design and looks. A bit hard to control on fast take offs off the line. Once going a breeze to handle and control. Love to drive it. Many luxury options, heated leather seats, built in cell, heated mirrors, on-line diplay of tire pressure and remaing oil life.

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  Nice car!! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By jerry - April 5 - 10:12 pm

  I bought it used for $7,995. I love it. It is an all around great car. Stiff sporty suspension, and a smooth highway drive. Looks and rides like a true sports car. I have the rare chrome stock wheels. It is bright red. Its a head turner. Not a bad built car. The 2.2 eco tech is the way to go I have heard nothing but bad thing about the 2.4 Z24 plus the body looks better. I strapped a z24 factory sign on there just to be cool

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  Overall real good - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jerry - April 5 - 6:20 pm

  I have been driving my Impala for 600 miles. I realy like the feel, smooth but sporty. I think the color red did a lot for the sporty look.

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  Poor Reliability - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Dan - April 5 - 2:26 pm

  I have been owning Subs for about 10 years now. I am not sure I will own one again though. I am so tired of all the mechanical issues I have had to go through with them. I am not hard on my vehicles, change oil every 2500 miles, do all regular preventative maintence (tune up at 85,000 instead of 100,000 miles). I currently have stuck just about $3000 into this vehicle in the past 6 months. It now has 89,000 miles on it and I have done the following: fuel pump ($1100), transmission flush and filer change ($240), left front wheel bearing ($412), anti-lock brake module ($975), and other misc items that needed fixing. This might be my last Suburban I ever own.

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  My favorite of 8 trucks - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By RIck in Houston - April 5 - 9:40 am

  Ive owned 8 GM manufactured pickup trucks since about 1990. They all performed well. Based on my experience, I wouldnt consider another brand. But of all of the trucks Ive owned, the 05 crew cab is by far my favorite. Little things like dual thermostat, 60/40 split front seat, e/q for stereo & more made this truck a bargain. I bought it new, changed the oil, put 2 sets of tires on it & one battery. That has been the extent of my maintainence. Runs like a top, great on gas, what can I say? I hate to let her go, but its time for a new one.

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  This is a crapalier - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Crapalier - April 4 - 11:16 pm

  I bought this brand new. Had 3 transmission replacements, which never got totallly fixed, cd player eats cds, engine stalls, wheel bearing broke, inspection fails every time, very ugly interior, the cup holder is in the way, major oil leakage, and so many other problems. This car all around stinks!

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  Forget the Ford - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By NunyaBiznas - April 4 - 11:03 pm

  Current incentives make the 04 Trailblazer cheaper than a stripped Explorer. If you are considering an Explorer, drive the chevy first. The Explorer feels like an Escort on stilts while the Trailblazer feels like a Caddy on steriods. The EXT also has a real 3rd seat instead of the padded cargo deck Ford tries to pass as a 3rd seat.

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  My little car - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Rob G - April 4 - 8:15 pm

  I was very happy with this buy because its my first car. I needed somthing cheap and good. The look was great and the interior was great for the price range. What won me over was the look and the price and the miles this thing gets. I support American cars so I love this car. Sorry Yaris.

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  Better luck next time - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By nomochevy - April 4 - 4:01 pm

  I had a 2005 ss/sc and it was a fun car to drive but after having to get the shift knob fixed 5 times and the seats starting to crack from the cheap leather, I went back to Honda a now own a 2007 si sedan and am not looking back. The fit and finish are so much better and it looks like a better built car.