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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  Good Value for the Money - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By john gorczynski - March 9 - 7:26 pm

  Bigger than a Scion, more stylish than the PT Cruiser, this car gets looks from both teenagers and senior citizens. It is comfortable, practical, and drives quite nicely on the highway and back roads. More power would be nice, but for what it is, it is a good all around vehicle with excellent gas mileage. Good points: style, multiple airbags are a good idea, super radio for the money and fun to drive.....Bad points: thick windshield pillars make 10:00 and 2:00 visibility difficult, and low roof line makes tall drivers have to duck down to see traffic lights. I would buy another, and would feel my kids were well protected should they buy one.

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  Nine Years and Still Going - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By jjsouth - March 9 - 3:05 pm

  I bought this car new and feel like its part of the family. There have been small things that go wrong. I had the intake gasket repair ($800) that all GM cars have. My headlight covers have fallen off ($150) and the power sliding door has gone through a few repairs ($400) and is now completely broken. However, given that over the 9 years, Ive only paid about $3500-$4000 for non-maintanence repairs. My mechanic says he would buy this van from me if I ever decide to sell it. I love it. At 119,000, its still going strong. I hope to have it for many more years.

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  Huge bang for your buck. - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Steve - March 9 - 9:14 am

  Solid car that achieves a lot for the money you are paying. Interior is a huge shock to GM owners accustomed to horrible interior design and quality. Aveo rivals current GM cars twice the price. Small car but extreme efficient in space especially with the hatchback system. Ride quality, wow its good, being firm enough but still soft to soak up pothole-ridden streets. You sit up high and so it feels almost like being in a mini-van instead of in a typical bathtub-like experience of typical econoboxes. Power is adequate for single driver but craves more with passengers. With a packed car, plan swift acceleration carefully as itll struggle. Exterior is a beaut. European traits show.

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  Great Purchase! - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Steven - March 9 - 7:40 am

  I purchased this truck as a secondary SUV to my wife’s LX470. Although not quite as refined as my wife’s Lexus, the Suburban is not that far behind. It drives great, has tons of room (way more than the Lexus), looks great (I love the ’07 redesign), and gets far better gas mileage than the Lexus while providing more power. Also, when comparing to the Denali/ESV, I found the Suburban to be a far better value with very comparable features – the horsepower difference does not seem that noticeable in everyday driving, and the low gear is important to me as I will be driving at times in deep snow in VT. I highly recommend this vehicle to anyone in the market for a full-size SUV.

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  2Dr STD 5-speed Cavy - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cavalier - March 9 - 3:41 am

  Had the car about 2 years now, recently replaced the head gasket ($700) and waterpump ($300), both typical of the 2.2L engine. Extremely fun to drive (5 speed only), ice cold AC, good stock sound system, sporty styling, has never overheated, decent gas mileage, good value for what you pay. Acceleration is great with the 5- sp! Cig lighter is in a bad place, as are temp controls, rattles terribly under 1500 rpm, hesitant idle, shaky at much above 70 mph, cracked dash (of course), "clunky" steering, dash/glove box rattle.

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  My Baby - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By parky - March 8 - 11:40 pm

  I have had my HHR only a week and love it. The handling is superb LT 2 options 2.4 engine automatic. First tank gas fillup produced 30.5 MPG mostly around town garage sales etc. Will be putting road miles on the car in November when we return to Florida for the winter. No negitive comments other than the door lock buttons have a tendency to poke into your arms when you put your arm on window sill with window open.

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  Shes a good car - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By OftheNorth - March 8 - 10:38 pm

  I know lots of people have had problems with their Malibus, but Ive had nothing. The car was purchased new and has been driven in the mountains, cross country, in city commuting mode and more. Its never failed me. Its currently serving me well in the Canadian north, where it fires up every time, even in -40 weather (without being plugged in). It gets good gas mileage (~35mpg) if one goes easy on the highway, but in city traffic, the best I can usually muster is 22 mpg. Not good there! Its a comfortable roomy car, and would make for a good first auto for a new driver. Its safe, not too fast and theyre cheap to get parts for (most of the time!) While Im no Chevy fan, iIdo like this car.

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  The new great small SUV - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By docdre - March 8 - 8:53 pm

  I bought this SUV used in 2001 with less than 20k on it. Other than normal maintenance its been a great SUV to own. Great in the snow and ice and take it fishing on the beach as well and never have a problem. Like any self respecting American car you have a few rattles here and there but overall it has held up better than I ever imagined. I now have 95K on it and other than normal wear I have had nothing but great luck. The paint has held up exceptionally well although I do wax it up 3 times a year. I hope to keep this puppy until it has over 200k on it! Chevy tough!

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  2007 LTZ - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By wyok - March 8 - 5:20 pm

  We ordered our LTZ with everything we wanted. We love the ride and room. An option we ordered on it is power retractable steps. We thought this would be a neat option to have. Were we wrong! There are no splash guards to fit with the power retractable steps. Which for us since we live in Wyoming means snow, slush, mud etc. is splashed all up on the side of our truck. We contacted Chevy and were basically told "thats the way it and there wasnt anything that can be done about it." When we discussed our dissatifaction with the dealer he tried to sell me $1200 fender flares and the extra paint protection. Beware if you think you want this option on your next Avalanche.

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  Monte Carlo????? - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By ICMIAMI05 - March 8 - 12:50 pm

  Purchased my 06 Monte Carlo Feb. 2010, love this car thus far. Received a wonderful price on the car, considering all the features and options. The LTZ trim levels has everything the SS offers without the V8. Comfort and style is superb, I only had one problem with the key not releasing right away from the ignition. Dealer located the problem on the first visit. I wouldnt trade this car for anything. Have owned Pontiac and Dodge and by far my Chevy is my favorite. Gas could be improved but hey its a 3.9L with awesome passing power and handling. Would highly recommend for Chevy to bring back the Monte Carlo name plate. Home Run GM!!!!!