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:

• 

  1300 mile impression - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Mike - March 5 - 10:47 pm

  I bought the Z71 4WD package, and was a bit hesitant as to how the ride would be. All my fears are gone, the ride is perfect on/off road. Smooth highway driving, yet just the right amount of stiffness for some moderate off roading. This is the perfect ride for a combination of on highway and moderate off road capabilities. I got the 4.10 gears with the 5.3 engine and find it has plenty of power with nothing in tow. The Z71 2 tone interior with brushed metal trim is definitely a plus. Gas mileage will be 13-15 mph unless you drive a lot of flat freeway. The 8 cyl to 4 cyl switchover is seamless. Light throttle on level or downhill keeps it in 4 cyl mode,gauge shows 4-8 cyl operating status.

• 

  Malibu shows its age - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By dcsc08 - March 5 - 9:52 pm

  My Malibu developed ignition problems just after the warranty ran out. Brakes are poorly designed and underpowered. Now at 80000 miles, it developed a cooling leak in the manifold which necessitates that the manifold gaskets be replaced at a cost of over $1200.00

• 

  A comfortable vehicle - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By arnold hilde - March 5 - 8:26 pm

  We bought this vehicle during the summer. The A/C worked very well, we enjoyed driving it a lot. We were disappointed in the traction and handling in the snow of northern Minnesota.

• 

  Great Solid Vehicle - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Bob Viola - March 5 - 3:54 pm

  Great ride, easy to drive. Lots of room and can handle a payload. Hauled 2 900lbs. Bags of bulk sand and it still drove like a champ.

• 

  The best car in its class - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By jegan - March 5 - 3:46 pm

  For anyone who needs a dependable car, that is comfortable to be in, with nice creature comforts this is it. I have over 100K on mine and it runs and drives like a brand new one. It is fast and powerful, yet I still average 28 mpg on road trips. It still looks great with classic Chevy styling. No major work needed. My 17 year old daughter loves to drive it, and my 68 year old mother loves it too. It has mass appeal. So glad I did not buy a Camry! It has held up so well.

• 

  14 years and counting - 1993 Chevrolet Corvette
  By vetteguy - March 5 - 1:25 pm

  I purchased this car new in 1993 and have over 162,000 on the odometer. It is the best car I have ever owned! Lots of power, great handling, and it looks sweet! It has had three sets of tires, one transmission, three computers and three batteries and doesnt owe me a thing! It still gets 26 mpg on the highway and nothing has ever been done to the engine except oil changes and tuneups.

• 

  10 years and still love it - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Older Guy - March 5 - 8:04 am

  This car is amazing. I am a long time owner of imports, mostly Porsches, Alfas, BMW... I intentionally bought a base model 1LT because I wanted the fewest things that could go wrong. I simply wasnt ready to buy any American car with all the accessories and options. My worries were for naught. Ive driven the car for 35K miles on long trips and day trips. Im retired so I dont drive it to work. The car has been virtually trouble free and the maintenance costs are quite low. Usually just an oil change annually ($100 prox) I did have all the fluids changed at 5 years even though the mileage was still quite low. ($800 but Ive figured how how to get it done for a lot less) The manual transmission is fun and precise. Its in character with the car and my driving style. Seats are comfortable enough to drive for 4 or 5 hours without fatigue or other issues. Ive never wanted for any of the options that come with higher trim levels. Base radio/CD works just fine, even the base model comes with power windows, brakes, stability control, etc. I still had a fair amount of trad left on the OEM tires, but replaced them after 8 years just because of age. Replaced them with Michelin Pilot Sport All Season run flats. So far, so good. Much quieter than oem Goodyears. Id consider a brand new Corvette but cant see any reason to get rid of this one.

• 

  Over 200000 and going strong - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Lee - March 4 - 11:46 pm

  I bought this truck used in 2000 with 20,000 miles with the 4.8l and currently have 211,000 miles. Mechanically I have had no problems except for fuel pump 1200 dollars to fix 145,000 miles. And sun shell in transmission breaking at 180,000 miles. Engine still running strong and still getting 18-19 mpg. Not fond of the shaky drive which I had since day one, dealer said there was no problem. Still waiting to do 2nd brake job, great brake life. Not fond of the cheapness of the interior. But I know I can easily get to 300,000 miles. Strong engine.

• 

  You only go around once! - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Don Rizzuto - March 4 - 7:33 pm

  If you are looking for a tame economy car your looking in the wrong place. My SS gets 28 mpg on the road, has a great ride, and my friends took one look and knew why I bought it. On mountain highways it has the power to master the steepest grade yet on long straight runs it only fuels four cylinders and the economy is great. Clean lines inside and out, quality throughout, and a real head turner make this performer one of the finest vehicles Ive ever owned.

• 

  Nice Family Van - 2001 Chevrolet Express
  By David - March 4 - 1:26 pm

  Bought new in July 2001. Due to kid reduction am ready to sell. Was great family van. Tows great. Plenty of room everywhere! No better vehicle for 2-4 kids.