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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  Easy Monte - 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Jay63146 - January 26 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car on a whim when I took the car that I owned in for an oil change. I loved it so much from the get go that I cancelled the oil change and arranged to buy this car. GMs 3800 V6 is wonderful and powerful, seats are comfy. Good stereo and love the steering wheel controls. Like this much better than the newer Montes.

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  A delight. - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Jim Lammers - January 26 - 10:00 am

  Powerful and smooth, this is the best daily driver supercar you can buy. It not only offers 405 HP with plenty of low end torque for fast starts, but also 1+ g cornering, active handling, enormous tires that put power to the pavement, and excellent brakes. No maintenance or warranty issues have come up. I had feared that the Z06s press calling the car something designed "for the extreme enthusiast" meant it would be stiff and harsh, and uncomfortable for long trips. Thankfully this is not true. Despite its race-ready design, its a comfortable daily driver that will allow you to put yourself wherever you desire on the road.

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  Needs improvement - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jcfisherking - January 26 - 8:12 am

  Had problems with mine. Wheel wells kept falling down, trim around doors fell off several times, transfer case had to be rebuilt at 33,000. Vibration in drive train transferred to rattle under dash that caused me to dump the thing. I couldnt stand being in it when the rattle/vibration started. Never buy one again, ever. Recommend not buy!

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  Cant keep it running - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By R. Breski - January 25 - 8:48 pm

  Currently in shop w/ 46k, at 25k new cylinder head, at 35k new trans, at 45k new cylinder head again, and while they were in there found timing problem. Like everything about the vehicle but it just wont stay away from the service department. Owned GM all my life, never had an experience like this, not sure if Ill buy another. Did I mention they have had this vehicle in and out of service for a total of around 2 months.

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  Great car for the money. - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Matt - January 25 - 6:57 pm

  I would have to say without a doubt that the improvments in styling for the 2007 model sold us but I especially liked the new rear tailight design. It is much bigger inside than it looks although rear space is limited but feels like a much more expensive car than it is. The ride is good for a small car and handling is also good and makes for easy parking.

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  Best Chevy - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By victor - January 25 - 10:13 am

  I am a car ASE mechanic of over 20 years. This is a good family car.The best Chevy sedan I have seen in years. Good reliability, good quality. I dont care what JD Power says, its the best sedan yet.

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  Engine Problems - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By C Amey - January 24 - 11:08 pm

  I had one of the cylinders worked on after 2 months and now after 2 and a half years need to have the entire cylinder head replaced - $4,000, of course out of warranty and with no help from GM. To be honest thats only the start of all the problems that Ive had with the vehicle. The quality and reliability on this vehicle stinks along with GM customer service. Ill never by another GM.

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  A great mid size car that checks all the boxes - 2016 Chevrolet Malibu
  By BTM - January 24 - 5:37 pm

  I read a lot of reviews and drove several cars before deciding to lease the Malibu. While I have only owned this for a little over a week, I am very happy with my decision. It is very quiet and comfortable. If I had to sum the car up in one word I would say it is smooth. Also, it is averaging 33mpg with mixed highway and city driving which is good for a car with this much interior room, trunk size, etc. The 1.5L engine definitely has adequate acceleration in any situation I have driven in including interstate driving. Since I have only had this a week, I cannot report on its reliability but I will submit a follow up in a few months. Overall I believe this is a very good choice for anyone looking at a mid sized car.

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  Want to buy another one. - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By pumaripobbs - January 23 - 9:59 pm

  This is the best vehicle Ive ever owned. Buying it used saved a ton, which makes it that much better. Im tempted to buy one for myself. Highly recommend it. Still my favorite vehicle on the road today.

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  1999 4WD Automatic Conv. - 1999 Chevrolet Tracker
  By eaoreilly - January 23 - 8:01 am

  I bought this car for its 4WD capacity. I live on a hill, and in snowy winters, its great, and I love it. Its got 111,000 miles on it now, and the only real problems that Ive had is with the wheel bearings giving out and the 4WD having some problems, but other than that, Id purchase this car again in a heartbeat!