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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  Been my best vehicle - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By kars - December 21 - 12:53 am

  Bought this car new and has held up very well with minimal maintainence. Drives well in snow for being 2W drive. Owned 7 years and only thing to brake down was the lightcover in the trunk.(very minor)

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  The Last Vette I will ever own - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By JefftheGreat - December 20 - 11:53 pm

  I purchased my 2006 C6 in July. Two weeks ago the rooftop flew off while I was driving on the freeway. I waited for 6 weeks for a replacement rooftop, and could only get it expedited - once the accident happened. Chevy Cust Serv - useless. They did nothing to care of me. Because of the defective roof panel, I requested a glass rooftop at no cost be installed - GM said no. This is my 2nd Vette and will be my last. Be prepared for a huge dissapointment when this car breaks down - and it will. The last American car I will ever own.

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  Basic Review - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mr. G - December 20 - 9:33 pm

  Sales car. Great average gas mileage of 30 miles/gallon highway. Large trunk held my clubs and bags with ease. Great reliability. Plenty of room for 5. Excellent lumbar support, and with no center console could stretch my legs on long cruise. Well engineered, good balance of power and economy, plus roominess all for a price less than Toyota and Honda. Regular oil changes only needed new tires at 48,000 and new brakes/rotors at 58,000. Only complaint is the brake rotors, had to have originals turned twice.

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  Definitely - 1991 Chevrolet Astro
  By toplessjeepchyck - December 20 - 3:30 pm

  I owned mine for about 4 yrs and only sold during a relocation. When I sold it I had over 260K miles on it and it still ran quiet enough to where if I was sitting still I couldnt tell if it was running without the tach. I used this vehicle to haul everything, 800 lbs of gravel for the pool up a steep incline, riding lawn mower fit in the back for the repair shop (seats out of course), to a gaggle of 7 kids (seats in) on mutiple 800 mile road trips pulling a loaded mid sized trailer. If I had to go back I probably wouldnt bother trying to chew the guy down a few hundred - was money very well spent. Every Chevy I had ever had has hit 250K miles. Go Chevy!

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  Rating the Vette - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Raymond - December 20 - 11:36 am

  I believe the rating I gave this Vette in the top of the survey pretty much told you how I feel about this car. Simply put it is one of the best Vettes yet, but I will have to admit there is a place in my heart for the 1957 Corvette convertible. Dont get me wrong I realize the 57 didnt handle or perform like the 05 but it was a little jewel.

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  Total garbage, run away!!! - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By stevenhmiller - December 20 - 6:27 am

  Cheaply made and GM will not stand behind their product. Steering making bad clunking noise since about 9000 miles. Dealer claims cannot reproduce every time I brought it, which was at least 9 times. Once the warranty expired, suddenly they had no problem reproducing the issue. GM will not repair free of charge, even though Ive been complaining about the issue for 3 years! Many others are complaining about the same issue with the same results. There were service bulletins for the 2004-2006 Maxx with the same problem. They refuse to issue one for the 2007. Theyre going to wait until someone is killed when the steering fails. Also, many other problems. FORGET THIS CAR, ITS GARBAGE!!!

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  My Tahoe - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By dsmith1279 - December 20 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely love the car. I have had it for over a year and have not a bad thing to say about it.

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  Poor Mileage - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Dogma - December 20 - 2:00 am

  Chipwich is right. I have been experiencing substantially lower mileage than advertised. I was blown off by both my dealership and Chevrolet customer service when I sought to rectify. This apparently is not a big concern to them because it is a consumer issue as opposed to a regulatory one. Very unfortunate! If you are looking for reasonable mileage, look elsewhere. Other than that ride is smooth, but interior is cheap and unsubstantial. Steering wheel blocks view of speedometer in any position and seat doesnt go back far enough to support my 6 ft frame.

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  Finally! - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Rachael Lange - December 20 - 1:33 am

  With it being my sixth vehicle in the last eight years, I can not say enough about it. It is the only one I would actually consider leasing another one of. I am very impressed with its handling capability being a front drive V8, and it also adds practicality (although hardly practical) for an every day driver, with roomy interior for a coupe. The ride is phenomenally solid and quiet. The only thing youre really going to hear is the rumble of that 5.3L, 303 hp engine. Gas mileage is actually better than my 04 Grand Prix GTP (Supercharged V6), by 2.5 miles! The redesigned front end was definitely over due and, gives the 06 Monte Carlo a much more sophisticated yet aggressive appearance.

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  Wife loves it but... - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By billme - December 19 - 10:13 pm

  Love the style features and performance. However Chevy could have done a few things better. No individual reading lights, all lights must be on to read in the back. No mirror lights or lighted sunvisor mirrors. Power seat switch poorly located between seat and door. Only have 2000 miles on it but find fuel economy somewhat low, possibly not broken in yet. When in the front passenger seat the roof pillar doesnt allow me to lean to the right or rest my arm on the door.