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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  excellent runabout - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By lips - April 24 - 1:34 pm

  We bought car new. No problems in 76000. this is a much better car than its reputation maybe problems are due to improper or lack of maintenance. .

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  Chevy Tracker is my favorite vehicle. - 1998 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Karl - April 24 - 1:03 pm

  I bought my Tracker in 1998 and it has been fun, reliable and a work horse. It has traveled across the country...twice. Seen both east coast and west coast. Gone up mountains and through deserts. It has 146,000 miles and still running strong today. Only problem is its rusting and the parts are becoming hard to fine. It still a great car and I would love to buy another one new.

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  great truck - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Tommy - April 23 - 6:12 am

  Bought the Suburban used in 03 and it has been very reliable, safe, and comfortable. Only now that I have 140K is the truck showing its age. Most annoying problems are with power door locks, fuel injectors, weak brakes and some plastic interior trim. The tranny seal now leaks. For all that I do with the truck, it is well worth trying to find or hold onto one.

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  Fun Car - 2000 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Natey - April 22 - 3:57 pm

  I had the z28 auto, i got the car with 40000 miles on it, really fast car just stock, stereo in it was really good, car ran great up to around 50000 with no problems, then i started to mod it, cam headers, touque converter, and on and on, then it started to have problems, trans went on me soon after, the rear gears, bad break vibrations, the after about 10000 the brand new trans started going, and coolant started boiling after normal every day driving so i sold it, great cars until you mess with them then they mess with you back

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  01 Impala - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By RD - April 22 - 1:49 pm

  Bought this car new, now have 128K. Been a great car, lot of room interior and trunk. At 64K intake gasket $700, nothing else though. 32 MPG highway every time. Better then our mini SUV! 2X the room and ride! Mantiance is the key. Has the bumping in steering box since 70K but no issues. Looking for a new one!

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  great value for little car. - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By tnt - April 22 - 1:29 pm

  When my wife first got it i called it a clown car becouse its looks so small, but its peppy and fun to drive. way more comfortable than you would think and the back seats are more comfortable than the other baby cars on the market. we tested most of them,exept the ford dont know why.could get better milage. bring back the geo metro.

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  Love this car! - 2000 Chevrolet Metro
  By cairishguy - April 22 - 1:59 am

  Bought this car new and have been driving for 10 years. This is the most trouble free car I have ever owned. The only thing that has failed on this car has been the a/c compressor at 80k miles. That is using the a/c every day summer and winter since I bought it. Ive done regular maintenance and this thing just drives forever. I get 45 mpg and the insurance is really low. Ive got 124,000 miles and still runs great!

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  My great Impala - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Alan - April 21 - 9:03 pm

  Bought it new in 2007. Have had many new cars in my life: imports and Detroit iron. This one is the best. Replaced tires a couple months ago thats it for repairs. Have had zero problems with the car. This is the first time Ive ever had a new car without a warranty repair, and Im picky! No rattles -- everything works. Car is comfortable and gets a genuine 30 mpg highway and has given us 27 mpg overall since purchase. I bought an Impala because I ran them in my fleet at work and was impressed by their reliability and low cost to operate.

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  Sll around reliable and fun - 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By silentsquall - April 21 - 7:31 pm

  I bought the car with 214,000 miles on it and it ran like mint. Couldnt even hear it running when you stood next to it. The 5 spd stick was very fun to drive and look at. I owned it for 8 years with little upkeep needed. I put like 1,800 in repairs over the years and it never let me down. And it had spunk, quick off the line and great handling even in bad weather thanks to the front stabilizer bar. Also I was getting around 27 miles to the gallon. Love the car! And would recommend it to anyone.

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  Does anything else really matter? - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By paul wernich - April 21 - 4:55 pm

  Ive put 2,700 miles on my new Camaro so far and I have mixed emotions. Dealership made me a fair deal. Im averaging 23 mpg. I love the looks and comments I get from friends and strangers alike. Now the bad news. Front end scratches easily from rocks/debris on the road. Funny rattling noise coming from a/c vents. Passenger A pillar creaks. Onstar/phone seldom works. Radio/speaker quality needs improvement. Interior scratches too easy. Bottom line, who cares. The car is smoking hot. I bought the silver with black heritage rims and get loads of complements. Ive had guys in Corvettes and Mustangs staring at my car. For under $25k, its a work of art. I love my Camaro, so does everyone else.