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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  Better than expected - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By chris - April 12 - 11:36 pm

  Bought used with 70,000 miles havent found most of the complaints that others have to be an issue. Had heard that the engine was underpowered and the cabin was noisy but driving on the highway the first couple times I was surprised to look at the speed and find myself doing 80. For the noise the only thing that intrudes is the tires when going over large bumps. Engines quiet unless you mash the pedal. Wind pushes it around easily something I never felt in my last car. Accelerations not great but has plenty of power for highway driving. Love that I can carry five people over six feet and have them be comfortable. Fuel economy is about 21 mpg. Seats and floor were stained cleaned up easy

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  Cheap transportation - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By dleebold - April 11 - 8:45 pm

  Bought aveo used with 21,000 miles. Had new front brakes and rotors installed because the rotors were warped. So far its been a good car. Fun to drive, easy on gas, and Im 6,2" and its easy for me to get in and out. For a small car, interior has a lot of room. Easy to get around in snow. I would buy another.

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  So far, so goo. - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By AveoDriver - April 11 - 8:35 pm

  Overall, I love my Aveo. I keep reading negative reviews and find it very frustrating. Its an economy car, not a corvette. Im just over 33,000 miles and have had no major problems. I changed the tires at 31,000 and leaves have got caught in a tube underneath the vehicle, creating a noise when the AC is on. The dealership cleared everything out on both occasions quickly and without cost. The interior has plenty of space and you can fit quite a bit when the seats are folded down. The fuel efficiency is great and the manual transmission is fun to drive. Ive been on several 8+ hour road trips in this car and have been very comfortable. So far so good. I hope this car lasts for many years.

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  Its a fun car - 1991 Chevrolet Camaro
  By CAMARO - April 11 - 8:09 pm

  Its a very fun car to drive, except for the big front end makes it kinda hard to see when topping a hill. Fun to hot rod around in except for when its refueling time. LOL. I havent had to do too much work. All Ive had to do is replace trans, radiator, and sway bar links, oil, tranny fluid etc. But now its time to replace the car its self, I got in a wreck and tore up the driver side fender and the front clip, and headlight mount. Im looking for a new one, preferably 1989 to 1991 iroc or rs,

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  Great reliability, Bad build qualty - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By R1der2002 - April 11 - 11:43 am

  Dont get me wrong i love my Tahoe it has not broken down on me yet but the interior squeaks a lot, the fit and finish of the materials is not that great either. Would I buy it again though, yes like I said it has not broken on me yet and actually for its size I get good MPG I get 17.6 city and 21.8 HWY. I do not know what is wrong with everyone elses Tahoe lol

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  Beats a civic all to hell - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Cory - April 10 - 10:44 am

  Car works great, lots of power for 4 cyl. Ive had it going 220 km/h, way better car for the money than a Civic. However the electronic power steering failed me but gm has since recalled it at no cost to me, also the front suspension is not built to last, will need struts soon at 78,000 kilometers. The 7 speaker pioneer stereo sounds great with factory XM is a must also the 17 inch wheels look great and car handles perfectly at high speeds, looks great in black with limo tint Windows. Overall very happy with the appearance and performance

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  Do not buy this car. - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Alexz1105 - April 9 - 5:33 pm

  The problems every Aveo owner is venting on (timing belt) happened to myself as well. I was on my way home after work and all of sudden my car stopped. Turns out the timing belt busted causing me to have to get another used engine since the valves were bent, and the head gasket was blown. Which cost me a total of $2300.00, now after that pricey repair I had to have my fuel module repaired plus, my O2 sensor which costs me another $700. Its heartbreaking because I figured its a Chevrolet product and they are a reliable brand. But the more I read about this car I find its manufacturer is Daewoo. Who the heck are they? Case in Point dont buy this car get a Toyota, Yaris.

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  A diamond in the rough - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By pawntec - April 8 - 10:28 pm

  I had low expectations for this car because I only bought it for the mpg (which became much higher after adding in an aem cai and an 2.25" cat-back) it was much faster after a few upgrades. I was able to keep up with Civic sis (both 2dr & 4dr) & some times beat them if I can keep the tires from spinning from a dig. Got to love that torque which is lacking & higher stock cobalt ls vs. Stock Civic si. But had to upgrade clutch after first year :-d. Anyways its a great tuner car just wish the market would embrace the mighty cobalt which gm already helped with there ecotec recipe book look it up trust me youll want one to after reading through the stage upgrades 4 gm doing the R&D for you already

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  MPG Ratings Way Off - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Brad - April 8 - 9:51 pm

  I really like the car for its ride, looks and features, but my AWD is supposed to average 19 MPG and I dont get above 16 with 50% city and 50% highway. Averages 12 around town and 21 on highway versus the 16 and 23 advertised. And I am a conservative 58 year old driver.

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  Quality of the rims - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Brenda - April 8 - 10:39 am

  I purchased my car in April 2009. Since that time Ive needed to buy rims twice. Im not a wild and crazy driver. I travel normal roads with plenty of other cars traveling the same. I have an older Malibu and loved it completely. This one the quality of the rims is a real turn-off. I find it impossible to believe my car is the only car that has problems with flimsy rims. I really hope others will comment so I can see if its an isolated problem or one others just have taken in stride.