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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  A Good Value - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By EddieC - May 9 - 1:59 pm

  I leased my Malibu last fall and have found it to be a superb vehicle. My car has the 3.5L V6 and plenty of get- up-and-go. I drove the Accord, Civic, Camry, and Corolla, but none of them were this nice for this price (I got mine for around $22k). Ive got nearly 10,000 miles on it and had no problems at all. I get about 30 miles per gallon with about an even balance of driving in town and on the highway.

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  Great vehicle, but weve had problems - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By duraflex - May 9 - 10:40 am

  I have owned 5 GM cars over the last 25 years and although I generally like the Venture, it has failures Ive never had experienced before. The two biggest have been the head gasket issue on the 3.1L engine (almost $600) and now the A/C has died which will cost another $600-$800. These 2 items seem like common problems on this van. The negatives are the big servicing issues. I dont expect this from a GM product. I really hate to say this but it will make me question whether to buy GM in the future.

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  Super Value - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Pete - May 9 - 10:10 am

  I cant imagine another car that provides so much fun and excitement for the price. Weve driven our C6 on two long trips and arrived feeling much better than we would have in our Chrysler 300 (and its a pretty comfy car). I love the performance and drivability and my wife loves the style and comfort. Its quite an improvement from our C3 which has been "demoted" to show and parade duty only.

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  exceeds expectations - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By ggrajek - May 9 - 10:00 am

  Wow, I have been driving this beast for 8 months and i still enjoy jumping in just for a ride. Great versitility, I only wished I would have found one with the xm radio pre-installed. I have owned 2 suburbans and this is much more usesful.

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  C-5 needs needs a little tweeking - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By RASB - May 9 - 10:00 am

  Overall I enjoy driving this car. Performace is the key. Comfort is the icing on the cake.

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  From a Corvette Addict - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By dfontanese - May 9 - 10:00 am

  This is my 7th Corvette (74, 75, 84, 89, 92, 98, 01). Ive had both coupes and convertibles. Obviously, Im addicted but the best part of ownership is when Im washing it and people stop by (especially kids) saying how they always dreamed of owning one. It makes you feel priveliged to be able to own and drive one. Keep waving!

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  No Resale Value - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By anothergmidiot - May 9 - 10:00 am

  The TrailBlazer as well as all GM vehicles has no resale value. The vehicle that you paid $30000 18 months ago is now only worth $17000 in excellant condition.

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  Impala - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Betty Roberts - May 9 - 12:31 am

  The 2003 Impala is fun to drive I only have one problem and that is the fresh air situation. It also lets in exhaust and smoke when you try to run the defrost you cannot keep this outside pollution out .

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  02 Prizm - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By AngelaJane - May 8 - 11:31 pm

  I have not had a very good experience with this car. I bought it as a certified used vehicle with a little over 36,000 miles. The transmission went out a couple months after I bought it. Several minor interior things have come apart. The filler pipe on the gas tank came unwelded and fell partially into the tube, so I was not able to fuel the car until that was removed. This week the running lights and auto- on headlights quit working, but could still be turned on manually,a few days later, they stayed on, requiring disconnecting the battery to turn off. The switch failed and its located under the pas. air bag requiring the entire dash to be removed. I would not buy another or reccomend!

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  Great Value - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Kevin Thompson - May 8 - 10:34 pm

  After looking at all the import and domestic small trucks we chose the 4 door Colorado. It was the best value for the dollar. We have owned the car for 3 months and have driven the car 8200 miles now. Zero problem, great fuel mileage and very comfortable. My son needs a car so I think we are going to go with another Chevy.