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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  brand new - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By east - November 19 - 10:00 am

  Great styling, satisfactory handling

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  Needs Updating - 2001 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Jay - November 19 - 6:39 am

  Live in Upstate NY. Travel a lot for work. Vehicle handles great, good power, parks easy in the city, rides comfortable on long trips. Engine and transmission are flawless. Awesome offroad and towing. Heres the problem...I have had to replace numerous accessory items at high parts prices. Recent parts only expenses: Lower steering arm $400, AC compressor $520, Radiator hoses $38 each, calipers $530 per set. This all happened between 46k and 52k miles. Im not getting scammed by repair men, I am a DIY type guy, and these items DID fail. For its size it could get better mileage, 18-20 with minimal passengers or cargo. Id like to keep it but am afraid of what will break next and at what cost.

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  I like it! - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By T Bear - November 18 - 9:36 pm

  My Venture is a very good van. Except for the power side door I have NO complaints. I have 85,000 miles and it just passed smog with flying colors. It has never broken down. The power sliding door does not work anymore even thou about $2500 of work has gone into it. I have replaced the belt, brakes and battery and 1 relay to the driver door. And one hose to the AC. But most of it was under warranty. I even was hit by a school bus to the front of the van. And nothing happened! I bought a new Mazda MPV 04 and it performs better but lacks alot of features the Chevy has.

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  Only truck I will own. - 2006 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Doc1038 - November 18 - 5:32 pm

  This is my second Avalanche I have owned. I will NEVER own another truck except the Av. Very Stylish, Eye catching, versatile. Used for camping, tailgating, towing, moving large items, and much more. My original was a 2002 which I thought was great, and the 2006 is even better. I totalled my 2002 in an accident which I hit in, and realized in any car and many trucks, I would not have made it out alive. VERY SAFE!!! Fuel economy is not bad for the size of the truck, but it should be expected with its size and capacity.

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  Chris Craft Tow Toy - 2005 Chevrolet Astro
  By DorothyJs. LT AWD - November 18 - 4:02 pm

  Very dependable, very low maintenance, so comfortable to drive, great for road trips, pulls the boat like a toy

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  Power House - 1995 Chevrolet Corvette
  By power house - November 18 - 2:52 pm

  I fell in love with this vehicle the first time I seen it- It came rolling in at a tent sale in Florida- It was a real eye-catcher. I paid the lady well below book value and now its mine- LT1---- 300hp---torch red--- vroooooooom!!

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  American Touring car - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Captain Safety - November 18 - 9:33 am

  Purchased this car for business use, and will drive 45,000 miles in 2008. Excellent seat and ride comfort for extended highway use. Great value for less than $25,000. Leather, heated, power seats; strong V-6; remote start; tire pressure monitoring at all four corners; XM radio; five-star crash rating. Better seats and ride than my previous Honda Odyssey. Likely 27-29 mpg as along-term average.

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  I love my Aveo - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Ilona - November 18 - 3:34 am

  My parents bought an 05 Chevy Aveo LT (the hatchback version) for me as my first car. Im an 18 year old college student and this car is perfect for me. It gets me to school, to see my friends, and do whatever else I need. Ive driven in it for over 4 hours with my dad on vacation, and am going to take it to Lake Tahoe (a 6-7 hr drive from LA) in a few weeks for winter break. Its an overall reliable vehicle, roomy enough to fit 5 people (4 without a problem), and to top it off is super cute. I get compliments on it all the time, and all my friends + family love to drive in it with me. I love this car!

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  A decent if not ordinary vehicle - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Josh Lymon - November 17 - 7:38 pm

  After putting about 2000 mi on this model, I am generally very pleased with it. The high speed handling is competent, and it feels good behind the wheel. on a recent 600 mi trip on the interstate, I got 34 mpg. Around town I am getting 26-28. It has all the room I need, takes washboard and bumpy roads with grace, and has an overall decent feel. I come from a Toyota/Honda history, so I was very pleasantly surprised the Aveo was so nice. I dont like the fact I cant see the end of the hood or even behind. Im a lousy parallel parker, and these factors dont help. Im disappointed the rear has a blind spot. I would recommend this model to anybody interested in economy without investing a lot

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  Great Vehicle - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Phisp - November 17 - 12:30 pm

  Bought this vehicle because my wife loved it, I did not like the way it looked and the fact it did not have a real full size bed. I now love it the Z71 package is a must I can haul all my fire wood, take my wife and kids camping while towing the boat do some off roading and take it surf fishing easily.. No problems to speak of, GM hit a home run with the Avalanche. My buddies Nissan Titan feels about half as strong as my Avalanche and he has been through 2 rears and 5 long term visits to the dealer for service , Considering a Titan? buy the Avalanche.