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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  Best of the four I have owned, by a mile! - 2009 Chevrolet Corvette
  By chugcatsts01 - December 21 - 2:24 pm

  I bought my 68 in 1969, the 87 in 89, 05[C6] in 07. All convertibles. This is my first coupe and the best yet. The LS3 must be underated, it is way quicker than the 05 LS2. The standard obtions are too many to list. Mine is the 6spd Auto standard rear. The arctic white w/beige int is stunning. Mine has the Z-51 pakage and rides better than my wifes 05 Cad STS Northstar. She is jealous, just like anyone who hasnt had A vette. I was a CUMMINS Engine Dealer and understand tourqe. It is hard to beleive how well the traction control works. I know Corvettes for 33 years, this was a great find w/11,200 pampered miles. At 69 YO I have never had trouble with one. No one tries you at a traffic light!

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  Great Buy! - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By themrchen - December 20 - 11:42 am

  bought this car for my daughter, I was enjoying my new camaro and noticed what a sharp looking vehicle this was, she needed a new car and we got a good deal, about 14k. car gets over 35 mpg highway and 30 mpg in town mixed communting, never misses a beat. handling was funny when new, car came with 46 pounds of air in tires, tail would wag on hwy, reduced pressure and broke tires in and handling is perfect. what more could you ask from this 14k$ car? its fantastic

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  Bought in 2010 & Still Going Strong! - 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ckingwevl - December 20 - 10:32 am

  I had an opportunity to purchase my 4dr LT in 2010 with only 65k miles on it. Today it has 85k on it and its still going strong. The normal things are wearing out that I would expect to on a 15 year old truck, but I have not had to put in any major repairs thus far. The previous owner was a meticulous maintainer of the vehicle and I am continuing the trend. Comfort wise you can not beat it. Recently drove 11 hours to the Big Bend area of TX. Did mostly offroad rock and dirt roads while there and she was a beast. Towing is good, but upgraded shocks are recommended to distribute weight better. As for brute strength, I would take this tahoe over a new one any day!

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  Great Car for a Great Price - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By mikearcure - December 19 - 11:07 pm

  Just bought this car last month and Im pleased so far. The car is very fun to drive and its a great value. Styling is spot-on. My list of gripes is short. Any 2005 model car should come with standard power locks and windows and a headphone jack. No standard OnStar or center armrest. The storage bin is too small. However, most of these complaints are superficial. Overall, this is a great car that I would recommend to anyone looking for an American compact between $5,000 and $10,000. Just try to stay away from a base model car.

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  Dont Waste Your Time... - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By mikearcure - December 19 - 10:47 pm

  I bought this car in May 2011. I had just gotten into an accident, and I needed a cheap car fast. I liked the design and comfort of the car, but there were WAY too many problems with it. My previous car was a 97 Toyota Corolla and it had no problems whatsoever. A lot of parts broke on this car, and most things that did break broke multiple times. I had to get the starter fixed 3 times. The turn signals started to blink really fast and then stopped working completely 2 times. And the engine was constantly overheating. The heat and air conditioning was also very weak. I ended up getting rid of this car after 1 1/2 years due to it needing a new head gasket. Do NOT bother with this car!!

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  Not Bad, Not Great - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By rswanson101 - December 19 - 6:24 pm

  Ive been driving my 03 Malibu LS (fully loaded) for about a year now. I purchased it used with only 26,000km on it! I really like the way the car rides. Its so quiet, even on the highway, and it soaks up bumps really well. The interior fit ad finish is ok, but nothing amazing. Its got nice pickup in the city, and really good passing power on the highway (Ive passed with ease at 150 km/h on a steep hill. The worst drawback for me are fuel economy. I only get about 16 city and 22 hwy carefully, watching my driving habits, 15 & 19 driving normally. The other thing is that it feels cheap at times (ie some of the buttons/knobs). Its not too bad, but should be thought of as just a car.

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  Best vehicle around - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By vthokie12 - December 19 - 4:05 pm

  Purchased LT 4x4 model used with 42K miles on it...now 130K miles later the only thing Ive had to do is put gas and oil in this work horse and it goes! I have owned everything under the sun and typically have maintenance problems with vehicles around 100K, but the Tahoe has broken that mold and I could not be happier. Hopefully they still make them like this when I buy a newer one.

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  Love My 1999 Chevy Tahoe - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By tramhue - December 19 - 12:36 pm

  I can honestly say I really enjoy the reliability of my 1999 Chevy Tahoe with its powerful 5.7 liter engine. I am a HVAC and water-proofing contractor and this truck exceeds all my expectations. I also charter fish on Lake Erie and this vehicle tows my Sea-Ray with little effort. I had to replace the fuel pump a couple years ago..and get a tune-up after 140 K miles, but let me tell Chevy cannot improve much on this vehicle.

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  The best car I have ever owned so far, - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By marqukitea - December 18 - 4:13 pm

  I bought my 2005 Impala, 2011, Its a good car But the gas miles suck, Its a good family car cause I have 3kids, The car was 10,000 But it had low miles to that why I got it. Im almost done payin for it Only owe abot 32hun So thats good I would buy another Impala, But now im lookin for an Truck by GM, So I have my eye on an Chevy Treverse, Good luck to me.

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  2010 Chevy Cobalt - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By dennie75 - December 17 - 9:00 pm

  This has been a good car. Besides having to fix a few things. The check engine light came on first and there was a leak in the fuel hose connected to the tank. The fuel tank was replaced. Then started to notice a noise/clicking every time I turned the fan on and had to replace the motor for the fan in the front because a blade was broken on the motor. Next had to pay to replace the front right strut because it was leaking. Most recently water was leaking into car change drawer near drivers side and also dripping down to floor. The seals needed to be done again and hopefully I will not have anymore problems anytime soon. Good luck to other cobalt owners and hope the cars run with less issues.