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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  very good - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By eddielisa - December 18 - 10:00 am

  fun to drive ,very powerfull, ok handling ,not a very good fuel efigency

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  Almost injured our teenager - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By lisa frain - December 18 - 1:31 am

  I liked a lot about our impala we had a few quirks too. The remote start the tire pressure sensors never worked and after a year the power steering lost its fluid was fixed by a GM dealer. but the latest was a accident when my daughter was driving the steering failed and she ended up in a ditch. The car a total loss with my child not receiving any injury, but I find this totally unacceptable from a car with less than 42000 miles. It has been maintained and eats oil. I guess that point is moot, because the car is toast. The common thread I see is there. I am upset and angry and can only think of the what ifs My child could have been killed by this failure, Thank God she walked away.

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  klunking - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Charles Campbell - December 15 - 6:24 pm

  Have owned this car just a few days. When driving on our road, not a pot hole Rd. It klunks like the shocks are bad. Im beginning to get the feeling dealer is going to say this is normal. Im 70 years old but I know bad when I hear it.

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  Speedometor - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By momof3 - December 15 - 3:41 pm

  I actually just got off the phone and asked in regards of the "recall" for the speedometer problem and was told that it cannot be done after 70,000 miles free of charge, that I would have to pay $500.00. I was told that GM was ONLY doing this out of "COURTESY" and that it was NOT an official safety recall. Well what happens when you are driving and not know how fast you are going, is THAT not count as a SAFETY?

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  great - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By lukacs - December 15 - 2:00 am

  love the trcuk,roomy, and great features and the truck could fit at family of 6, which we usally couldnt find one to fit our family,,just sorry the deal didnt go thru

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  SATISFIED - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By cc1111 - December 15 - 2:00 am

  NEVER HAD TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR ANY PROBLEMS. IT WAS ALL I EXPECTED AND I AM BUYING ANOUTHER AS MY DAD TOTALED IT IN AN ACCIDENT. HE AND MY KIDS WALKED AWAY.

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  Not bad for an entry level/commuter car! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Shirl - December 14 - 3:08 pm

  This car has worked perfectly! Large roomy trunk with folding back seats. Fun to drive. quieter than the ford focus I test drove. We did have a problem with the A/C actuator switch which I still have yet to fix. Makes clicking noise for 2 minutes when car is started. We will fix when actually broken. Cheap part but labor intensive as the dash has to come out. Great on gas mileage. 36/28 in Colorado! My only real complaint would be that the body easily dents and scratches. This is an entry level car. Great for College bound kid or as a commuter car. I have had no major issues 3+ years! :)

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  Nothing has changed - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By JHB - December 14 - 8:47 am

  I have a 00 with 3.5 liter 240,000 miles on it. Father has 07 with 3.9 liter. These Impalas may have changed body design and engines but still have the same problems. The VERY common probs with these cars are Transmission failure Intake gasket manifold failure (most common) Intermediate steering shaft failure Cars with pass lock have problems consistently. Headlight switches have failures fairly often. Water pump will start leaking between 36k and 55k. Radiators will split at the side tanks around 125k Brake rotors tend to warp prematurely. Tire pressure monitoring system is horribly troublesome. New designs, new engines, same ole problems

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  08 Impala LT 3.5 Liter - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By JW - December 13 - 9:14 pm

  Factory Goodyears on this car were a joke. I bought the car at 14,000 miles and drove the car to 18,000 miles and had to replace the Goodyears. (Why does Goodyear keep getting OEM Contracts with the big three ?) I have Michelins on now and they are wearing excellently. The car is smooth. The V- 6 could use a little more umph for my taste but not bad. The mileage is excellent. I average 30 to 32 miles per gallon in the Impala. I had 2 Ford Focuses and didnt do much better than that. This car has a huge trunk and feels great on the highway.The remote start that is standard, and the stereo system for stock is very nice. Over all I am pleased and would buy again. Buy used for the best deal !!

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  Great car - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Mauigirl - December 13 - 3:41 pm

  I bought my 98 Prizm in 2005 for $4000. It had about 60,000 miles on it then. It now has 130,000 miles on it. It has been the best buy, the most reliable car. Interesting to read the other reviews about the door handles snapping off. Mine has done the same and I am unable to find the replacement part. The Chevy dealer is asking $200 for it. The A/C recently went out so I may consider selling as I live on Maui, although Im tempted to see how long I can keep it running! Just wanted to add my two cents about this car. I have loved it and it has been very good to me!