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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  Greatest Truck Ive Ever Owened - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By J Shutey - June 29 - 6:13 pm

  I have always loved the look of the Avalanche and now I love everything about it. The ride feels like you are not in a truck at all but a big luxury car. It has alot of power and is very fun to drive.

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  Best SUV for your money - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Melissa - June 29 - 6:05 pm

  My Suburban has great power when I need it. It is as comfortable as a car, and has lots of room inside. It has been extremely dependable. I have not had any problems with it. I plan on keeping it for a long time. I would not drive any other SUV. Its solid and you feel very safe in it.

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  Trouble in paradise. - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Duane - June 29 - 5:52 pm

  Purchased a 2001 2500-LT Suburban "GM Certified Used Vehicle" in August, 04 with ~58K miles. In the first 9 months of ownership, weve had multiple major repairs, including: exhaust (which we came to find is a dealer only part. No aftermarket muffler for the 2500 series. Major dollars) Side mirror fell off. Window regulator failed. Rear cooling lines ruptured. Complete brake job with rotors. Fuel pump failed. Broken radio antenna. Brake booster replaced. Tail lights failed Transmission lines replaced. Front U roints replaced. Regreased the rear passenger door straps twice. Leaking fuel line. Fortunately, we purchased the used car warranty, as its paid for itself twice over.

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  I love my Prizm! - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By ninachi - June 29 - 5:50 pm

  I bought a used 2002 Prizm (with 19000 miles on it at the time) in 2003. I have never had a single problem during my cross country drives, long work commutes or short errand drives. It starts up perfectly and held up remarkable well when I slid on some ice and nailed a parked car at about 30 mph. It had only a crack in the fron bumper. Reliable is what I was looking for and that is just what I got. I am very happy with my car and see no reason to get anything else.

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  Magnificant Chevy - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Frank Bates - June 29 - 5:38 pm

  By far, my 2004 malibu is the best car I have ever owned. This is after several GM, Ford, and Honda products. At 13,000 miles, nothing is wrong, and it gets more than 30 miles per gallon on the highway.

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  Money well spent - 1992 Chevrolet Caprice
  By Michigan car - June 29 - 5:16 pm

  Very reliable. Blew oil pan gasket at 130,000, no other problems. Easy owner maintenance.

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  I Love my Prizm - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By lmpress - June 29 - 5:13 pm

  Bought my Prizm at CarMax. Had 24K on it - was a previous lease. I was going to buy a Cavalier, but someone suggested the Prizm. I knew it was a Corolla in disguise. Has cruise control (bonus!), CD player, power windows/locks. Great gas mileage, especially with todays prices. Im not into fancy cars so this was perfect. Wish I had looked at these when I bought the Ford Focus in 2000 (which has already bitten the dust!)

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  Wish there were no problems - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Denise - June 29 - 5:02 pm

  My car has had some issues. My windows needed to be repaired two times under initial warranty. Make rear seat came off tracking and needed repair. My trunk latch has issues and needs to be closed several times before latching. With all the shutting, the spoiler has cracked and need to take it into the dealership. I got a nice blue color which I loved but the car has so many scratches, it looks pathetic. This was the first brand new car I purchased and have been very disappointed. BTW - wheels on sports model are VERY expensive to replace if a flat hurts rim. The car also uses special oil filter which some places charge an extra $10 to change.

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  best car Ive had - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mike - June 29 - 4:36 pm

  This is an outstanding car. Its never let me down. A little standard maintenance, and it runs great, handles perfectly, has real pick-up, and the control has gotten me out of scrapes other cars wouldve never gotten out of (I know Ive had a lot of cars).

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  Great Truck for Women - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By Sue Loves Black S-10 - June 29 - 4:29 pm

  My father worked for GM all his life, you could say that GM helped raise me. So when it came to make a choice on vehicles I had to go with a Chevy S- 10. It has been great. The AC works well, radio rocks out! The auto volume was the best invention ever made.