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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  Overall great car - 1994 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Sam Johnson - April 18 - 10:27 pm

  Ive had this car for about 15 months now and have had no mechanical problems with it at all. There are over 147,000 miles on it and it is still going strong. Also, its fun to have some power to play with.

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  Goodies and baddies - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By SneakyStiffler - April 18 - 8:29 pm

  This truck handles great, the ZQ8 sport supension package hugs the road like a car. The 16x8" wheels put plenty of rubber on the road to keep the truck there. The motor has a lot of take-off power and will easily smoke both tires. Very thirsty at the pump. Average 16 MPG, 19.5 gallon tank, you do the math.

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  Mile high High - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By darren hone - April 18 - 2:26 pm

  Chevy nailed it. Drove the other big three imports, they dont come close. Feel like a man driving this car, not a soccer mom. Handles great, rides even better. Excellent style that youll feel good rolling up in, without the pretentious price.

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  Best SUV on the Market in 1997 - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Nick L - April 18 - 1:55 pm

  I have had a good experience with my Tahoe, I have put in about $2500 in general maintenance about 1600 was labor. I put on a new water pump, alternator, brakes and cleaned the fuel injector, as well as other general maintenance. For 116,500 miles you figure that replacements parts will be needed. Very dependable. Will get new shocks soon, as I am starting to bounce. The platform is old but my 97 rides and handles better than my dads 01 Expedition Eddie Bauer. It is also quieter and the seats are more comfy. I gave it a 4 for fuel economy other than that its a great vehicle.

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  Mixed bag - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Scott Libbee - April 17 - 9:37 pm

  Now have 70k on car. Had to replace brakes and rotors at 30k and 60k. Intake maifold gasket rplaced at 30k. Altenator replaced at 36k. GM says the car can go 100k between tune-ups, but check engine light came on at 69k. Complete tune-up required at that point. Water pump relaced at 68k. Original Firestones were crappy.

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  The Caddilac of Trucks - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By ONYXsilveradoSS - April 16 - 9:06 pm

  This truck rocks. Some minor problems but fixes make the truck better. Chevy de-tuned this one big time and there is performance left to be had...faster. Love this truck, better than a Ford in build quality.

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  Fun to drive - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By joe - April 16 - 3:30 am

  I bought this car on Nov 17th last year, and now have over 36,000 miles on it and have not had any problems at all. I am 61" and a big guy but have plenty of room in the Aveo. Great looking well made car, even though its really a Daewoo!!

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  Its a VOLT - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By gardwi - April 15 - 7:22 am

  Its electric

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  Great ride, great price.... - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Franco - April 14 - 6:56 pm

  Nice ride, smooth engine, cheap on gas, nice looking, what else can you ask for? I dont understand why Chevy Cavalier got an early retirement.

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  Every Day is Talladega, Part II - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By The Gunny (Retired) - April 14 - 3:50 pm

  Thus far, the new Monte has made trips to Chicago and the Quad Cities, and combined with the day to day driving to and from work, there is no doubt in my (former) military mind that this is the best car I have ever driven. The 3.9 6 cyl has enough power to get me noticed by the Iowa Patrol (hasnt happened yet), yet seems to be keeping the MPG at around 20 city (although the instant economy feature has shown me mileage around 30+ on occasion). The heated leather and remote start feature makes cold days nothing to fear, and its a nice change to come into a heated car on the way home from work. No, its not a Mustang or Corvette, but the lines and performance thus far belie NEXTEL Cup.