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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  Reliable until I was in an accident - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Michael - November 1 - 4:31 am

  You get what you pay for. I purchased it used from the dealer. It had a few minor recalls that were easily fixed. Price was nice but there are better cars at the same price point. It was good until someone rear ended me and now the car is a right off. The air bags never went off though! I wouldnt buy it again but I was happy with it for what it was. A cheaper reliable car for getting around town that got good gas mileage. Pros Visibility was good and the back up camera was great . Driving was comfortable. Satellite road was great Controls were easily accessible Gas mileage was great Trunk space was fine Usb charger in front console was nice Pockets on doors was nice Headlights were bright Remote start Seats easily cleaned, I had a Montana that would stain with water stains every time it rained or got snow on them A jeep Laredo hit me, hardly any damage done to it ! Cons Extremely under powered from a stand still Passenger leg room was small due to the glovebox Cloth material on the dash looks nice but not sure the longevity of it Passenger foot room was small because of the depth of the glove box. Window defrost is only in the enter of the dash and it would take forever to defrost.(I live in Canada) Cup holders placement was awkward No interior trunk release, have to turn off car to use trunk release No leg room in the back seats. (Remember its a small car) Car jerks at times when stopped, dont know why Smell was coming from engine compartment when I first bought it, smelt like burning anti freeze, has since stopped Cheap plastic on exterior trim would fade Arm rest was extremely small, needs to be longer Great care for someone under 57, not for tall or bigger people Dash plastic had a nice style but looked and felt cheap

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  LOVE MY TRAVERSE - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By christine - October 31 - 12:32 pm

  We bought our LT1 Traverse in June and we love it !! I like the way it handles and it looks great.We have a sun and moon roof I have never had one before and I am enjoying them (so are my teenaged boys )I agree with one of the other reviews about when turning right it is very hard to see if anything is coming ,and the head rests are awkward .I am hoping it handles good in the snow as we get alot of it .There is so much room in them ,we packed all my sons stuff for college in it with putting down one of the 2nd row seats.There is enough room for my 510 and 61 tall boys in the back seat.I would recommend this car . I think next time we would like to upgrade to the LTZ with more features

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  1999 Prizm Lsi - 1999 Chevrolet Prizm
  By snoopsha1 - October 31 - 6:11 am

  Bought this car at 150,000 miles in fall of 2008. The ONLY reason I dont have it now is cause a freakin unoccupied moving truck backed into my poor baby while it was parked. I had to replace the motor mount and compressor. A few months later replaced the front brakes. The engine light stayed on, but I never had any serious issues (gas cap). When I got it scanned the first time it also said the 02 sensor needed replacing, but when I got it scanned again, it said nothing about the 02 sensor, so who knows? put about 14,000 miles on this car. The speakers up front blew, but everything mentioned is nothing too serious My only complaint would be space.

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  LTZ 6.2 - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By 6.2 LTZ - October 30 - 12:43 pm

  The 6.2 is so rare it wasnt even a selection in the drop down menu! This is actually my second LTZ, the first being a 2007 2WD with the 5.3. The 6.2 4X4 has loads of power but unfortunately is averaging just 13.8 MPG to the 16 MPG of the 2WD 5.3 with only a 4 speed trans (No 8/4 mode on the 6.2). By far, the best truck GM has ever produced. Not quite the ride of the Escalade (no magnetic ride control in the Tahoe), but the Caddy didnt have low range (AWD only), and really, 12K more for a slightly bigger nav screen and 6 disc changer VS single disc? A no brainer. Build quality is very good, at least equal to Ford or Chrysler.

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  Fun and Nice to Drive But Costly - 1990 Chevrolet Corsica
  By Wayne6 - October 30 - 6:18 am

  I purchase this car with only 68000 miles on it and now has 86100 miles on it.It is a nice car and fun to drive.I put alot of money in it for repairs mostly suspension issues and a few other mechanical problems.There are a few out there with more problems than with others.It has been a good strong car despite the problems that I had.

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  Love my Uplander - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Robert Worsena - October 29 - 6:09 am

  Like the car very much. People admire the car by telling how nice looking the car is. You feel very safe in this vehicle. Drive is very quite and comfortable.

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  Like my LTZ So Far - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By andylibby - October 28 - 8:53 pm

  I came close to buying the Buick Enclave but got the Traverse for three reasons: (1) Price, the Buick would have cost $3 to $4m more similarly equipped, (2) I got a huge rebate for buying the 09, and (3) I dont like fake wood trim and the Buick is full of it. I liked everything about the Buick better except for the fake wood and the extra $$$, but the Traverse LTZ is an awesome car with all the goodies and Im enjoying it a great deal.

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  Great car - Not so great interior - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By lilbit - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Monte 9 months ago brand new and absolutely love everything about except the plastic interior around the stereo component and the console is starting to flake away. I am working on trying to get that fixed but havent gotten anywhere yet. Other than that I have had no mechanical problems whatsoever and the car is a blast to drive.

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  MC-1 - 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By sleepyhollow - October 28 - 2:00 am

  First brakes at 44700, all wheels wearing very evenly. New brakes pads squeek however. Just had first new battery at 45000. Original corroded severly and positive post fell off battery. Recommend change out after 3- 4 years reqardless of condition. Very difficult to access battery, under windshield washer. Very thin an weak hood sheet metal. Dents if you push it closed. Let drop to close.

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  Better fuel milage - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By kellylag3 - October 27 - 9:35 pm

  I get 500km per tank (17mpg). It doesnt matter if I am in the city 90km an hour or 120km. 500 ALWAYS. Ive had to issues with the truck at all! Parks better then a full size. Have not found any advantage to the 5 cylinder.