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 4 cyclinder out there. - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Ron - January 17 - 9:10 pm

  I have over 18,000 miles so far and the car has been great. I am averageing 32.5 mpg which is higher than I expected when I purchased it. The car is quite for its price range and handles like a dream.

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  Solid Family Choice--Excellent Economy - 1997 Chevrolet Venture
  By Bob - January 17 - 8:32 am

  Very reliable. Only minor maintenance. Excellent mileage for the size. 19 City, 26 Hwy. Tows 2000# well.

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  2000 Impala LS - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By steve peacock - January 16 - 3:37 pm

  This has been a good car, the only problems I have had are the air bag light would come on and off, still dont know why. I have had to replace the battery, and three fuel injectors {which I thought was odd} Good thing I had bought an extended warranty, other than that I have been happy with it.

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  2004 Suburban - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Jeff Carrington - January 16 - 12:52 am

  Great vehicle for the family. Great vehicle for family vacation. We drove 4000 miles this summer without a hitch.

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  Head gasket problems - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By richard connelly - January 16 - 12:30 am

  In the past 2 years I have had to replace 2 gaskets that seperate the manifold from the engine block. Anti-freeze leaked into the engine case. Very poor design. And GM has had no recalls on this re-occuring problem. I have spoken with mechanics and other Venture owners who have had this problem. Very dissappointing. This will be my last GM purchase. It also has had electrical short problems with the rear tail lights. Also the headlights are dull.

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  Cavaliers are a great car - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By kirby - January 15 - 11:48 pm

  This is now my 6th Cavalier. No matter how you cut it they are reliable and low maintenance. In the past 18 months of owning the 2000 cavalier I have now, it has cost me less than $200.00 in total repairs(regular oil changes included). My only complaint is the suspension is a little weak. All Cavaliers have been known to hit hard over bumps leaving the comfort of driving being sacrificed. However if you can sacrifice the comfortable drive for a cheap, reliable, low maintenance, gas miser. Then a Cavalier is right for you.

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  Tahoe....pulls like an ox - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By James Levy - January 15 - 7:41 pm

  I tow my race car and trailer all over the Eastern Seaboard...weighing in at 5500 lbs, this is no easy task. I find that going up the hills of Pennsylvania, NY, WV and NC with the accelerator flat on the floor, transmission in 2nd and pulling long hills at 4200-4500 RPM is not a problem. Its fun to drive, relatively comfortable, reasonably economical gas- wise and has flawless performance...LIKE A ROCK.

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  My Venture - 2005 Chevrolet Venture
  By Arlene Sirotko - January 15 - 5:50 pm

  I find the Venture very roomy and comfortable. It is a good vehicle to transport small children and still have room for adults. The trunk space is fairly large considering the third seat can be put down and that does increase the trunk area. There are many little places in the vehicle for storage of items. This vehicle is easy to drive and handles well.

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  Best Of Breed - 2005 Chevrolet Astro
  By SunupGSD - January 15 - 4:01 pm

  Will never own another minivan. We show our German Shepherds in AKC events. All our "stuff" fits with room to spare. Other minivans are too small. Ride is strong not mushy, interior comfort is great. This is our 3rd Astro. Our 1st is still on the road with over 200K miles. The 2nd is still running with only 150K miles.

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  Chevrolet Astro Van AWD - 2005 Chevrolet Astro
  By Deborah T. Kilday - January 15 - 2:49 pm

  This is the 5th Chevy Astro Van I have owned. They are great vans. Better than having a truck because they get better gas milage and quiet running. I just bought a new one and still own two older ones. One has 165000 miles(1994) and the other one 106000 (2000) and they are still running great. I maintain them and have not had any major problems with any of them. They are great on long trips with family, we have even taken out the seats and camped in them overnight. They are also great for carrying building supplies. I like them better than a truck because you can use the whole vehicle and have heat and air and spread out and be comfortable. I get great gas mileage doing a lot of highway miles.