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:

• 

  the Terrible 5.3L engine - 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By D. R. Jared - December 5 - 5:53 pm

  There have been complaints about the 5.3L engine since 2007, yet GM has done nothing about it. With only 62000 miles, I had to have $1100 worth of repairs to the engine, due to poor design. The engine had developed a solid engine miss, only 20,000 miles after purchasing the truck used. The independent mechanic shop had to look up the cause/effect/recommended repair on their independent web reference. The result: due to a design fault in the valve cover(s) , a replacement had been designed by GM that - supposedly - fixed the problem; oh, that and a premature tune-up, because the spark plugs had been completely gunked up with oil from the poor design. Now, only 20,000 miles later, the same problem has popped up again. A different repair shop described the same remedy as before! This shop owner said he LOVED this engine, as it earned him a lot of money! Personally, he owns a similar truck, but with the 6.0 L engine.

• 

  Not bad for money! - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By i_l_ aveo - December 5 - 5:20 pm

  Aveo is made in Korea, a car popular overseas as Daewoo. KALOS design in Italy. I got only 24 mpg in street with auto transmission. Accelerator pedal become shaky at 65 mph. Its hard for the 1.6L engine to go up a hill; I could not reach 45 mph on Verazzano Bridge NYC. Car has slow acceleration. Weak engine made by GM and not as fuel economical as I sought

• 

  Trouble Free Service - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By DaveTV - December 5 - 1:30 am

  My Tahoe has been a wonderful truck. I bought it with 6000 miles and 119,000 miles later it continues to satisfy. The only repair work has been brakes at 80,000 and a fuel pump at 124,000. The car has yet to need a tune up and is still on the original CV joint boots up front. The Tahoe is very comfortable and easy to handle with a relatively short turning radius. The truck has been a great tow vehicle for my fairly heavy 19 ski boat. The 5.7 Vortec with OD tranny performs well while turning in a respectable 17 MPG on the highway. No plans to unload this one anytime soon.

• 

  Great Car - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By BobL - December 5 - 12:11 am

  Had the car for 6 months and 10,000 miles. Cant find anything to complain about yet. Comfortable and fun to drive, great pick-up, and fuel economy better then I expected. 25 mpg around town and 30-31 mpg during commute.

• 

  Dependable truck - 1992 Chevrolet S-10
  By tbar - December 4 - 9:37 pm

  Bought truck with 63000 miles now has 126000 with no major problems. Plan on keeping it for a few more years. Gets 22 mpg highway which is a lot better than the new Vortec 4.3 Getting a little rust around the wheel wells, paint still shines like new. Shes been a real honey overall.

• 

  Astro - 2005 Chevrolet Astro
  By Rashaffer - December 4 - 6:03 pm

  This is a great van for the larger family. We have 5 children and they can all ride in comfort. The towing capcity is also great. Its a very well built, reliable vehicle.

• 

  My 2004 Corvette - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Paul Schreiber - December 4 - 3:54 pm

  Ive always loved Corvettes. My one and only one before my new one was a 1968 convetible I bought in 1972 while still in the service. Theyve come a long way! My 2004 is the LeMans Commemorative Edition. The color is what really sold me. Ill never sell this car and when my driving days are over I plan on passing to along to my son and he assures me he will do the same. Hopefully it will become a "family tradition".

• 

  Nice little car - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Darrell Hovermale - December 4 - 11:29 am

  I purchased this car in Feb. 04, primarily for a commuter car. So far it has been very reliable. It just has a likeability. Also the $4,000 rebate GM was offering at that time influenced my decision to purchase. Our other car is a 2000 Honda Civic that my wife drives. Its also a great little car, but I prefer to drive the Chevy.

• 

  Trailblazer LS 4WD is quite bland - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Brian - December 4 - 2:33 am

  Weve had ours for nearly 2 years now. We have put 17K miles on it and havent had any mechanical issues as of yet. I did not know about the "marinal" crash offset score when we bought it. However, the side impact (front and rear) ratings are excellent. Folks are saying they are getting 14-16MPG with this SUV...we average right at 20MPG (cautious driving technique). The vehicle doesnt handle very well on curvy roads. The steering response is very lack luster. The transmission doesnt seem to know what gear it wants. The interior looks as cheap as they come. The stereo is decent for a base factory model. Rear comfort is like a 2 door sports coupe.

• 

  Rolling right along - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By adVenture Family - December 4 - 2:29 am

  Great on gas about 25 MPG. about 500 miles on 1 tank. Nicely fits XXL people. VERY easy in-easy out. The auto slide door is heavenly when dealing with children and baby seats. Lots of room. We moved in from a 4- Runner SR5 and a neon. I love how it handles tight like my little nimble Neon but has the higher eye-level. Its got more guts than either of my previous vehicles. Its quiet and has a cushy but sturdy feel to it. The cargo area is useful with the cubby holes. The dual heat/ac blows hard and is effective even for our 120 degree days in the desert as well as those nippy 20 degree mornings. Weve changed the fuel filter once due to temp gauge showing hotter than normal. That fixed it.