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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  A blast to drive - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By render77 - November 30 - 1:58 am

  OK I cheated... I rented one from Enterprise on a recent trip. But this car just blew me away. I started measuring the garage the day we got back to see if one would fit (answer: barely). The sheer power of the vehicle is impressive, especially given its massive size. It was surprisingly easy to control though, and responded very well, even in 60mph crosswinds. "Vague steering" the reviewer said? NO WAY! Responsivenes is almost snappy for a car this size. Interior is perfect blend of comfort and utility, perfect for a working car. Controls are EVERYWHERE but if you relax and think "where should the so-and-so button be", then that tends to be right where they put it.

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  Why did GM stop?? - 1995 Chevrolet Impala
  By mshuffler - November 29 - 7:42 pm

  Great car! Big, comfortable, and plenty of power. 112K and counting with no problems. Easty to work on.

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  A Pretty Good Car - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Mitch45 - November 29 - 7:21 pm

  I like my 98 Malibu LS. Its pretty peppy, handles decently, is comfortable for four adults and has a lot of amenities. I got the car in September of 2003 with 21,000 miles and it now has 26,000. In that time, the car has gone through a starter and a set of brakes. Sometimes the car has trouble starting when hot.

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  my aveo-o-o - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By lescor - November 29 - 6:18 pm

  The small exterior is misleading. This car has lots of head & leg room, my 66" son has more room than in our Honda. Even the snall hatch back is deceptive, it is actually pretty roomy. It goes pretty good on the highway, I am just a little nervous to take it out when winds are really strong, as the car is so light. We have been pleasantly surprised!

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  my aveo-o-o - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By lescor - November 29 - 6:17 pm

  The small exterior is misleading. This car has lots of head & leg room, my 66" son has more room than in our Honda. Even the snall hatch back is deceptive, it is actually pretty roomy. It goes pretty good on the highway, I am just a little nervous to take it out when winds are really strong, as the car is so light. We have been pleasantly surprised!

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  No Probs So Far...knock on wood. - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By CrowneRoyal - November 29 - 3:07 pm

  I have only had my Tahoe for 8 weeks, but I must say that it is a better vehicle so far than any of my past cars. I love the way that the TV folds down at the punch of a button, therefore the kids can watch TV or play a game without my having to pull over to turn it on. The gas mileage had a lot to improve on, however, I was told that 12-15 mpg was normal for a truck of this size. I look forward to having my truck for many years to come.

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  Great Value - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By MicroBeta - November 29 - 8:25 am

  Compared all the minivans and for what we wanted determined the Venture was the best fit. The price was right and the 0% financing was great. It is everything we had hoped for. The power sliding doors are great and backup sensors keeps my wife from bumping into things. The backup sensors actually work better than I had expected. In two years and 30k miles we have not had a single problem. The rear audio controls solve alot of problems with our teenager.

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  You get what you pay for - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By e humphrey - November 29 - 12:50 am

  I have almost 49000 miles on my Chevrolet .The steering has had excessive work required, both struts have been replaced some sort of drag link has been replaced two times.The electrical system is a joke, the fuel gauge works part time,other indicators are unreliable.The transmission is noisy and slams in when shifting down.

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  Perfect For Me - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Lorrie99415 - November 29 - 12:49 am

  Got this car used, and was a little worried about some things I had heard. So far so good though. Being in college it gets me where I need to go in comfort and style, has plenty of pep, feels nice and sturdy to drive and doesnt cost much in gas at all. Could use an extra cup holder, but other than that I have no complaints. Would definately recommend this as a first car for anyone who is not sure what to get.

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  Better than expected - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jhIII - November 28 - 3:48 pm

  I spent several months looking at toyota pathfinder and nissan sentra. I am over six feet and found in both cars the seats bottoms too small and did not support me comfortably. The nissan requires premium fuel to get maximum horsepower. I just about quit looking for a comfortable suv 4x4. In desperation I decided to look at Chevy Trailblazer. Did not really want to given history of Chevy reliability for many of its cars. Bought it at Performance Chevy(great dealer and price). Mileage: 13-15 in city and 19-24 highway with reg gas. I get 16 mpg with mix.No problems except one sequeak. Torque on low speeds is somewhat weak but great pickup at higher speeds.