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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  Buy one - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Ron Fowler - August 21 - 2:00 am

  Had mine for 6 months. Ride is very good. Acceleration better than expected. 22 mpg around town. A/C works super (florida). Has most wanted accesories, standard (LS series). Downgrade this car for wind noise when window is open. Excellant radio, with sub woofer std. With todays discounts this is a super bargain.

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  suburban lover - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By trapper - August 21 - 2:00 am

  Very responsive. Great fun to drive. We travel alot and it is very confortable. Has all thew options that make it a pleasure to spend hours in on the road. Very comfortable for big people ( over 64" and 20). Not our first suburban and wont be our last.

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  Will never purchase GM again! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By MrAce - August 21 - 2:00 am

  We fell into the purchase of this Trailblazer. Previously owned a Pontiac Montana EXT which turned out to be the worst vehicle ever. Tried to trade in for a foreign vehicle and could not get rid of it. Went to Chevy, and of course, they allowed us to trade for the Trailblazer. I loved the vehicle at first, exactly one year after puchase the transmission broke. Fortuneately, we have had not other tranny problems (knock on wood). The wind noise is pronounced, the luggage rack squeaks when outside temperature is cold, and had to replace rear brake light. Gas mileage is horrible for an in-line six. Bottom line, I will never buy another GM vehicle EVER!

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  Got It and Enjoy It - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Col H - August 20 - 4:16 pm

  I am pleasantly suprised and bought the 2008 2LT model with reservations. However, I am delighted with this car and feel like I definitely got my moneys worth from a Chevy. I have not had a GM for years because of the competition and decided to jump in after a test drive. I highly recommend this car for the money.

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  Great reliable car - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By kris3847 - August 20 - 2:00 am

  IT gets good mileage and is very dependable. Ive not had to do anything but regular maintenance in the past 4 years. My only complaint is that they put the cup holders in front of the cd, which makes getting cds in/out is a hassle and sometimes when you try to grab your drink you stop the cd or change the channel on the radio and stuff like that.

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  Good Car for the Price!! - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By L. Gomez - August 20 - 2:00 am

  I had already owned a 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier which I used for work and travel. I NEVER had any problems with my 91, in fact it had 245,000+ miles when I purchased a 2004 LS Sport, which I like very much! Plus I got a great deal on it..from $19,395 to 13,300!! On a recent trip, 5 of us fix just right, and all our stuff fit in its big trunk. I hope this model lasts as long and the other. Once a Chevy owner-- always a Chevy owner!!

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  stallouts - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By pass road - August 20 - 2:00 am

  Purchase vehicle with 49 miles on it and at 124 miles i experience a total lost of electrical power. the car was return to dealer not only ones but twice for a total 13 days of shop repairs in 33 days of ownership. This problem continued and the car is parked and in arbitration with 710 miles on it.

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  Best Car - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Robert Hayes - August 19 - 11:06 pm

  I love it. You can put a 2"x4"x8 in vehicle with no trouble. Boxes of tools. Best little car. Im 63"3/4 tall 260 lbs. So far 13,645 miles on it.

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  Should have bought a Camry - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CC - August 19 - 9:29 pm

  Had this car for 3 years. Bought at 117k. Not a very reliable vehicle. Timing chain needed replacing at 118k, water pump went bad at 140k, fuel pump went bad at 160k and left me stranded, fuel pressure regulator went bad at 161k, now the starter is bad at 165k. All of these are common Ecotec problems. There are also drivetrain issues, which are also common. The drivetrain rattles when starting the car up. I have put into this car exactly what I bought it for. Its not worth it. If you want to get a Cavalier, an earlier year with a different engine would suffice. The only good thing about owning this car is that, despite everything going bad, the engine itself refuses to give up. I would only suggest buying this car if you know how to fix it yourself.

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  We dumped it! - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By chbeyer - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Our suburban had numerous quality problems. We paid 38K for it and the left door (back seat) squeaked for the entire time we owned the vehicle. The dealer couldnt fix it. The power window on the drivers side went out. An incredibly overrated poor quality vehicle.