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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  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.

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  Great exterior, Crap interior.. - 2000 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Pewter Camaro - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Very fun to drive, finally i can race cars on the road and actually win :). Wish i could afford insurance on a Z or an SS.. but with a few mods on my 3800 Series 2,and some exterior mods, I think i can turn her into an SS. But first i have to basically replace everything on the drivers side door!!!!

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  Somewhat Satisfied - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By --Andy - August 19 - 2:00 am

  My Monte has been mostly a great experiance. If you own it, keep it clean inside & out because you will get alot of people noticing it! Brakes - Great - Im on the original set @ 50K. Power - NICE. Never ashamed to drive this car. Only problem has been electrical with gas gauge not working. Turn signals were also a problem, but resolved by replacing 4-way switch. Also low tire pressure - once on, it stays on. Have to reset by removing batt for 15 minutes.

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  Not a Repeater - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Bummed about Blazer - August 19 - 2:00 am

  My daughter and I both purchased Blazers at the same time. After 4 years of ownership, I have to say I would never buy another one. Every week there is a new interior squeek or rattle. Between my daughters car and mine, the vent adjustment broke off, rear differential is a constant problem, ball joints and wheel bearings had to be replaced ($500 x 5), cvc leak fixed ($300), outside moulding on drivers window kept popping out (husband finally glued it in place), seat adjustment lever broke off, strap on rear hatch broke off. . . and on and on. Was a BIG Toyota fan before this and will DEFINITELY go back.

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  advanced design - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By witzel - August 19 - 2:00 am

  A good combination of a wagon and a sedan with all of the creature comforts. The remote start and the lay down seats encouraged me to buy. I have the MAX in a green metallic. A most eye catching color that appealed to my wife.

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  Well worth the price. - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By fighter0410 - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Had my Malibu for about a month and a half now. Very happy with it. Only two minor things wrong with interior trim pieces and squeaky breaks that were fixed by the dealer. I would recommend this care to anyone looking at a Camry or Accord but wanting to buy an American car instead. I traded in a Nissan for this car, and I can say the build quality is exceptional. Im satified in many ways, most by the price and feature content, and also by the cars driving dynamics and road manners. Very smooth ride.

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  Monte Carlo - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By TChurchill - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Excellent American Vehicle. Under rated and ignored by the news media.

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  Love my Avalanche - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By WilkeyBJ - August 19 - 2:00 am

  In my opinion the only auto better than this one is the Cadillac Excursion. This is including all cars and trucks! This is the best luxury truck made. The truck as a whole is absolutely outstanding.

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  2003 Tahoe - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Jontz2002 - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Hands down the best vehicle in its class. Awesome turning radius and styling is beautiful and sleek. Very comfortable ride