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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  Sixth S10 - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By MH - August 25 - 8:03 pm

  Ive had six S10s - 2 poor, 2 OK, 2 excellent. My current 2000 model has been one of the excellent ones. After 10 years and 113K miles I still love it. 4cyl/5spd averages 25mpg regularly. AC still cold! Travels off road with an occasional light trailer tow. Replaced: a headlight lamp, one set of brakes, shocks and battery. Currently having all 100K mile maintenance done, including tie rods replaced.($1900) I plan on keeping this truck a while longer. I like a plain, cheap truck that works and the S10 fits the bill. Mine has no PW/PL, no 3rd door to rattle, room enough for a 64" driver. The only extra is the sound system. Id buy another new one if I could. Just dont like the Colorado.

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  A good car! - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By jeh0587 - August 25 - 1:56 pm

  I bought my Malibu Maxx used and I have had it for a little over a year now. It has done great in the winter and I love the power it has when I hit the gas. It is practical and all my friends want me to drive with it whenever we go out. Also with a cold air intake, the gas mileage and performance is a lot better then most cars.

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  Second one for me - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By T. Allen - August 25 - 11:21 am

  This is my second Cavalier and am loving this car! I currently have a 98 coupe with 214000 miles on it and can expect the same from this one. These cars have always been reliable and inexpensive to repair. I really like the eye-catching exterior of the sport sedan, ie. wheels, spoiler and front end. Its a shame that GM discontinued the Cavalier and began producing the lemon named Cobalt! I will enjoy.

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  Solid Performer - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By RRS - August 23 - 3:08 pm

  This was the third Chevy I bought in succession. The prior two were a 1998 Monte Carlo and a 2003 Impala LE. I chose the SS for the added torque and performance that are missing in the V6 Impala models. The car handles well and the performance is there when needed. Gas economy is fair. I have had no mechanical issues with this car. I have all regularly scheduled maintenance done either at the dealers or at the local Jiffy Lube. I tore the fiberglass front running it up on some snow in a parking lot last winter. I am sure that this will be an issue at lease end. I was surprised at the amount of damage for such minor impact. The front design of the car is unforgiving for minor impact

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  A few concerns - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By DParler - August 22 - 10:39 pm

  I bought this SUV over a Toyota Highlander because I could negotiate a better price & I had $3500 worth of GM card points to further reduce the price. I also favored this vehicle over the Highlander because (1) it seats 8, not 7 (2) it has greater cargo room, ESPECIALLY when the rear seat is up and (3) the seats split 60/40 so that one can go on vacation, comfortably seat 5, & still have room for luggage. As an owner, I have my concerns & disappointments. One of them is MPG consistently around 15.5 mpg. My wifes Sienna van gets 20 mpg under same conditions. You need to evaluate for yourself these "awkward features" ( 1) headrests (2)seat comfort & adjust ability (3) rear visibility.

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  Great car for midwest weather - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Brajesh - August 22 - 10:34 pm

  Bought my Malibu with 19K miles on it. I now have 58K on it. I bought Malibu as I always wanted to try an American car. I have not been disappointed. In last 4 yrs I never had any maintenance job on this car. I have driven to places like Green Bay from Chicago with heavy snow but the car has done very well. With outside temp of -40 F, the car starts in 1-2 try. I was amazed by it. I dont know about other GM cars but I would surely recommend Malibu to anyone who wants a midsize.

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  THIS IS IT -- NO REGRETS - BUY ONE - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Ved A Vanlin - August 22 - 2:00 am

  Quiet, responsive, safe. Good riding in comfort. We avoided a headon collision involving a careless construction worker who was leaving work early. He thought all lanes were one way travel. He was wrong, heading straight into our Avalanche. Our snap extremely quick and harsh turn resulted in the Avalance and workers car stopped, side by side, almost touching. (No sign of the Avalanche tipping over.) RESPONSIVE AVALANCHE. SAFE AVALANCHE.

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  WAS an Impala kid - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By WAS an Impala kid - August 21 - 11:26 pm

  I had loved the car. I wanted to buy another. THEN all the issues built up over the years. Do highway driving, garaged. The electrical system is very messed up in these cars. My temp gauge has not worked in years in the winter. Now it does not work when air temp is under 80 degrees.had wiring and sensors replaced and it still does not work. gas gauge now floats, directionals go out (mostly when humid), have a $900 oil leak. Under $100 for parts but $800 in labor to lift engine to get to. I also have the traction control and ABS issue. They go on when not needed and disble on their own. We like the new malibu (car of the year) but am so soured on Chevy.

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  Nice car - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By himoses - August 21 - 10:11 am

  Car had surprising acceleration for its class. The car was also extremely quiet and had low road noise. The feedback in the steering is adequate at best. The braking is good and the gas mileage is acceptable. I averaged 29 MPG in hard mixed driving. I could get 35 MPG if this were not a rental and I did not pound it. I dont like the interior materials, but it is sufficient for most people. I also wish the car had on wheel audio controls. This is a very simple, clean, and functional car if you do not need to use the back seat. I generally do not like GM, but this is a nice car for the right price. Better to rent this than to own IMHO.

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  So far...So good! - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By bgfromga - August 21 - 4:30 am

  I purchased this truck approximately 2 years ago with only 28,000 miles on it. So far, I have not had any major problems except drivers window motor assembly had to be replaced due to faulty cables. I prevented the passengers from doing the same by removing the door panel and tightening the support bolts. As far as the gas pedal sticking, it is a simple fix by removing the breather tube and cleaning the TB flapper with throttle bottle cleaner...works fine for about 6 to 8 months. The driver seat does make a crunching sound when I turn a curve and lean but found that if you adjust the lower leg lumbar it will quit for some time as well.Gas mileage is good for small V-8 at 20 mpg.