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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  astro left behind - 1998 Chevrolet Astro
  By r2 - April 6 - 2:00 am

  A very reliable people/thing hauler. Great power from the 4.3. The old solid rear leaf spring made the older van a better ride than the current set-up. This van has a lot more rattles than my previous astro. My major concern is that the value loss is so high. You can buy one cheap but, plan to keep it.

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  Very dependable car - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Elysian - April 6 - 2:00 am

  I havent had a problem with this car yet. Ive put it through a lot, and the worst that has happened is that the locks tend to freeze in winter. My mother owned a Cavalier also and had no problems for eight years. Definitely recommended for drivers who want cheap and reliable.

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  New Owner - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Steve - April 5 - 7:06 pm

  We just purchased our Traverse last month. I drove it over 800 miles during the Thanksgiving weekend. So far, we love it! Smooth, quiet, roomy, and with the leather and LT2 package, luxurious. Kids are comfortable in all seats (16 year old son is almost 6 foot). Ride quality is tight and free of any shakes or rattles. Great time to buy with GM adding bonus money I would definitely recommend one to family or friends.

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  Stay away from 5.3L AFM engines! - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By GM_Blaine - April 5 - 2:36 pm

  Ive always purchases only GM vehicles. The latest purchase turned out to be my worst car-ownership experience. The subject truck has an apparent defect that caused carbeurization in cyclinders, sticking rings and incredible oil consumption. The vehicle was back and forth to the dealer for 12 months before I threatened legal action and finally got a warranty piston and ring replacement. The engine had just 60,000 miles at the time of the repair. I have not been able to use this vehicle as i had hoped and I have to look now to trade it in before the rings gum up again in 40,000 miles. GM refused to acknowledge any kind of problem for 12 months!

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  Good value - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Chris H - April 5 - 7:43 am

  The LS is the value here. I think you will be dissapointed if you spend more the upper trim levels; hey, its a Chevy not a Mercedes. I found it to have better handling and braking than Ford 500. Handling is even better once I replaced the stock(cheap quality) tires with the Pirellis that the police package Impala uses. Would not have purchased if it didnt have 100k warranty. Not all cars on the lot are flex fuel so pay attention. Also, watch out if buying used: used rental car fleets tend to not have ABS or head airbags. Had a bad radiator cap that took two visits to diagnose. Other than that, flawless. I have 11k miles on it after 5 months of ownership.

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  LOVE IT - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By d0llyd0lph1n - April 5 - 7:24 am

  Love this vehicle - plenty of room for our family of 6. Other than routine maintenance (oil changes, brakes, tires) our only service issue has been replacing battery and front wheel bearings at 6 year mark. No complaints here :) This has been a very versitile and reliable vehicle for us.

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  Well built car. - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Prizm driver - April 5 - 2:00 am

  Bought my prizm from a local dealership and so far I have been very satisfied. This car is built very well, and is suprisingly comfortable for a small car. The ride is excellent and it has great performance from its 1.8.

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  Venture review 04/04 - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By arcadoc - April 5 - 2:00 am

  The biggest problem is with the front- wheel drive transaxle. My first one failed at 123,000 miles. After a NOS replacement, the transaxle slips randomly when accelerating from a standstill. I really have no complaints about this vehicle. In general, it has served me well. Great gas mileage! With a 25 gallon tank, it is not unusual for me to go 500 miles between refuelings. This Venture now has 200,000 miles on it and you can hear the looseness in the engine and transmission. Im about ready to retire this one before it leaves me sitting on the side of the road. My next vehicle: Another Venture!

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  a good car once you replace everything! - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By cmwegeren - April 5 - 2:00 am

  the lumina has great pick-up, considering that I live by a busy highway and need excelleration! (good for a v-6). However this only comes after extensive repairs to the new motor, new rotors, new water pump, and 3 new alternator(2)[ I give 1 to the system I later installed at the end after i was finacially able to afford to buy accesories ]

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  Get a Crew Cab, Its worth it! - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Mr Moose from Maine - April 4 - 6:06 am

  I did a lot of research before I bought a new pickup. Ive owned pickups from all of the "Big 3" and had no great loyalty to anyone. I spoke with several ME game wardens who drive thier trucks in all types of weather and off road conditions, and they all said Chevys were the best. I was undecided about an X-tend or Crew cab, went with the Crew cab. Its longer, harder to dock, uh park, but the convience of the 4 doors is worth it. Drives well, rides great. Load it up and it rides like a Cadillac. The longer length takes some getting used to, and the gas mileage isnt bad for a 300HP engine. If you take it off road make sure you have plenty of room to turn around. Youll need it! Overall, very happy!