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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  2003 Chevy Avalanche - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By James Panzica - March 25 - 2:00 am

  Purchased in July 2003, and I now have 6,500 miles on it. There have been zero problems with it. The only work needed was oil changes. Fuel economy here in a New England winter, short driving distances, runs about 10.5 mpg. Summer will take it up to 12.5. It is an exceptionally quiet vehicle, in terms of both interior and engine noise. The only complaint is that there should be more use of fabric instead of just plain plastic.

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  4 wd noise - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By mike43 - March 25 - 2:00 am

  With all the snow this winter I had the chance to really use the 4 wd but there is a noise when it is engaged, had it into the dealer today, they say that this is NORMAL noise because od the autotrac system.

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  4 wd noise - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Mike43 - March 25 - 2:00 am

  With all the snow this winter I had the chance to really use the 4 wd but there is a noise when it is engaged, had it into the dealer today, they say that this is NORMAL noise because od the autotrac system.

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  2009 Malibu LT - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By keli - March 24 - 3:59 pm

  Ive owned this car for 6 years and 90k miles. Door locks replaced plus regular maintenance. It rides great and still looks good. Instead of trading up I just brought it in for scratch removal and some cosmetic repairs. In the winter its good in the snow with snow tires. Average 25mpg.

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  exceptional - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By James Goga - March 24 - 6:38 am

  Vehicle used as passenger vehicle not a truck. Has padded bed with cap covering

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  UNHAPPY - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By WAS IT WORTH IT!! - March 24 - 2:00 am

  I JUST TRADED OFF MY WIFES CAV AND WE DID NOT GET BACK FOR WHAT IT WAS WORTH. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY, AND STILL LOOKED NEW. THEY ONLY GAVE US 5000.00 FOR THE CAR, AND WE PAID 17,500.00 FOR THE DAMN THING.

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  OK for the most part - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By rangermutt - March 24 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this vehicle for over two years and have been satisfied but not overjoyed. I swore never to go back to Chevy but needed something large to pack all my kids and belongings for trips. I am disappointed by the poor design/construction including doors that vibrate and dont seal tight, anti- lock brakes that have seldom work and fuel pump that went out while visiting friends in another state. Fortunately I bought the extended warrantee and saved over $500 on the bill! I had hoped to drive this Tahoe until the wheels fell off but with only 88,000 miles that may be sooner rather than later.

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  Never ever ever again - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By gene - March 23 - 4:30 pm

  This car is the biggest piece of junk! Soon as I got it I noted that water was leaking in from the firewall thanks to the cabin air filter being under the window wipers stupid location, hard to fix, impossible to replace a blown speaker in the back, blows fuses for back up lights regularly, horrible suspension and creaks over every bump and feels floaty, had to replace the driver side wheel hub assembly at 62,000 miles cant be left for over two days with out it being dead dude to electronic draw, exhaust rattles thanks to design, traction to sensitive, and kicks in at weird times. A horrible gm design and poorly engineered! No gm crap for me any more, reconsider if you want one

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  2006 2LT Monte Carlo - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By 2LT - March 23 - 4:33 am

  I am very disappointed with my 2006 Monte Carlo purchase. The car is very uncomfortable, and the interior is very plain. My previous car was a 1998 Monte Carlo, and the interior in that model is much more elegant, and the seats were comfortable, unlike the 2006 model. I would never buy another Monte Carlo again, or a Chevy. There is much more I do not like about the car, but it’s too much to type.

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  A good car to have - 1995 Chevrolet Corsica
  By Tarzan of Lafayette - March 23 - 2:00 am

  The best feature of this car is the gas mileage. I get 32 to 35 mpg on the long trips that I made to Texas. The air conditioner has always worked well. I like the interior lights that shut off in case you forget to. It has not broken down with me, though one sensor went out that greatly affected performance. I found the seats easy to adjust. However, my wife did not find them comfortable for long trips. The back seat is cramped.