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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  Incredible value for the money - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Robert from Arizona - February 10 - 2:00 am

  Love it! Carefully consider what else you can get for the same price, and youd have to be crazy to buy anything else. Extreme value. Performance is excellent, extremely safe. I drove it across the Mojave desert and loved every minute of it. Dealership was courteous and easy to deal with, and is a very strong credit to the Chevrolet name. Their service, and the Chevy Tahoe is why real Americans still buy American.

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  Honor His Righteousness - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Benjamin - February 9 - 2:03 pm

  I cannot really say anything bad about this vehicle. It could use some more power on future models, but that would be about it. You know, more get up and go when you have to floor it in Houston area traffic.

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  2009 Malibu review - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mrvikes@msn.com - February 9 - 11:20 am

  A squeak in the front end that couldnt be located.

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  Bad Beretta - 1992 Chevrolet Beretta
  By boundsn - February 9 - 2:00 am

  Maybe Chevrolet made one good Beretta GT in one thousand, in stead of the other way around, but I had a bad one to be sure. The car was PLAGUED with electrical problems. Sometimes the fan would work...sometimes not. This led to overheating, which caused other mechanical failures. The life expectancy of the EFI sensors is must less than befits a car with as few miles as I had. The interior was made by kindergardeners, and nobs were always coming off in my hands. It ate batteries (replaced them every 6 months or so) and you couldnt even rely on the radio to always function.

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  great car - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By chevygirl96 - February 9 - 2:00 am

  This has been my favorite vehicle. I love chevys and I love this car. It handles very well and goes through the snow almost as well as my husbands 4 wheel drive blazer.

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  Great Buy - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By KSCHEVYMV - February 9 - 2:00 am

  I have no regrets about purchasing this vehicle. I paid a lot less than what a Odyssey or Caravan would have cost. Drives great, is reliable and very roomy - especially the trunk. I only wish I had purchased the Warner Bros option package. Great buy for the money.

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  2 times and out - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By madison - February 9 - 2:00 am

  We have had 2 new impalas with trouble with both re tire rods breaking both vehicles were in shop within warranty both chipped paint

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  AVALANCH Z-71 - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By ELIJAH - February 9 - 2:00 am

  OVERALL,I AM VERY HAPPY WITH MY AVALANCH ONLY ONE THING NAGS ME. ITS A VIBRATING NOISE I CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHERE ITS COMING FROM. IT COULD BE FROM FROM THE VEHICHELS MUFFLER AND OR BOTTOM PROTECTIVE PLATES.

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  New truck bad tranny - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By burned again - February 8 - 5:33 pm

  Bought new 05-08-2010. Transmission is failing. Will not hold vehicle weight in rev or drive on an incline. Very dangerous situation pulling small boat and trailer. Actually will pull boat backward down ramp while in drive. Taking back to dealer Tuesday, June 01,2010. Still have temp tag on vehicle! A friend has a gmc on its 3rd tranny.

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  Great Car - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Cat - February 8 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car used 3 moths ago from a dealer in Ohio. Ive had no problems with it. i drive it school daily and its amazing at how many people have this car.