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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  Falling apart - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Skydive1954 - July 13 - 12:42 pm

  This corvette has been a nightmare. The first thing was the top creaks when hot and has been to the shop 4 times and still not fixed. Both front sway bar links had to be replaced and the entire rack and pinion. The drivers bottom seat panel has to be replaced and the battery has been replaced. The problems just keep mounting and for a car that costs this much I would have expected better quality.

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  This was a great car that I kept up - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By DSO - July 12 - 9:12 pm

  I brought this car new. It is 8 years old now and I no longer need a mini van. I never had many problems with it until the A/C died and I got it replaced with GM (China parts) that GM does not even make any more.It died again before the warranty was up and fixed again only to die once more. I really enjoyed this car but the back door hatches are rusting and so is an area on the roof where the roof rack is. The worst thing about this car is the headlights. Very cheap. When it still under warranty and new,I had one headlight replaced because it was holding water. Now they are both foggy and hold water.

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  Great so far! - 2007 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Porkchop - July 12 - 8:31 pm

  I have owned this truck (my First) for a few months now and love it. It was used with a little over 9000 miles on it. Very easy to get in and out of. Have the 4 cylinder model which has plenty of power for me and is good on gas. Everyone who has been in this truck comments on how smooth the ride is. There right... takes bumps and bad roads very well! Just one heck of a smooth ride.. i still am amazed to this day how nice it is. The interior is not as nice as it could be but is not that bad either. in all i am pleased with this purchase.

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  Decent... - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By nick - July 12 - 10:54 am

  Good truck, too many problems. not reliable. Head gasket went out at 100k, should not be a problem at this mileage. Bought at 87k approx. 6 months before. Gas mileage is poor, truck has power and is fast, but its a cool little truck.

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  The Alumina Foil - 1990 Chevrolet Lumina
  By John - July 11 - 2:44 pm

  This car has over 278,000 and may make it to 300,000 it has been through 2 sons learning to drive, and they are not easy on vehicles. It is still running strong, only have had to do minor work, Wonder if Chevy would like it back for a study, They did good on this 3.1 FI engine. Only parts replace fuel pump, 250,000, radiator and 275,000. Keep the oil changed, Tran fluid changed, it goes and goes. If GM could repeat this with all their cars, Bankruptcy would never be in their history.

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  Good does not outwiegh bad - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By acerfan - July 11 - 4:50 am

  Mechanically has been decent, no major repairs. Trunk is very roomy and with the fold-down back seats you can fit a lot in this car. Clearance is way too low, and long doors make tight parking spaces impossible to fit in (if you actually want to get out of the vehicle). One cup holder is not enough. Battery is impossible to get to, being under a support bar and the washer fluid tank. The turning radius of this car is the worst of anything post-90s I have ever driven.

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  Nice Truck - 2009 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Very Nice - July 10 - 11:50 pm

  Just bought the Suburban LTZ for my wife and 4 daughters. So far VERY happy with the Chevrolet. Disappointed with cheap plastics but overall a very good feel inside. Truck is very smooth and relaxing for such a big vehicle. Not trouble at all to drive for the wife with the backup sensors. Love the big power tailgate and 20 inch rims with the Bridgestones. Rides great. Plenty of power and looks to be as good of mileage in town. If youre thinking about buying a mini van worried about mileage, suck it up and get the Suburban you wont be sorry.

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  sexy vette - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Kathy - July 10 - 10:25 pm

  My vette is sexy but I do believe it is not worth the asking price if you were to buy it new. I am having issues with the rubber molding and some electrical. If you buy a 2006 vette today (summer 2009) you will get a good deal on a pretty darn sexy car! It is fast enough to get out of anyones way because other cars do not see you very well. I did spin out one night turning on a left arrow to fast, ended up facing the same way I just came from! That was a little scary and could have been the end for the vette but the traffic was minor, I am sure I gave then a show! My back window is tinted which makes it look really nice with the tinted roof glass but the visual is not great.

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  Malibu - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By chucked - July 10 - 6:09 pm

  Bought the car new in 2004, and have had very little trouble with it. Around 22,000 miles, i had to replace the brakes, tires, and Chevy took care of the tie rod ends (good on them, as it was abought 2 months out of warranty). Other than that, no real issues. Sometimes the alternator light comes on when I accelerate hard, but only for a second or two. Gas mileage is great, I put a K&N air filter in it and get regularly 35+ mpg on the highway, better than most 4 cylinders I have driven.

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  Basic yet under-rated - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cailean - July 10 - 12:58 pm

  Ive got over 90,000 km on my car and its still going strong - the only problem I had was with the cooling system just a month after I first bought it, and it hasnt been an issue since. Its far from being the fanciest car out there, but theres a lot more to it than people realize. Surprisingly sporty, excellent mileage for its age, and a surprisingly large amount of cargo space - I once loaded three large book cases from Ikea with room to spare. I bought this car straight out of university when money was pretty tight. My money situation has improved, so I probably wouldnt buy it again, but would more than recommend it if youre needing to pinch some pennies.