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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  Great van - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By fischam - January 15 - 2:00 am

  I have had this van for almost 4 years now and so far so good at 45K, Drives great and is very comfortable on long trips. Excellant gas mileage around town and hwy with plenty of power. I did alot of research back in 1999 on this and other minivans by cruising thru message boards and feedback sites and found the Venture to have the least complaints. My research has paid off.

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  Sastisfied 1st New Car Driver - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By QueBertguy - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Nervous about dropping all my savings into a more expensive car, the Chevy Cavilier was an excellent choice for a first new car for myself fresh out of highschool. It performs quite well, and has needed only minor maintaince... a "chrip" in the front wheels and a creaky dash have been the only problems to date. Sleek enough looking, with a good amount of room, and a nice stereo system... not bad on gas either. Two long distance trips per year, no problems at all. To get through college this is an excellent car. Not perfect or amazing to the point youd wanna show it off... but good and solid enough to get the job done, and look alright while doing it.

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  I LOVE THIS CAR!!!! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By GSTOCK8044 - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Got my cavalier in Oct 03. I handles wonderfully. My only complaint is it gets a little sluggish after 2nd gear.

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  Not so great - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By mellyc - January 15 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 2003 cav brand new and ive had nothing but problems with it. Its definately a piece of junk. I will come to a stop and my car stalls.. Ive taken it in to be fixed many times and nobody can find the problem. Its definately a lemon, i would not suggest buying a cavailer.... Definately not worth the money..

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  Chevy finally delivers - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Chevy Lover Again - January 14 - 4:40 pm

  Born into a "Bow Tie" only family and being the first to purchase a Honda due to lack of confidence in any American segment, I can now honestly say, Chevy has learned! I feel confident in the trucks performance, comfortable with better build qualities inside, and safe. 15000mi and not a problem (Honda CR-V blew up its A/C unit at 14000 and power window problems never stopped). OnStar is a great feature I feel should be on every car, not just GM (needs to be cheaper). Rear-ended by a Camry (crushed its front end, nothing to the truck) and an F-150 (crushed its front end and fender, bumper damage to my truck). Best fuel mileage for a 5.3L compared to others. Great truck!

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  One Big Truck! - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By GEORGE - January 14 - 3:10 pm

  I live in the South Burbs of Chicago. I cant explain how great this truck drives. Its been 3 weeks and had put 2,500 miles on it. I enjoy driving in this great Chevy. This is my first American truck and cant get enought of it. First of all the ride is perfect, the layout of the cabin is what the doctor ordered and the power of this truck leaves others in your rear view mirrors. Havent hauled anything heavy yet, dont think Ill have any problems. Chevy is loaded up with all the goodies except the Navi I installed an aftermarket. Have the LTZ package with 20s, leather, bed hook system, STB system, Head Curtains, Back Up Sensors with lots of Chrome I Just Luv it

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  Believe or not GM did something right! - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By rob brownstein - January 14 - 7:43 am

  I only have 600 miles but it has been the best 600 miles Ive ever driven. The response from any given speed, from any gear, is remarkable. What a head turner. No one gives a 911 a second look, but a C6 gets nothing but looks and smiles. Go buy one, highly recommended.

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  Overall a good truck - 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By chris303 - January 14 - 3:53 am

  I bought this truck new, and overall am impressed with the power and capability. Not impressive is the horrible gas mileage and ride quality. Also, Chevrolet did nothing to improve the turning radius: this rig turns just a poorly as my 2003 1 ton. The cab is very luxurious and love the Tahoe dash. It would be nice if they would make Onstar a no cost option; I didnt want it. Unfortunately, my next truck will be a Ford.

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  Lemon - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Cavanaugh - January 14 - 2:00 am

  The blazer has been my favorite car to drive. Good ride. But I have had too many problems with it in the 3 years Ive owned it.: Multi-switch, abs modular, Oil cooling hoses, Stripping around windows, brand new transmission, now something in the front end I have to have checked. This is the last American Car I will own.

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  2003 LS Sport Coupe - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Vanessa N - January 14 - 2:00 am

  I Love this Car!!! I traded in my 1997 cavalier, I was hard but this car made my transition easy. Some think spending $30,000 for a car make it better, not true. This car is so under rated it makes me very mad!