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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  This van SUCKS - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By mogulprinceton - March 2 - 7:43 pm

  My housekeeper owns a 2002 Chevy Venture LS V6 FWD that my father brought her in 2001 as a Christmas gift for being a fabulous housekeeper. She clearly loves it and does not want to give it up for even a new 2012 Nissan Quest? ODD but I hate that van, it does not have a quick take off like most vans in that class, the gas gage is broke so she can only use 75% of her tank, the headlights and highbeams are not bright at all. In fact at night you can even see the road well. The interior lights dont work when the doors are open only when you turn the lights on it the van from the switch. Its just a mess. Handling is even worst cause there is so much body roll.

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  ** Very Reliable *** - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By chat55904 - March 2 - 12:41 pm

  I bought this car used with higher miles 160,000 miles to be exact and i bought it in another state and had it shipped to me i figured i better order a Engine & Transmission just in case so i did and when i got the car it was nice needed nothing! I now have 204,000 miles on this car with the original Engine & Transmission I love to drive and this car is One i can not down talk it does have its flaws but then again what car dont! Gas milage is not the best but for the comfort and drive ability it is worth it plus its flex fuel which is 60 cent less a gallon!

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  Makes it through the valley of death. - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By chad1893 - February 29 - 10:01 pm

  Well it was purchased at 55,000 miles and now has 156,000 miles ive had it for six years recenly handed it down, it packed in the power and was great in snow the 4 wheel drive was great, it sat up high and youll feel like the navigator of the road. It was hard giving it away i loved it. Had it for awhile it had a great drivetrain.

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  Reliable, sporty and good on gas. - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By chad1893 - February 29 - 9:49 pm

  I purchased my mettalic green 2dr chevrolet cavalier base at 59,000 miles i was attracted to the value and reliability as well as mpg ratio, it is very smooth on smooth road and at high speeds it is quiet and tight feleling, however bumps are not its friend it handles well and can be parked easily from any angle, the coupe looks sharp when cleaned, the performance is decent its quick under 40mph anything above 40 wait a few seconds unless you want to dig your foot into the pedal, the interior mine being base with a black inerface is pretty nice with a coat of armor all. The rear seats fold down so larger things can be hauled in the trunk like a bicycle. im impressed it 15yrs old.

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  car want work - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By shouseearl - February 29 - 4:47 pm

  my 2006 hhr only has 104,000 on it. always changed the oil when reguired. took very good care of car. then as i was riding down the road it just shut off. had it towed home and then found out a rod broke right in half and ended up in oil pan. any know of a recall on this.

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  Good first car. - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By runforbeer - February 29 - 1:17 pm

  I got my cavalier entering my senior year in high school and had it for a good 4 years. When I first got the car it had some minor repairs that had to be done from the previous owner but once I did that the car gave me almost no trouble. Just minor things here and there. The car never broke down on me while on the road and always started(except one time the starter had to be replaced) If you want reliability I say go with this car.

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  Got a Lemon - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By killeremtb - February 28 - 6:31 pm

  I bought this SUV 2 years ago with 60K on it. It now has 102K on it. So far I have had to replace engine, $2000. The blower Door $1254. The Tires $600. The brakes $100. The Battery $100. The rear hydrolic shocks $65.00. I do not recomend this auto. Do an internet look up of "Equinox blows cold air" and see all the people who are having their door go out and costing them over $1000 to fix. Run from this vehicle do not walk away.

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  Bought and sold in under 2 months - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By julie46 - February 28 - 8:25 am

  Not at all impressed with the quality. Had it in the shop 3 times and when we traded it in the pasenger door still wouldnt open. Replaced latches on drivers side also. Tie rods were replaced because they were loose. replaced steering geer box. It thankfully was still under warrenty, but it only had 30,000 miles on it. Interior design is poor, the cup holders are set to far back and the second one is about useless because it sets back part way under arm rest. It looked nice and the mileage was excellent is the nice things I have to say. Probably wont buy American again.

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  Excellent Deal + Hidden Features - 2012 Chevrolet Malibu
  By elpglenn - February 28 - 12:21 am

  After shopping around and comparing the Malibu to the Accord and the Sonata, I found the Malibu to give you the most for your money. The remote start and Bluetooth pretty much came standard on most of the Malibus, plus with OnStar I am able to get turn-by-turn directions that actually SHOW UP on the radio screen. I am very impressed! I thought I would be loosing out on navigation but if not having a map is okay with you then this is a winner! Acceleration could be better but picks up pretty good for a 4-cylinder. Braking action is good and it hugs curves very well. Overall, I like all that the Malibu offers for under $25,000!

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  Dissapointed in Quality - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By mrsjharb - February 27 - 5:57 pm

  I bought this car in Sept of 2010. We have only had almost a year and a half. The dash cracked about 6 months after we bought it. It is a 3-4 inch crack on the drivers side behind the steering wheel. Chevy wont replace dash..but from what I have researched it has been a big problem. It costs around $800 to replace. Next... the Hood latch broke for no reason. That was $280 to fix. One of the keyless entry remotes is broken. We are having problems with the lumbar control on the seats. Recently the transmission has started shifting hard between 2nd and 3rd gear. Overall im disappointed in quality of GMC product. Expensive car, beautiful car, poorly made!!!