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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  Excellent Choice - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Yvonne Hibbert - December 5 - 10:00 am

  I never in my life thought that I would purchase a truck. I saw the commercial on TV, "change for a dollar" and I just had to go and check it out. I took it for a test drive and decided that it was the one for me.

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  Edmunds Unfair to Impalas - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Paul Black - December 5 - 10:00 am

  Edmunds reviewers must have been on loco weed when they said Impala was "dreadful". We looked at everything from Audi to Volvo and settled on an Impala LS. The LS has a snappy engine, full independant suspension, and rides great. It corners like an Aston and has zero understeer. Itll beat anything but a "muscle car" in a dead heat off the line. Fully loaded, its the buy of a lifetime.

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  owner - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By goerge - December 5 - 10:00 am

  Only problem I have had is with brake rotors

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  Great truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By chev_03_Z71 - December 5 - 7:13 am

  Bought used with 69,000 miles 2.5 years ago. I now have 115,000 miles with no problems. I regularly tow a 3000 lb ski boat and have a truck camper in the bed and the 5.3 L has no problem handling it.

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  Shes Been Good To Me - 1996 Chevrolet Corsica
  By dougelser - December 5 - 2:00 am

  For what it is -- a very inexpensive family vehicle -- this car has been great to me. Bought it in 97 with 24K and have put 120K more on it myself. NEVER have had any drivetrain trouble at all. The 3.1 V6 is a solid motor. Only had to replace alternator and radiator. However, the braking system is weak and I have had to put a LOT of sets of brake pads on. To be fair, though, I have driven the heck out of this thing. I drive hard and fast about everywhere I go (except in school zones and neighborhoods!!) and shes been right there with me.

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  Nice truck - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By HenryJ - December 5 - 2:00 am

  It took a few modifications to really bring this truck to life. Thank goodness for a wide variety of aftermarket parts being available. I will be keeping this one for a very long time. Every model has its "quirks" , but this one has been better than some for the problems being minor and few. Really suits our needs to a "tee" (Family, weekend offroading, daily commute).

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  ex-EPA eBay find - 1990 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Geres - December 4 - 2:00 am

  Picked up this ex-EPA vehicle on eBay with 115k miles on it. Truck needed new master cylinder (scary rust) and has valve-train whump at low RPM. Blows smoke upon cold start. Lift gate refused to open as rear body mounts rusted through at the tailpan and body was drooping on the frame. Not many body shops want to tackle such a repair so check carefully for underbody rust before buying.

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  junk - 1994 Chevrolet Corsica
  By gasp - December 4 - 2:00 am

  high maintenance car,complete nightmare,stay away from it.Its in the shop once a month.Now I realize why I got it so cheap.Extremely mad.Junk. Will never buy a another Gm product again.Would buy Chrysler first which is very sad.Maybe their all not like mine but I wouldnt want to take a chance.Ill send you copies of my repair bills.

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  evaluation of malibu - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By john park - December 4 - 2:00 am

  good value for the money. Should provide a stronger battery from the factory.

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  A++++++++++ Automoble - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By snow BR - December 4 - 2:00 am

  the smooth pickup, smooth ride, easy to handle,performance. before buying this car, i was looking for a 4x4 blazer, cavilar, grand am, is what i mentioned to the dealer. and what i could afford was this vehicle! i drove a 1988 5spd calilar one time and i loved it way back than. and i know than it was a very dependable vehicle, which is one reason why i look into the cavilars performance!! I love everything about this car, !!!!!!!!!! etc. im glad i made this decision:))))