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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  All good but the transmission - 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By KennyCashmere - October 12 - 2:50 pm

  I bought this car new as a leftover in August 1998. Now, in December 2004, with 90K miles, and after NO major repairs, it is still such a reliable, comfortable, and yes, economical car that Im wondering if I should keep it AND buy a new one. Why buy a new one at all? The transmission gets stuck in second gear (wont upshift or downshift to first) when the car is very cold, and after five service visits to three separate dealers, they still dont know whats wrong. The new ones dont have standard ABS (cheesy!) like the 98 did, the transmission shifts roughly on the new ones, the brake pedal is too high on the new ones, the seats uncomfortable, etc. But the 98 has been a great car!

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  good affordable vehicle - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cavhappy - October 12 - 2:00 am

  This car has been very, very good to me. I bought the car 3 years ago and have only had to replace the tcc selanoid and the alternator. The car now has 86,000 miles and runs great. If you want a car thats reliable, gets good gas mileage and is inexpensive the Cavelier is not a bad choice.

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  Trade it in b4 50,000 miles - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By not a Malibu fan - October 12 - 2:00 am

  We bought our 98 brand new. It seemed great. At 50,000 miles, a gasket leaked oil coolant into the engine and destroyed the entire engine with no warning($5,000.00). Jiffy Lube told us "Everyone knows Malibu gaskets do this after 50,000 miles." Internet sites confirmed the statement. The dealer and Chevy were very concerned and paid to replace the engine. Conscientous car builder or one who knows their product has a defect? ABS light comes on whenever it wants to, AC only works on #3. Not soured on Chevy, though. We have a 2002 Avalanche and love it to death!

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  Comfortable Gas Sipper - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By vc999 - October 11 - 1:00 pm

  Ive put 3000 mostly highway miles on this car in just over a month. I purchased side curtain airbags, the enhanced MP3 CD player, and Pioneer speakers as options to the automatic LS Sport package. The seats are comfortable for long distance driving, and the car does "feel" like a larger car. Im getting 29 - 31 MPG according to the digital readout. The steering column tilt lever should be redesigned to be smaller as it can be a knee stabber in the unlocked position. I also miss having a power seat control option. Thumbs up to Chevy for producing a competitive, fun to drive domestic small car.

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  Forgot all about the Matrix - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Plasticman - October 11 - 10:10 am

  Its so quiet and smooth, I sometimes forget how fast Im going. After driving it and the 2005 Matrix, there was no comparing the ride. Its also much more comfortable and stylish. It has more room in the front, and a nicely flexible cargo space. I was afraid it would be a lot larger in length, but its only longer by 5 inches. The HHR is the car for me

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  Dream Car - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By KR - October 11 - 7:00 am

  I cant say enough about this car. I factory ordered the LTZ model black on black with cloth seating (as I dont like leather) and the metallic trim on the inside instead of the base woodgrain trim. This car is my dream! 18" Wheels that stand out and look like I went out and custom bought them. Two large exhaust tubes sporting stainless steel tips. I tried to create a great sports car with this vehicle and I succeded by putting two thick stripes running from to back as well as chroming out the front and rear chevrolet logo (over the default gold. A sound system is my only future plan for this vehicle as it turns heads no matter where it goes. I just want to drive it!

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  Good for the long haul - 1996 Chevrolet Astro
  By Sherry B. - October 11 - 2:00 am

  Excellent for the duration...my 2nd Astro, and better than the 1st 87 model. Gas mileage is about 18/gal city, but is a great family vehicle. Has lasted well.

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  if you have money to spend - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By maggie1 - October 11 - 2:00 am

  first 1200 (1996)miles blew a transmission seal, then air conditioner wouldnt work while 105 in Nevada. Costly tows (reimbursed) due to warranty many times in the garage due to transmission problems, replaced transmission in 2002 and the extended warrantly goes back to the original date of purchase not the date we had implemented. will not buy another GM blazer type vehicle, especially this kind. I have talked to many other owners and yes they too have had tranny problems.

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  why the Mustang won - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By slickmick - October 11 - 2:00 am

  1.) use a quart of oil in 1200 miles 2.) "SES" lights weekly 3.) holes in the carpet after 1 year 4.) stereo sounds like it was in the river 5.) count the blind spots!!! 6.) dont forget "skip shift"!! The consumer has voted the Camaro out. Duh huh GM! Or are we the real ididots for buying this junk?

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  The best vehicle of all - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By lees - October 11 - 2:00 am

  Im on my 3rd 4WD Suburban. I love the security of its size and weight (can withstand quite an impact with little or no injury to passengers), its high seating (so I can see traffic ahead) its reliability, its adaptability, and all the creature comforts. I have absolutely no trouble maneuvering it into parking spaces or in traffic (it just takes a little practice at the outset). I have driven smaller cars (compact to luxury) and never felt as safe or secure as in my Suburban.