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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  Loving our Monte SS Supercharged 2004 - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By johnnysangel - August 22 - 2:00 am

  We traded our 2002 SS in for the 2004, and could not be happier. Did not think they could make it any nicer, but with the supercharged engine and the comfort - knowing we have onstar and if we have any trouble our dealer will be there for us.

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  My car - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Lanita - August 22 - 2:00 am

  My car is very exciting in all kind of ways. It is exciting to drvie, the interior and exterior. The color is red. I have been every where in this car it never lets me down. Ive been to Branson,MO, Disney World, Gatlinburg,TN Memphis,TN and lots of other places. My Avalanche is an excellent car.It also pulls my 28ft. camper. I have been toalot of places with it too.

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  best truck ever built - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Hilario - August 22 - 2:00 am

  This is by far one of the versital trucks ever built. Im somewhat of a do-it-yourselfer and have had no problems transporting 4x8 sheets of drywall, all without it being exposed to the rain. Fun to drive truck gives you both a pickup truck and sportutility all in one.

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  Driving a Dream - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By tanjarine - August 22 - 2:00 am

  This car is like driving a dream. Not only is it extremely fun to drive, it is such a sexy car!! no matter where youre going, or what you are wearing, the car just makes you arrive in style !! and FORGET about the POWER this car has... it is UNBELEIEVABLE !! i love my car and i wouldnt trade it in for any other. i am so happy with it.

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  Happy With My 100k Truck - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By swinn - August 22 - 2:00 am

  No major problems at 101,xxx miles. Doesnt burn oil, but did develope the cold start tick at 24,000 mile. Switched to synthetic blend. Also I have a whistling sound coming from the tank area, but told if it turns out to be the fuel pump it would be replaced for free. this problem came while still under factory warranty, but its still driving 75k miles later. Still using factory brakes, but will replace soon.

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  Duramax - Allison - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By DMax - August 22 - 2:00 am

  Quiet, outstanding comfort. A little slow on acceleration to pass at highway speeds. Lots of torque! Good turning radius for long-bed truck. 18- 19 mpg combination highway and around town, 20+ on steady highway driving. Have not yet tried heavy towing. Good access to rear seat in open areas but a bit difficult in tight parking spots. The fit and finish is absolutely perfect - I have not been able to locate a single flaw.

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  Chevy Cavalier. Good Ride! - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Donnie - August 21 - 9:00 pm

  Again I bought a Chevy. And Im glad. This seems to be a good little car. Just got it 3 weeks ago for about $7800. It only had 41,600 miles on it. Runs like a champ except a rattle at startup which seems to be just until oil reaches the top of the motor, about 1-2 seconds. It has plenty of power. 140 horses to be exact. Has good cold air, good radio and CD, cruise, auto trans, and nice interior. I know its outdated but it was such a popular car so they did not need to redesign fast. My first Cavalier and so far Im happy.

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  As good as advertised, if not, better. - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mjm - August 21 - 2:15 pm

  It is very quiet and comfortable. The interior is top-notch. The ambient lighting is just right. Gas mileage is good, I can get 34 highway, 24 city. The stereo sounds great, great channel separation. I keep hearing bad things about the trunk... the opening is smaller than most, but is large. I fit two adult bikes in the trunk, when I folded the seats down! I dont have to use a bike rack:) If you are thinking of a Camry, or Accord, take a look at this one, because it is indeed quieter than those. The build quality is excellent. The gaps in the body panels are minimal and consistent. The paint job is perfect, with not too much orange-peel, like Ive seen on the camry and accord.

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  Eval - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By D*MuNNiE - August 21 - 12:06 pm

  Ive only had my Cobalt for less than 2 months. I love it. It has really quick acceleration, and the design of this car, doesnt say Cavalier AT ALL. I get compliments on it all the time. Its just a head turning car. Chevy definitely did a major step up from the way over cooked Cavalier! Right On CHEVY!

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  Great little Cobalt - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Paul Ronn - August 21 - 1:30 am

  This is only our second new car in 25 years and we picked a good one. The LT Cobalt is great to drive. Corners like a dream and rides like a sports car. We think this is a wonderful car for the money. You get a bunch of neat goodies as standard features in the LT. We are averaging 26 MPG around town.