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:

• 

  Love the Avalanche but last 10,000 miles has been difficult! - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By bill4516 - September 29 - 5:26 am

  It is the best of both worlds. An SUV with the ability to haul stuff that you would not want in the back of your SUV. I ve hauled trees, plants, bags of fertilizer, and rocks.I own a 2003 Z66 with the cladding on the sides. At about the 100,000 mile mark the wheels just fell off. Not literally of course but it seemed that little stuff was going wrong all the time. My water pump went out, then my CD player, then my dash board lights, then the ever popular popping noise in the front end when you turn at slow speeds. Now I have a noise by my glovebox that sounds like someone dropping BBs on a tile floor over an over again. Still waiting on a fix for the popping noise. I still like it.

• 

  2010 Camaro Review - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By carlover81 - September 29 - 4:56 am

  I purchased my Camaro a little over a year ago and it is driven daily. I am very impressed with its features. The 6.2L V8 is amazingly powerful and very responsive. The six speed transmission is very crisp and smooth. The gas mileage was actually a big surprise for a V8 I get 20+ city and right around 30 on the highway. I feel the interior has a cockpit feel that encompasses the driver but is also very ergonomic and comfy. The only issue I found was blind spots make it difficult to back up this large vehicle. Exterior styling was a great combination of modern almost futuristic styling and the classic Chevy muscle look. I really enjoy driving this car to work or cruising around town.

• 

  The car that ruined my love for Chevy - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By sparkles4 - September 28 - 5:47 pm

  I bought this car from a little old lady who lived next door to me and only drove it to bingo. I got it around 60K. As it neared 100K everything started to go. Catalytic, engine stuff, electrical problems galore. I spent almost $2K in repairs in one month on it. Now the transmission & brakes are about to go and my A/C just quit today. I wish I wouldnt have put the $2K in. I couldve used it as a down payment on something better! I do like the layout of the car, though. It is a very roomy sedan and everything is easily accessible.

• 

  AVOID! ANY OTHER CAR WOULD BE BETTER! - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By aveosucks - September 26 - 12:01 pm

  Good: Cute and has onstar and XM. Bad: Having the Aveo5 for not even 2 years, if I added up all the repairs (warranty or not) they would exceed the cost of the car. Cheap if you cant afford ANY other subcompact but built only to drive to the store and back. Car was in for repairs within 48 hours of purchase. Suggestion: buy a LENGTHY and comprehensive warranty, youll need it!

• 

  Voltastic - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By hodad66 - September 25 - 6:45 pm

  Drove home a new, 2012 Volt the other day. Great car! I had been waiting for another EV but test drove the Volt when it became available in Florida. The interior is stylish and gives the feeling of being in a sports car. GM is currently offering an incentive lease that I just couldnt ignore.

• 

  Nice SUV - 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By djlarroc - September 25 - 1:01 am

  Bought my Tahoe w/175k in 2008. Yes, 175k. Had all the service records, so felt it was treated right. Has been fairly reliable in the last 25k. Oil pump went out, battery died on a hot summer day, 4x4 electrical selector switch went out ($20 @rockauto - 10 min fix). Now, I can hear the air ride constantly running, so im sure the shocks are leaking, but overall, Im still happy w/this truck. Has TONS of room, 5.3 has nice power, and Im getting about 16MPG city. Not bad for al you get. Ride is very nice and comfy. Great for road trips. Winter driving is awesome. LT has leather package, and is nicely put together. Great truck!

• 

  ISSUES THROUGHT THE YEARS.... - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By nolaredgirl - September 24 - 3:48 pm

  My husband purchased me this SUV brand new in the year of 2005. Two years later, the mile reader went bad. After getting that issue repaired, the gas gauge went out. Since then, I started to drive the SUV by the mileage because I refuse to pay between $600-$1200 to get it repaired. After writing to Chevrolet, I was promised a returned call but that never happened. Because I went over the mileage for the warranty, Chevrolet could not cover the repair. Now four years later, in Sept 2011, I get a letter from Chevrolet stating that they will cover 50% of the cost to get the gas gauge repaired. Are you kidding me??? Im about ready to trade this SUV in specially now that the TRANSMISSION went bad

• 

  Camaro Convertible BIG FUN! - 2012 Chevrolet Camaro
  By jefflaur - September 23 - 9:00 pm

  Purchased this Camaro from Duvall Motors in Clayton, Goergia. We have bought many vehicles from them, and I would wholeheartedly recommend them. We traded in our bright YELLOW LT coupe 2010 Camaro. We just loved that car, but when we saw this convertible on the showroom floor..my wife and I were sold! Luckily this vehicle had been custom ordered and, indeed has the 6cyl automatic transmission. Smooth and comfortable for long trips, and the two tone interior makes this car just a little more fun to drive! One bonus in the convertible model is that you can raise the seats enough to have a slightly better road view, and the higher profile of the convertible top gives extra headroom.

• 

  Great Car - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By ecotec16 - September 23 - 9:21 am

  I cannot be happier with this car! I have the 1LT with Black Metallic paint, XM Radio, rear spoiler, driver convenience package, driver information center, anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, and automatic transmission. The car is extremely quiet both inside and out. All the doors shut with a luxury sound (unlike the tin can sound on other economy cars). Fuel mileage is great - - I average 36-40 MPG @ 68 MPH on the highway depending on wind direction/terrain. In the city the average is more like 29 MPG. Visability out of all windows is great. For me their is no blind spots. With OnStar and a supurb warranty (100K powertrain) you cannot go wrong!

• 

  Love the car, but have had better - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By johntesh71 - September 22 - 10:58 am

  Bought this car in early 2011 for 1000 bucks with 148,000 miles on it.....once I dropped a couple hundred into it was like a gift from the heavens. Car drives very well, excellent gas mileage about 23 combined, very dependable, torquey V6 engine. Has a very boring interior design and the exterior started losing paint and rusting very badly after only 2 months of driving. The engine then melted through both intake manifold gaskets and sprang a very bad leak, The alternator blew and the fuel line began leaking. Luckily a few days in my garage and alot of tears and sweat she ran like a dream again. Recommend as a great first car or just as a daily driver.