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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  Excellence performance for 110000 miles - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By AlwaysChevy - August 14 - 9:01 am

  I bought the car brand new. Liked the 8 seats. Computer shows average gas mileage as 25 mph. Reliable performance for all these years. I strongly recommend a Chevrolet minivan if you want a good vehicle for carrying 8 people for long distances.

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  Lumina LTZ lover - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By marylee - August 13 - 10:01 am

  I bought this car in 2000 for 8500.00 w/40k miles. Its had one tune up and replaced the fuel pump/gas tank the first 2 weeks I had it. Since then its been in two car accidents (one was my fault) and had the front end body work done twice. Over 9 years it has had minimal problems. A/c, stuck window. Nothing Major. This year however, I have spent 1800.00 in repairs. 900 of that at the Chevy dealer. Big mistake. All in all. Its been problem free. Now we may be facing a transmission problem. Motor runs perfectly still. We are nearing 214,000 miles and planning to hit 300 by dec! Body is still Nice. Rides great. Mpg 27 mpg when the engines needs it.. We will rebuild it

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  My second Avalanche - 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Avalanche Lover - August 13 - 9:22 am

  My 2009 Avalanche is my second one. I had a 2003 Avalanche that was the most reliable and cheapest to maintain truck that I have ever owned. I traded it at 148,000 miles and never even put brakes on it. I love my new 2009 Avalanche also. It is more comfortable and roomier than my 2003. Fuel economy appears to be better and improving. it is a pleasure to drive and passengers enjoy the room and comfort. I will always drive a Avalanche as long as they are in production. they are great trucks very reliable the quality and durability is outstanding making ownership affordable by not having additional unexpected breakdowns or maintenance issues keeping current on Preventative Maintenance is key.

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  Not bad - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Rickey Miller - August 13 - 8:41 am

  I was expecting better fuel economy. But I only get about 25mpg avg (city and hwy). Its a fun car to drive, and Ill likely put some work into it once the warranty is up, but for now it has little power and poor mileage. Spend the little extra for the LT. I regret that I didnt.

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  I love my van! - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By CoolMama - August 13 - 5:06 am

  We bought this van new, and havent had many problems with it. I think its very comfortable, compared to other vans we considered buying. It has great safety features like the side air bags. After 10 years the a/c compressor is needing replacement, but weve really not had that many major repairs. Just standard wear and tear stuff and some minor annoyances that have nothing to do with its overall performance. I guess we drive it gently and stay on top of maintenance like oil changes and fluid checks, tire rotation, alignments, brakes etc. These things really make a difference in the life of a car. Overall very happy with my purchase, especially since weve been without car pmt for 6 yrs. :)

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  237,000 Miles - 1994 Chevrolet S-10
  By tngatorfan - August 12 - 6:50 pm

  I bought this truck in 2000 from the original owner for college and it has gone the distance. It just died after 237,000 miles with only minor repairs to the engine and body. This was a fantastic vehicle and loved the style and fuel economy it provided. I towed my boat and used it to move three times during its life. I would replace the engine but it is no longer worth the cost. I changed the oil every three to four thousand miles. If you take care of it it will take care of you.

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  Good Car - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Shanna - August 12 - 6:42 pm

  Ive had my Cobalt for a little over a month. Its a wonderful first car. I read reviews here before buying this car. I read about someone hearing a cricket noise when the air conditioner was on, I hear this noise every time I have the AC on, it can get annoying after a while because I hear it over my music. Ive put aver 1000 miles on it since I got it. Now it has about 42,000 miles on it. It gets around 26-28 mpg in town. Its a wonderful car :-) I love it!

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  Outstanding Big Time SUV - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By VeteranDriver - August 12 - 4:25 pm

  Outstanding comfort with all of the luxury items at the fingertips of the driver. My wife loves the power lift gate, heated seats, and overall space in the vehicle. Since it is the LTZ, the bose system and dvd make long range travel a pleasure.

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  2005 Chevrolet Impala 9C1 - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By SONOFADOCKER - August 12 - 1:21 pm

  I bought this car at a NYPD auction with 106,000 miles for $1800. The car was two years old. Today the car has 156,00 miles and I have only paid for oil changes-few front tires-front brake pads. My first expense will be a power steering pump replacement which should be under $225.00. The car is fast and firm - great AC and heat ( police option) and the stock stereo is great. READY TO BUY ANOTHER ONE even though this one is just fine.

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  I Lud Dis Car - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Jake50 - August 12 - 12:01 pm

  Great Car. I was originally a Truck guy, But after test driving the malibu i fell in Love.I Bought a LS model with 19500 Miles On it. The 3.5 L V6 Is a must good power acceleration can use some improvement but all around Awesome. Clean car... All my Friends envy the styling of it....Chrome lined Just all Around a must Bye! Highly Recommend!