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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  Great little car - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Kristen - December 6 - 7:21 am

  Second owner of car. Bought in 2011 with 60k miles. I now have 167k. All guages were broke(VERY common and they never recalled it). Dont spend the $500 for the new assembly it will just break again. Buy individual motors on Amazon ($25 for 6) and sodder them on, and set guages. Theyve been working perfectly since. Due to those being broken I had to replace the fuel pump. Normal wear and tear: tires, battery, brakes. Regular oil changes. The drivers seat has broken. No longer stays up. Easy junkyard fix. The dashboard cracks in numerous spots. Another common problem with the Cavaliers though. In the past year Ive put over 8,000 miles on it traveling all over the US with my boyfriend. My biggest problem: getting rear ended while turning, 1000 miles from home. Totalled it out. Airbags DID NOT deploy.

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  The Little Cav That Could - 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CAVMAN - December 6 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car new in college in 1991. Have done almost all the maintainance myself, mainly oil, filters and brakes. Always use a good synthetic oil and good filter. KN air filter and always replaced parts with ones that have lifetime warrantys. Have replaced alternator, tensioner, power steering pump, hoses, heater core x 2, radiator, plugs and wires. The thing just keeps running and with 223,000 miles on it, I could see it easily going for another 100,000- 150,000. If you dont care to look great going to work, it will get you there just as good as a new vehicle. Very easy to work on also.

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  great truck - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By s10 - December 6 - 2:00 am

  i own a buss. and this is my dual duty truck as work and personal veh.at 100000 miles i put about 300.00 worth of parts it (besides the blown rear for overweight towing 5000lbs up to 8000lbs (iknow) REAR was a 900.00 repair,and a trip to nebraska towing a trailer w/car 5700lbs plus my stuff total trip 3000miles 2000 miles in 4wd and 19 mpg

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  2000 Impala - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kevin M - December 6 - 2:00 am

  Great reliable car.

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  Owner - 1998 Chevrolet Suburban
  By zyk - December 6 - 2:00 am

  Excellent for outdoor/traveling use. Ample room for packing and moving items between home locations.

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  The Good and The Bad - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Anil_V_Reddy - December 6 - 2:00 am

  I ran into maximum problems between 43K miles and 62K miles. Steering fluid leak - 43K miles Brakes wear out - 44K miles CV joint replacement - 47K miles Gasket leakage - 52K miles Another set of brakes - 53K miles Replaced alternator - 58K miles Yet another set of brakes - 62K miles. If you dont believe me, I have all the receipts. Surprisingly, after the last bout at 62K miles, it has run very well (knock on wood) and I now have 94K miles

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  Problems - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By John & Amanda - December 6 - 2:00 am

  Nothing but trouble with this car. A few of the same problems others have such as the tail lights and the AC switch. Also the ignition switch wouldnt always go all the way off so when you leave the car the accessories come on and the battery is drained next time you get in. Alternator was going out. Made creaking sounds from the rear when going over bumps. Squeaky brakes. Oh yeah and 4 (FOUR) cracked fly wheels in less than a year. The best thing about the car is that Swope Mitsubishi offered to give us a new car recently to replace this Malibu. A Galant. More trade in value and a lot nicer.

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  2nd SubBurban - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Tom/Allentown - December 6 - 2:00 am

  Bought our 1st in Texas in 1992, put 168000 miles on it, shined it up and it looked new. Never occured to us to replace it with anything else. We no longer need to haul 12 girlscouts or 500 boxes of cookes ot a time, but my wife just loves her Surburban. Who cares if the mileage is less than 20MPG? Get rearended someday, get out and look at the poor guy that hit you and you will never drive a lesser car(truck)

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  My favorite SUV - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Gail - December 5 - 9:20 pm

  I have owned Isuzu Rodeo and Ford Expedition. This is by far my favorite SUV. Traded in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo recently. I love this vehicle.

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  Excellent truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By chriss8935 - December 5 - 7:20 am

  I have owned this truck for over three years and it is my second Duramax. If you do proper maintenance these trucks will last a very long time. I have over 600,000 miles on my first Duramax and its getting tired, and I just dont trust it real far anymore although I still drive it around the farm and into town. I drive my trucks very hard and I do not have time for breakdowns, so if you are looking for a hard working truck that will last look no further, Chevy has outdone themselves.