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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  Cruze Diesel Problem Child - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Marconquistador - March 9 - 2:12 am

  I did not see an option for diesel in the Edmunds drop down, so I selected a gas option just to write a review about my 2014 Cruze Diesel. I bought the car new in 2014. Within the first few thousand miles I had warranty work done. After about a year, the car has been in the shop constantly. The warranty work usually takes a week by the time the tech dows the diagnistics, parts are ordered, etc. Some of the same parts keep getting replced. As of now, my tags are expired (registration is paid) because the car will not pass Smog in CA because the engine light is on. Emission parts keep being replaced, and the light keeps comming on. The support for Chevy diesels is aweful, atleast for the Cruze in my area. The car has less than 30k miles. I am suposed to pick it up today, but they want me to drive it for 100 miles before they try to Smog it just to see if the engine light comes on again. I had to get a TOP from DMV.

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  Piece of Junk - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By RP - March 5 - 9:38 pm

  This vehicle has been the worst, by far, of the eight cars Ive owned to date. 1st ball joint/hub kit at 43000 miles, the other at 63000, two sets of brakes, gas gauge breaks and needs to be replaced, driver seat tilt breaks off with normal use, cheap plastic emergency break handle breaks off stranding the vehicle in a snow storm as the breaks will not release, hood cable require replacing at 69000 at which time it was noted that the "engine oil cooler lines are leaking," and now as of 3/5/06 the Security light is on and the vehicle does not start on command with out a 10 minute wait due to electronic and fuel issues and the seats have terrible ergonomic design with zero lumbar support

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  This is bad all the way - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By flyer - February 24 - 2:00 am

  Thought I would try G.M. one more time. What a mistake. I feel like a fool. Same junk theyve always been known for. Im stuck with this piece of crap for 4 years. Next time back to DODGE, THE RAM.

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  Worst Vehicle we have ever owned! - 1996 Chevrolet Astro
  By Elby62 - February 17 - 4:30 pm

  We paid $10,000 for this in 2002 and it had 50,000 miles on it. For the price and mileage you would expect a decent vehicle. However this van broke down constantly. It has cost us thousands extra in repairs, including a new transmission. Broke down out of state leaving us stranded hundreds of miles from home. Twice. Dont buy this van! A bad, bad, bad vehicle. Horrible experience to own. The torsion bar broke on it, twice. Same thing happened to my friend. The torsion bar broke while I was driving on a crowded interstate at 70mph, on a bridge, with no place to pull over. All my children were in the van. We are lucky that I did not panic and that we didnt wreck. Horrible!

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  A very poor van - 2005 Chevrolet Venture
  By doowopdempsey - January 27 - 7:12 pm

  We have always leased vans and when we needed an 8 seater the Dodge Caravan didnt cut it. This car cant make it up gentle grades in the winter where the Dodge Caravan flew up them! It is way too low to the ground so when there is a bump in the road you hear a loud screech from the floor. It is very un- comfortable too.

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  "Found On Road Dead" was meant for Chevy, not Ford - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Sierra - January 27 - 5:23 am

  I have a 2004 Chevrolet Impala with just over 100,000 miles. This was a 1 owner car at purchase & I am the second owner. In the beginning this car I felt like I was getting a great deal and a great car all in one. WRONG! If I could give this 0 stars all across the board, I would. Ive owned this car less than a year, and am on my SECOND transmission. Thats just the start. This year is notorious for a hard shift & a whole lot of jerking when shifting. Ive taken the car to multiple shops only to be told theres nothing to fix that problem. Anytime I take off, the car wants to do a burn out after first hesitating to go. As I reach 1st 2nd and 3rd gear, you can expect a kick from the transmission EVERY SINGLE TIME. As I said, 2nd transmission, still does the jerk & hard shift just as the 1st one did. This is a very common issue & one that shouldve been recalled and taken care of. The body isnt too bad until it starts rusting all over the place all of the sudden, rust here, there, and everywhere all within a month. Went from a great body to a rust bucket quickly. If thats not enough already, each time I put gas in the car doesnt want to start (also a common issue). Dont let me forget that when I push the TRUNK button, the ALARM sounds & the DOORS LOCK. Window motors have gone out 3 times all within the 1 yeah of ownership. Chevrolet has done nothing about any of these problems not only for me but for mostly anyone that has had this model & year. To say the least, Id buy a bicycle before I would EVER own another Chevrolet. Theyve lost a customer for life on this one.

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  First and Last Chevy - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By trlinde - December 26 - 9:42 pm

  First off, the car driven before this was an SL1 Saturn which they stopped making, so Im comparing it with this. The Aveo is nothing more than a station wagon too short to be of use. Its uncomfortable, noisy, and feels like its going to tip over around every turn. It has no lumbar suoort and to add to the discomfort you cant adjust the angle of the steering wheel. The insturments are very hard to see the way they have then at the bottom of what looks like cup holders. The actual cupholders are unsafe in that you have to move your beverage to use the ashtray while you drive. Its perhaps the most unsafe car on the road. You cant even adjust the delay on the intermittent wipers.

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  Buyers Beware - Poor Quality, lost value - 2002 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Paratrooperwife - December 13 - 12:16 am

  This is my first and LAST Chevy purchase. I paid $21K and three years later I cant even get $7K, when comparable vehicles are going for $14K. First week I had it the vehicle leaked. A bad leak. I should have known then. Since then its been one thing after another, sure warranty covered them for a while. Then my extended warranty kicked in, but the $100 deductable has cost me over $400 this year alone. Leaks, serpentine belts (3 in 3 years), passenger and driver window motors, windshield wiper gadgets gone bad, and more. Poor design, extremely mind-bending trade in values so low that I cannot believe it. The 2-door allows poor access to back, and the big fat spare tire is hard to see around

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  Chevy is crap! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Mikey - October 31 - 10:00 am

  My 2002 cavalier is junk. I will push it into a river to get rid of it. Salesman was a jerk.

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  Better off buying a BRICK - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Charles - October 27 - 8:36 pm

  Unfortunately I decided to buy this truck not too long ago, this thing drives like a Brick floating on water.. interier is CHEAP, plastic, no design, fit for nobody really, i wouldnt want to be caught dead in this thing. i suggest to anybody looking to buy a truck, look into something else. its way over priced, and there has been no improvements comparing to past models. I guess GM is going broke for a reason!