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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  Electrical Problems or LEMON? - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Arda - April 1 - 10:00 am

  Leased 3 wks ago. Mileage aprx 400km/city. Overall great but worried about a poss. electric prob. 4 days after I got it battery died & most info I got was that they adjusted loose connection. It hasnt died a 2nd time: YET.Last few days every time I start it the digital clock has lost time: this tells me there is a prob: this is what happened right before the battery went last time. Prob seems intermittent, but Im hoping it dies again before my first 30 days are up so I can either break my lease or get a different vehicle. Maybe I got unlucky with a lemon, & it if werenÂ’t for the electrical prob I would give it an excellent rating on perform & design.

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  Harsh Ride on some freeways/highways - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By cmon - April 1 - 10:00 am

  ok, check this out. I like this truck, everything about it, except that it is VERY VERY bouncy when you have bad road. I put about 25,000 miles in about 5 months now, and I suggest you do some research before buying this 3/4 ton truck. It kinda feels like your holding onto a machine gun at times. It gets bad, but when its good, its good. But when you haul stuff, life is good (very smooth). I suggest the Propane powered option because of them gas prices now. You get about the same mileage, but you pay much less for propane (cheapest ive seen is $1.30) vs. $2.25 for gasoline.

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  Malibu Maxx - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By jesterswench - April 1 - 10:00 am

  I bought my car on March 31st. I took it to Florida 2 days later. It was one of the most enjoyable and comfortable rides I ever had. The car handles wonderfully, the ease of use for the cruise control is a nice feature. The information center gives me all the info I need while traveling. It was a pleasure to drive. Everywhere I went, I was stopped by folks inquiring about my new car.

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  Happy Malibu Owner - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By JoAnn Kirk - April 1 - 10:00 am

  We purchased this car last Dec. It gets around 31 mpg in town and 34 out on the hwy. This car has Onstar,and is fully loaded. Power windows,power breaks, ABS breaks,and more that I have forgotten to mention! We have been totally satisfied with this purchase. We looked at a Camery with all the options this one had except for the Onstar feature. The Camery was 29,695. The Malibu was 23,600. I feel we got a great deal and exceptional value purchasing this car.

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  2004 chevy monte carlo dale jr edition - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By ccupit - April 1 - 10:00 am

  this has got to be the best auto that i have ever bought. the whole package is great and looks great. if you want to talk about power this car has it.

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  50th Anniversary - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Vettefan - April 1 - 10:00 am

  Sold 40th to buy 50th. Best Vette ever. Ouperforms anything under $125K. Great power, outdtanding handling, a style that looks like its going 100 when standing still.

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  Convertible is best corvette - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By marioshaffer - April 1 - 10:00 am

  My car is excellent to drive. It is very smooth. I drove it to Vegas it went beyond what i expected. I drove it to Big Bear the curves handled better than my porche.

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  Finally a worthy Impala - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Egressdan - April 1 - 10:00 am

  I reserched many new cars but the Impala SS had all the attributes I was looking for. High perfomance, fairly good gas mileage and all the right accessorys. The car has been a joy, I now have almost 2,000 miles on her and I look forward to my commute 1 hour one way instead of dreading it. The Impala is the limited addition so I cant wait to see it in the Indy 500 this May.

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  2005 Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Kellyw308@aol.com - April 1 - 10:00 am

  I bought an Equinox about three weeks ago and I absolutly love it! When people see the car they can not believe the features it has for the price.

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  PERFECT - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By T67 - April 1 - 10:00 am

  love it! Everything rocks, I bought it right off the truck and put the first mile on it!