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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  Wish I never owned it. - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By charleym3 - May 23 - 3:47 pm

  My wife and son drive this car. The carpeting is too short on both sides, tacky. After 55000 miles Ive had to change the master cylinder, rotors once pads twice and one caliper. One of the sway bars is broken. The anti-theft system malfunctioned and cost $450 to repair. I hate this car. After the sway bar is fixed, its up for sale. It is fun to drive.

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  220,000 miles and almost no repairs - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By roadway1 - May 22 - 7:37 am

  This is the most amazing vehicle made. I use this vehicle for work and tow heavy trailers almost every time it is used. We have put 220,000 miles on it and it is running strong. You cannot kill this vehicle if you tried.

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  Chevrolet got it right - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By datuttle - May 22 - 6:08 am

  Had my Cruze for a week now. This is the first "small?" car that I have ever loved. Incredible fuel mileage, more power than you would expect and it is so much larger than its competition. I drove them all before buying this one. A comparable car from Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Ford or others is thousands more. You need to go with the BMW or Lexus to get the same ride and features of the Cruze. I drove them all and this car really stands out above them.

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  not a car for weather if you want to drive - 2011 Chevrolet Impala
  By travler2 - May 20 - 7:02 am

  Rented this car for a 2 days in Denver May 2011. Rained daily. One problem with car is rear view mirror might as well be left at the factory. Cant see through "lazy boy" giant head supports in rear seats for a view though the rear window. Side mirrors small, no lateral extension, and soak up rain drops until they are useless. I had no vision from behind. As far as forward, the headlamps were so useless I exited the expressway to stop and see if they were actually on. Lane changes were scary at night in the rain given this. Cant report more because I rented a F150 next day that I felt safe in. One fun comical note on the Impala is a rear spoiler on a car that is a slow as a dump truck.

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  Should have shopped around more - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By eliz34 - May 19 - 4:01 pm

  I made a big mistake buying a Cruze before shopping around a bit more. The ride is so jarring on bumpy roads (which alas I must drive over) that I get headaches and stomach aches - and this has never happened in any other cars. I suppose if someone is looking for this, then it would be okay. Also, the seats are surprisingly uncomfortable even the Carmax appraiser said so without my prompting. The driver needs a right armrest. Also, the auto-lock is on the center console instead of on the door, and this gets very inconvenient if you have cargo to deal with in the back seat. I will be taking a hit with my downpayment and looking for a different car. Sorry, Chevy.

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  2003 Chevy Cavalier Review - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By md2011 - May 19 - 11:21 am

  Got this car Feb 06 traded it in May 09 with 68k. My first car. Drivetrain in this car could not be beat strong engine good transmission(auto). Performance, handling was exceptional. Excellent mpg 35mpg hwy. Problem is everything else in this car was going. The A/C had problems with derbis that would rattle in the vents, alternator was going, battery was going, suspension was horrible. So many rattles actually got rubber sheets cut and siliconed it in various places to stop the rattles. Interior space every bump I hit my head on the ceiling (im 63). Interior materials were below avg but this an economy car. Cupholders in a bad location. t All in all good first car.

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  I hate this car so much!!!! - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By mrunkows - May 19 - 12:10 am

  I thought for sure I was trading in my beater car for a nice reliable car. Wow was I wrong. This car is so horrible in the snow, there is literally no control on the smallest amount of snow. It even spins out when your going real slow. You probably would have better luck getting to where your going safely if you got out and walked. This car is terrible. It just spins out all the time. If you live in a place where it never snows, then this is a good car. I literally cannot stand this car at all. Everyone knows this car is crap in the snow. In general its a crappy car.

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  Biggest Mistake I EVER made!!!! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By hawleyzoo - May 18 - 8:56 am

  This car has been the biggest mistake I have ever made - have replaced brakes and rotors 4 times, control arms twice, fabric stains very easily and will NOT come clean, temp gauge has been replaced twice, have had to have tire bolts replaced every time I get tires rotated because the threads have been stripped, headlights and seals are bad ALL the time, and now my drive shaft is toast due to bad U joints. Car only has 85,000 miles on it. I should have known to not buy a Chevy when they were going under, but have learned to never buy one again. Shoddy parts, shoddy workmanship - and they wonder why they are going under??

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  Good car even with age - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By fordracer103 - May 18 - 1:57 am

  I bought the car with 90,000 miles. The car did have a couple cosmetic problems, but the car did run well. After some expected maintenance, changing spark plugs Spark plug wires, etc, the car preformed very well. I drove it form college every weekend and got an average of 32 Mpg using regular 87 gasoline and 35 if I used 89 plus. I was surprised with power that the car had (3.8 liter) The car did have its cons. The Wiper Motor Crank Arm can cause the wipers to park in the up position which cost around 600 dollars overall to repair. I dodged a bullet by having the dealership pay for the repair. The rims clear coat broke down causing unsighlty rust and spots on the rims.

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  Problems after 50K miles - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By soclant - May 17 - 3:10 pm

  In March 2011, with 57,000 miles a small plastic tab in my shifter assembly broke and I could not remove the key. $357.87 plus disposal fee. I have the old one. April 6th front door handle broke, also plastic. Not happy