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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  Texas Malibu - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Texas Malibu Owner - November 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 2000 Malibu used with 23K miles because I needed some basic transportation on a budget. What I got was a bargain…so many features for so little money. Ive had no problems at all with it (none, zero, nill), and Im rough on cars. The A/C works great, despite the brutal Texas summers. It accelerates quickly for a basic four- door and handles quite well too. The ABS brakes work well and are very helpful. Its comfortable and roomy, and the looks are contemporary and stylish without going overboard. Definitely a great car for what I paid, Id highly recommend it.

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  Can it be fixed - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By doublejv - November 2 - 10:00 am

  Fun to Drive.

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  "Oh my God" - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By xeta - November 2 - 10:00 am

  I loved my toyota but I am in love with mt Impala LS. It handles like a dream,you dont feel it moving. It is quiet,corners beautiful and is just plain fun to drive. This is what I call my "Oh my God" car because that is what I said when I saw it and drove it.

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  Excellence - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By lonewolf359 - November 2 - 10:00 am

  This is an excellent all around suv

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  Poor Accessory Drive Belt System/Diesel - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Joe Tretter - November 2 - 2:53 am

  Noticed a drive belt noise from day one with this truck! The dealer replaced the serpentine belt,within a few days, the noise was back, took it to another dealer who cleaned the pulleys,after a few days the same noise appeared again. I contacted the first dealer he said others are having problems also and Chevrolet has no fix for this problem at this time ! Mileage is not great either its between 14.2 - 16.4 mpg, my 6.0 liter 3500 got between 11 - 13 mpg, I wish I still had that truck !

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  Great Car! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Ron - November 2 - 12:33 am

  I have to say Cheverlet did it right with this car. It accelerates like a V6 would and when the supercharger kicks in at higher RPMs it really makes a difference. Handles well and really turns peoples heads. The wheels are great too!

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  Avalanche - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Spady - November 1 - 11:20 am

  Very reliable! Never had issues with this truck, its a blessing. Of course like any vehicle with 160, 000 u have minor issues that need tweaking but take care of your truck an shell take care of you. I also purchased a tent that fits in the truck bed! Just take out the back window and drop the "middle" gate an have access to interior of the truck from the tent, so perfect for cold nights when u need to pump some heat to the tent. This truck isnt just our way to get around its part of the family

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  Engine warranty - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By mike - October 31 - 12:33 pm

  This is a work truck and a daily driver. I tow a 7500 lb trailer 300-700 miles per week and it does the job. Mileage: 10 mpg w/ the trailer, 15-17 mpg w/out. Dealer performed all service Duramax diesel head gasket failed at 118k miles. Even after months of negotiations GM REFUSED to honor the Warranty! The repair cost $7500 out of pocket! I CANNOT recommend GM to anyone EVER again!

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  Nice ride, too many problems. - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By libertynh - October 31 - 9:50 am

  Transmission position sensor failed just out of warranty. Truck starting shutting off while driving at 40K. GM no help. Found online info re: bad crank position sensor and replaced to fix. Both problems known to happen on other trucks. Exhaust stud broke and flange warped. Tailgate latch rusted inside gate and does not catch. Transmission slipping after stop and go. Toyota went 3 times as far with no problems.

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  Cobalt coupe LS 5speed 2006 is just OK - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By john - October 31 - 2:40 am

  This is a good handling car, with a great ride and somewhat quiet, good looks and good value, huge trunk but small opening. I am everaging 32 MPG and very happy with that. No arm rest on 5spd tranny models, cup holders are too shallow drink tends to tip over in turns, interior is very attractive but extremely cheaply made, the door fabric is pulling away from under the door closing pull cup, American cars depreciate faster than Japaneese cars by a large margin. I am "buried". If you want one buy a used one, its a decent car