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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  style and practical - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By denz66trk - January 26 - 2:00 am

  I love the truck. It looks great in black. You will stand out in a crowd. It rides like a dream. And this is coming from a Navigator owner. All the bells and whistles of the Navi but with better road handling. I If you like trucks there is no better full size truck on the road for the money.

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  Best Buy for the Money! - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Don M. - January 26 - 2:00 am

  We were looking at cars in the $25- $30K range, when we came across this loaded Malibu LS. It didnt take long to see the merit in this car, and we bought it. With the rebate, we saved the better part of $10k over what we intended to spend. It compares real favorably with some of the foreign cars made by H, T, and N. The fit and finish is excellent, and it rides and performs quite well. I even like the idea that it has a older style "pushrod engine". We wont have to worry about spending hundeds of dollars to have the overhead cam drive belt replaced.

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  Trade in for 03 - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By M. Williams - January 26 - 2:00 am

  Nice up grade with the system gas mileage and trip computer. My wife would only take one with the heated seats. A little unclear if you can add a DVD with a sun roof. Traded in a 01 LT for the 03Z71 cannot wait to take a trip.

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  Definitely Tougher Than Rocks - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD
  By Ezechiel Florea - January 25 - 9:46 pm

  This truck I bought last year new. I have already 65,000 miles on it. It broke at about 56,000 and now Im getting 18MPG without the trailer on the highway. At first it got 12 and 14 at best with out the trailer. I haul 10,000-13,000 pounds all the time. You can go up and down moutains and it just keeps on moving forward. The Allison Trany and the Duramax makes the truck tougher and more reliable. It never broke down on me/never had a problem. I am always going to be a Chevy fan. The tow command is simple and very good to have. It helps out buy being easier on my truck brakes. Always has power to spare. I would recommend this truck to anyone that needs a tough reliable truck that will never stop.

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  Love this car - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By djmullins56 - January 25 - 9:31 am

  We love this car!! Gas mileage misrepresented but still a great car - The more we drive the car the more we love it. We previously owned 2008 Equinox - a great car - traded in for a newer model. Very comfortable, alot of storage, can not say enough good about this car.

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  Smoooth - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By BurritoJ - January 25 - 2:52 am

  Best car Ive ever owned. First electric vehicle and I will not go back to a gas engine. Smooth linear acceleration and barely a whisper of noise. Good torque makes it peppy to drive and fairly agile for its weight. Saves me $150 on gas every month during a 30 mile commute. Saves me $100 a year in oil changes. More importantly saves me the time and hassle of going to the gas station or oil change shop. Better than a lot of cars in its class in the snow because of its weight. Leather suede interior is luxury and durable, not like my wifes junk Prius with the plastic falling off the doors. Not to mention the sound insulation on the volt is waaay better than the prius (like the difference in driving with your windows down or up on the highway). Only trouble in 3 years of owning it was covered under a recall for bubbles in the battery coolant, and cost me nothing.

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  Never again, General Motors! - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Charlie - January 24 - 4:56 pm

  I was excited when I bought this car after enduring a major life event that was health related. I had always had General Motors vehicles my entire life, both my parents worked for GM in Rochester, NY. The car had just under 95K miles when I purchased it. My first impression was the car having lots of pep and quite economical for being a good sized car. In the time I owned it (2 years), I have replaced all 4 rotors and brakes, the exhaust system (I replaced that with single exhaust, replacing the faux-duals would have costed a small fortune) and the rear parking brake linkage, which came apart. The 4 way flasher button on the dashboard broke and came apart. The high-beam switch doesnt click and keep them on high properly and periodically the dash will reset itself (as if starting the engine) in the middle of driving. The right front wheel sensor acts up when conditions are wet, which automatically disables the traction control. Topping it off, a week ago, I was returning home from running errands. I was exiting the expressway when I felt and heard a nasty vibration as I was coming to a stop. The cars transmission (4T65E) went, right then and there, at 108K miles. The car will now only move in reverse. Quite ironic, because I took a major step backward when I purchased this car. Too bad I didnt have a crystal ball. Its time to cut my losses. This coming week, I will be stepping into a Honda Civic. I cant wait! My Dad might spin in his grave, but GM cars have taken a major step back (or SIX) in quality over these last years. I dont plan on ever buying another one, Im done.

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  130K Miles and still running strong - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Chepnih - January 24 - 5:46 am

  So far so good. I have owned this car for 6 years. Regular maintenance is all it needs. Engine and Transmission still in great shape. A lot more reliable than accord that I used to own. My only issue is with the headlights. You need to spend an hour of labor to change just the bulb. But after watching a few youtube videos, I changed the last one myself.

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  Last Suburban I will ever buy - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Marty - January 23 - 12:22 am

  I have owned 8 Suburbans in my 42 years of driving. The 2007 LTZ is by far the worst design since 1985. Replacing a headlight is pure insanity. New transmission at 100k. $5000 in repairs this year alone. For a giant vehicle the storage in the front console is poor at best. The engine and electronics have a mind of their own. Needs 1 quart of oil every month, where is it going? I had a 2003 Suburban, 200k miles and other than normal repairs I only replaced 1 starter, 1 water pump and 1 alternator. No transmission, no a/c, no accel module, no transfer case and I could replace a headlight on my own in 5 minutes instead of paying someone for 90 minutes of labor. Buying an Infiniti or Nissan this weekend and looking forward to it. The final straw was my phone call to GM when the transmission failed and the girl told me, "you should have taken better care of the truck!" Im a fanatic with my trucks, this was a faulty defective part but she did not care, so neither do it......adios Mexican Suburban, hello USA Nissan!!

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  Aweful - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Tom - January 22 - 11:58 pm

  Great looking car. I have spent over $5000 dollars fixing BCM, steering column lock, tpms, master cylinder in shift clutch system , headlights, windshield wipers and washer system comes on and will not stop out of nowhere. Poorly engineered car. Electrical problems. Look at the forums. Everyone is having problems In many areas. I have driven many Honda’s and never had one problem. BMW’s are great cars. Mercedes as well. this car is junk.