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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  Annoyed! - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By diana s - June 28 - 10:00 am

  Decent car for the price. However, I am writing this review because I am wondering how RMcoolX managed to purchase a 2003 Cavailer for $7k. RMcoolX please detail out your rebates that brought a $14k car down to $7k.

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  No need for a Ford!! - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Workhorse!! - June 28 - 10:00 am

  At 86000 miles, the only thing Ive had to do is change the oil, put a new set of tires on it, and put gas in it. Still runs like I bought it yesterday. Can you believe Im still running on the original brakes??

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  Value - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Chevy Cavalier - June 26 - 8:27 pm

  This car was purchased for $3000. So far its been decent. I had to replace the computer($350), the alternator pulley and belt($200), and the slave cylinder and clutch($740). All the parts were original which means the car was built good I was just unlucky that all the parts lasted as long as they did (10 years). Car runs great now and hopefully I can get another year and 15000 miles before I have to replace anything else on this car.

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  Love it ! - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By randalljay - June 26 - 8:26 am

  We bought an 08 Scion xB,but didnt care for only one arm rest, single back up light, poor color selection, cheap fabric and no floor mats. We were lucky enough to find an Orange HHR that had a quarter panel (not a full panel). Since we needed at least five seats, the full panel wagon was out of the question. something about the missing side rear windows that make this car very appealing. The quarter panel is a great place for self-expression. The placement of the window controls is a little weird and takes a while to get use to. For some reason I keep hitting my shins on the door when I get out. On the plus side, the OnStar is great, its American, has lots of room, and it comes with mats.

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  Good concept, poor execution - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Brian - June 25 - 11:36 pm

  Poor build quailty! Ive had nothing but problems with this car. I bought this over the SRT-4 and regret it. Its been in the shop once a month since I got it.

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  2003 Corvette Convertible - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Gary M Ciborowski - June 25 - 4:37 pm

  Car is surprisingly comfortable to drive having come a long way from the Corvettes of the 70s and 80s. Fit and finish on my car, purchased used, is superb. Panel spacing is uniform from fender to hood to door. Doors close with solid definition. Manual top folds easily and is easy to operate without assistance. So far, rattle free. The leather seats fit me very well: the seat is just the right length and width. The seatback supports the entire length of my back with no hard spots. Power adjustments include lumbar support and this 50th Anniversary Edition has the memory option, so once you set the seat, wheel and radio preferences, they all return once you start the car.

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  Used 2004 Colorado Crewcab 2WD 2.8L/M5 - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By meangreen94z - June 24 - 10:58 pm

  Bought this used with 49K miles 5 months ago, now has 55k miles. The guy that traded it in thought the truck had electrical issues because blower speeds 1-3 would cut out and the CD player wouldnt eject. I bought the truck with little fear being that Im a technician. Tracked the blower issue down to a loose connection at the connector on the blower resistor. The CD drive was jammed with crumbs/dust, and just needed to be cleaned and lubed. Fixed both at a cost of $0 (probably $500 otherwise) and the truck has been great since. No leaks anywhere and still feels solid. I average 21 in the city, and 25-26 on the highway with the 4 cylinder/M5 combo.

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  Great except for tires - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Mary - June 24 - 12:49 pm

  I love my Uplander, it has almost 95,000 miles on it in three years. I have had problems with the tires wearing and was told I needed to rotate every 6000 miles (have never done w/any other vehicle I owned). I am on second set of tires and having flat spots even when rotating every 6000-15000 miles. The plastic pieces on the outside have black nicks and look awful (I live in the country w/dirt roads). I have had to bring it in twice in three years and problems were fixed right the first time. I would like better gas mileage, I get 23 MPG. It does need a middle console though, I hate that shelf thing they have.

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  My Prizm - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Beth - June 24 - 7:05 am

  I have had my car for seven years and only have had to replace one sensor and that was last week. I have kept up the maintenance regularly and just replaced the front brake pads last month. I drive it almost only in town and have 46K miles on it. Overall, it has been a good reliable car.

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  02 TAHOE - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By MICHAEL JENKINS - June 23 - 9:56 pm

  This vehicle has been my pleasure to own. It has been fun customizing it because there are so many options to choose from on all the stuff you can do to it.