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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  Great Car - 2010 Chevrolet Corvette
  By pwscs - July 3 - 6:31 pm

  Great mileage and performance. Fastest car I have ever owned and would buy another one in a minute. 27and mpg highway and 22 in town. Fast and eye catching. Great job Chevy.

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  Worst Car weve ever had. - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By colemyst - July 3 - 3:24 pm

  Three years old 6000 miles on it and this is what we got. Continual noises, squeaking, chirping, clicking, grinding squealing noises, taillight filled with moisture, shifting stick slips, steering column needed to be change twice, power steering motor needs to be change - now recalled, bushings replaced, surge tank faulty, list goes on. The car probably wont. Car still has noises even after mechanics works on it, saying it was fixed. HA They must be trained to say it because they all do dont they?

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  Hater - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Hate it - July 3 - 3:23 pm

  This van is the biggest piece of junk. At 77,000 the ABS light is ALWAYS on. The transmission now feels like it is slipping. The suspension is always making a bunch of noises. The van is constantly rattling inside too. Cant trade it in..owe too much money on it!

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  Nice but - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Silver - July 2 - 11:53 pm

  I like the suburban, but the newly designed 4/8 cylinder gets worse mileage than my 2003 -HUH? The FACT that is drinks oil (but not enough for GM to care is rather disappointing to say the least. The tailgate does NOT open when the temps dip to sub zero (Minnesota)

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  Long Lasting - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Suzette - July 2 - 11:35 pm

  Weve owned our 2000 Impala since it was 8 miles old. Now at 291,000 miles, shes been the most reliable vehicle weve every owned. The transmission was rebuilt at 193,000 miles when 1st gear went out from 6 years of stop & go traffic. Shes endured 5 car accidents and has kept me safe. Weve proudly replaced the radiator, water pump, cv joints and power steering pump. All expected maintenance on a car with high mileage and with the ORIGINAL engine. Well drive her till the wheels fall off. The Impala is a great car if you care enough to maintain it.

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  Fun ride - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By shaun - July 2 - 10:11 pm

  I bought this car back in may and i have never owned a small car but i just love this ride. Its fun to drive and mine has all the options on it and its a beautiful silver color.

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  Good little Car - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Julie - July 2 - 11:51 am

  I bought this car in April used from my sister. It has 71,000 miles on it and have had no problems at all. I also drove this car from Chicago Illinois out to Seattle Washington and it did great! It is a small car but actually very roomy in the interior, I have had multiple people say that. My boyfriend who is 61 and 240 pounds said he was comfortable. I take very good care of my cars and am always up to date on car fluids, check ups, etc. Not caring properly for the car may be the reason why people have problems with it. Always check to make sure the car was well maintained when buying used.

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  Money Hungry - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Dave - July 1 - 11:32 pm

  I loved this van until I had to buy tires for it. They are very expensive, and most companies had to order them in. It ran very well until I hit the 88,000 miles. All of a sudden everything goes out on it at once. I had to replace the brakes and rotors. I have to replace the engine at a cost of $5,862.00. You can only have the work done at a dealership. Most of the parts are dealer only. My family of mechanics cant do the work, because there are no manuals for it. The dealer manual cost $168.00. My lovely van has become my worst nightmare. My other van has 193,000 miles and I have only replaced the struts.

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  Not bad for the price - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Al in Texas - July 1 - 6:16 pm

  Purchased a 2007 Aveo as a year-end clearout. After rebates (factory and GM Card), I drove out of the dealership with a new car for around $7000. Not bad! Problems: Engine light came on three times before dealer was able to fix a coolant leak. All work under warranty. Otherwise, car has been reliable transportation. Average 33 mpg with mostly freeway driving.

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  Nice at first - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By fast driver - July 1 - 5:43 pm

  Bought the car brand new in 2008, drove great up until now. Check engine light wont go off, it jerks for no reason, cd player stopped working yesterday. It is very light so if its windy you wont be going over 60 while listening to whistling on the highway. It makes a popping sound when warming up and the trade in value is horrible. If youre looking for something thats NOT your only means of transportation then this is it. When i start to get the letters in I will be trading mine.