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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  My 02 Prizm LSi - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Ralph0722 - May 25 - 8:43 pm

  Bought the car used last month. Very good shape for year/miles. Very economical to run and keep. Plenty of Toyota parts available. I get about 32 mpg mostly. AC is strong. Stereo is pretty decent. Cover all basic necessities like power windows, locks, mirrors, cruise. Alloy wheels. Sharp little car.

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  Nice Ride - 2001 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Lrobby99 - May 25 - 8:19 pm

  Just drove this car to Wisconsin from Florida. I carefully monitored the fuel efficiency was very impressed by the numbers. Peaked at 33.4 mpg and averaged 32.30 mpg, all Interstate miles in relatively good conditions. Besides that the car accelerates nicely, handles relatively well, and rides pretty smooth. Mine has only 60k now and I hope to run this car for quite a while.

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  electiric power steering - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By David - May 25 - 7:13 pm

  I just dont understand why the Malibu was built so cheap.I had to replace the I shaft twice and replace both inner tie rod end and bought at least three sets of tires. Why is that I bought the new Malibu because was tired of working on cars all the time, but guest what I still am. There is no reason for this. When my steering was going out I had to shut the car off to reset, unless I was driving down the road. This is a safety issue but the general motors will not recall this darn problem. Both I and my wife been fighting with gm but not response back to us. But I will turn this problem to nhsta. Some one needs to get this problem taken care of.

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  Bad Engine - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Eddy - May 25 - 1:50 pm

  Around 2500 mile i had loss of power.And then around 16,000 mile timing chain and gears were replaced. And then around 18,000 mile the oil pump went out which caused the engine to go out. now it has been in the shop for about 8 weeks and GENERAL MOTORS says its not there problem because it is 2010 now even though problems started under there factory warranty. it has been a nightmare. i have always liked gm up till now, it wont happen again.

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  Its the 5th time to visit dealer - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Tiejun - May 25 - 12:18 pm

  After about 1 year, the front left signal light was dead. Soon after that, one of the remote was low at battery. The "fixed" remote was found low at batter 1 month later. After 2.5 years, the front left signal light was dead again. I had a couple of times that after I park and lock the van, the parking lights (2 front yellow and two rear red) were on, even though I turned off the lights. Today, I drove to work, and it refused to start again. I have to call roadside assistant.

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  The King of the Road - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Mboily - May 25 - 11:13 am

  For the past 20 years Ive been driving second hand vestige cars & I decided to get myself a birthday present A sport car. Guess what, I got a true super sport car instead for the same price! The Actual King of the American Roads, Oh yes, no other car attracts more attention and the reason is simple: Power and Style combine with an efficient design (interior & exterior). GM really got it all right, none of the regular bin parts or the usual adding of unnecessary molding or gimmicks to fill space. Its a simple and clean classic sport car design, finally! I just cant stop glaring & driving this car fast or slow. Every time I hop in, I know Im driving something special and it makes me a happy man.

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  Heres mine - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By mike - May 25 - 10:01 am

  Bought an 06 LS coupe Dec 2005. With in 1½ year had 80,000 miles on it ( a lot of free way driving). MPG is 25 city, 36 highway. At 89K CEL light on - was an old hose. Replaced it (cost $20 for a 2 inch hose). Now, getting 30 MPG city and right over 40 highway. Interior could be better, at 115K, still on original rotors, shoes, pads, shocks, exhaust & clutch. Last dealer check shows no issues with any of them. Had 2 recalls on it so far. Paid $12K for it and was worth it!

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  Great Car for Awhile - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Jen Squared - May 24 - 9:46 pm

  I loved this car when I first bought it. As a single mom though, I had to finance for 6 years to afford the payments. Now, the car was in the shop for 3 out of the last 4 weeks for various different and expensive reasons. Apparently it is really hard to get the parts you need. Of course, that could be my mechanics way of buying more time, but if the car had lasted past its warranty I dont think I would have had to deal with a mechanic other than a dealer. Bottom Line: If you buy an aveo, do not keep it past about 50,000 miles or so unless you have at least 2000 saved up for repairs.

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  I am disgusted by this vehicle. - 1999 Chevrolet Camaro
  By shm86 - May 24 - 8:45 pm

  The camaro is fun to drive, when its not stalled beside the road. Since I got the car in 2003 Ive had to replace the 02 sensor, temperature sensor, thermostat, alternator, timing belt, belt tensioner, catalytic converter, both window motors, battery, fuel pump, fuel pump relay, and two 2 coils. Both visors have fallen out, roof is not sealed (I get wet when it rains) and water gets in the trunk. The CD player doesnt work anymore, all the speakers have failed, and the car stalls frequently and no one can figure out why. The car is so loud I can barely hear the radio. Oh, and my AC and Heat quit working too. Im completely disgusted. But at least the car looks good.

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  Wouldnt own anything else - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Sean - May 24 - 6:46 pm

  This is the second Impala Ls I have owned. I bought my first one (2001) and it saved my life when I caught black ice and went spinning off the highway into a tree. I bought my second one (2003) with 130,000 miles and it is as solid as a rock. the engine runs smooth as silk, and I have never had to replace anything. I would be hesitant to buy anything else.