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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  2000 chev prizm - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By jak - May 21 - 8:37 pm

  To be frank, i really enjoy driving it with respect to reliability, fuel economy and speed.It is cost effective, but the interior design is bogus-very cheap and has really dampen my love for the car. Door handles are very brittle interior materials peel off etc all sort of problems I hate it.

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  Not bad so far. - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By skypfry550 - May 21 - 7:12 pm

  Ive had the vehicle four years now. I declined to return it after the four year Smart Buy. Ill own it in three more years. 50,000 miles on it. No problems whatsoever except for the radio, which I had to replace at about 40,000 miles. Its been very reliable. I took a leap of faith by keeping it. I hope not to encounter any major problems before it hits 100,000 so Im gonna continue keeping it serviced regularly and take it easy out there.

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  I love this truck - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By rb - May 21 - 5:21 pm

  Bought my Avalanche with 12K miles in 2003, it now has 167K and going strong. Considering the miles, other than routine things like, brakes, shocks, oil and tires, this truck has broken down very little. I had some front end work done, pitman arm and ball joints at about 100k, and a knock sensor at 150K. I replace the water pump at 150K because the gasket was leaking and I had to remove it to do the gasket. The original brakes lasted 100k. Still on the original alternator, radiator, exhaust etc.

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  Week Long Rental - 2010 Chevrolet Impala
  By Josh - May 21 - 4:36 pm

  I was given the 2010 Chevy Impala Lt to drive while my 2008 Mazda 3 was in the shop. I came away missing my Mazda real bad. Gas Mileage during the week averaged 21.3 which is terrible because I drive mostly highway to work. The ride is pretty comfortable compared to my Mazda. The V6 engine is nice on the highway, but acceleration seems slow. Overall my Mazda is much more fun to drive.

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  Wouldnt recommend a GM to my enemy - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By executor485 - May 21 - 1:56 pm

  At 30,000 miles the injectors had major issues. Dealership AND GM headquarters would do nothing about it. At 48,000 miles, the timing belt cover is leaking and now the engine is making really bad noises. GM headquarters told us it would be covered, then went back on that and said were out of luck, and coupled with the fact the dealership was rude about both situations, Ill never buy a GM product again.

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  Over 200K and still going strong - 1998 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Mark - May 21 - 11:39 am

  I sold my previous Suburban (1994 and 300K miles) to purchase this one. It came with about 100K on it and was lacking in the routine maintenance department, after fixing and servicing the vehicle it has served us very well. Always starts even at -40 F, its easy to get in and out of (a must for my line of work). Pulls/hauls my 31 camper, the boat, or the car trailer with ease. I now have a little over 215K and still use it regularly with minimal maintenance issues. I would highly recommend this to others. As with any vehicle preventative maintenance and a competent mechanic can make all the difference. In my five years of ownership I have replaced 1 radiator, 2 door handles, and 1 brake line

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  Few Bugs - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By sortafan - May 21 - 11:11 am

  Pretty much got what we paid for. Fun to drive (once you learn how to see out of it), great storage and gas mileage in the 30 mpg range thanks to mostly freeway driving. You get used to the quirky window control placements and cup holder issues. But remotes both failed, radiator sprung a leak and ignition failed (couldnt turn off engine one day). Those thing shouldnt happen in first two years.

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  My 02 Prizm LSi - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Ralph0722 - May 20 - 8:43 pm

  I bought this car used last month. I must say im very happy with this small zippy car. 1.8L VVTi is noisy but runs economical. 4AT shifts smoothly. Interior room is tight, back seat has no leg room back there. I consider this a 2 people car or a college student car (i am one). Trunk size is ok for class. Design is clean and simple, very Toyota like. Since this car is the same as a Corolla parts are available everywhere.

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  05 Aveo - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Cindy - May 20 - 5:33 pm

  Had my 05 Chevy Aveo for almost 5 yrs now. Havent had a single problem with it. Well, except for the pain. My car is yellow. In fact it is 5 different shades of yellow. Obviously a bad batch of paint? Trying to get them to fix the problem, but so far no luck. Also the clear coat is peeling. Im told this is because of the bad paint, makes sense. I use good car wash to wash it and have always kept it clean. The say the whole car will have to be repainted, of course at my expense.

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  Im Happy - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By GJM - May 20 - 5:11 pm

  I bought this car from a Chevy dealer in Anchorage. It had seen service as a rental with National, which is owned by GM. I got it primarily for commuting to work, save on gas, and keep miles down on my truck. I had a Metro once before and loved it. It was my parking lot command vehicle since I could always find a parking spot due to its size. I got 37.5 mpg driving home from Anchorage to Fairbanks, and about 31 mpg around town. This is what I wanted and I am glad I bought it with a bumper to bumper warranty, at a reduced GM price provide by dealer. What is there not to like. I am wondering how it will fare during our ferocious winters up here in Alaska, but I am happy none the less.