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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  fuel gauge - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By your-buddie - April 3 - 12:49 pm

  I see I am not the only one with fuel gauge problems. I guess I will continue to guess the amount of fuel in the tank as many (too many) others have done. Sorry about our luck on this one! The car has been very reliable till now, right after the warranty expires. This sounds like a very common error on Chevrolets The gas gauge just goes wild and finally comes to rest on the temp gauge.From what I read the gas tank has to come out and a new sensor installed and while the tank is out you might as well put a new fuel pump in too. Not going to happen!Maybe once the fuel pump quits it will really become an issue for me. I am sure other people who read these dont bother to enter a comment

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  Great car for daughter - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Kt - April 3 - 11:23 am

  Bought this car used for my daughter. Not a car with great p/u so i knew she would not be taking off from a dead stop. Not a lot of room in back seat so other kids did not like riding in it so i knew they would not pile into her car. Great leg room in front seat. Has used this car to travel back and forth to school in northeast. Handles great in snow and rain. Easy to park. Good car for a parent concerned about kids safety.

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  97 Impala LT w3.9L V-6 - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By RJC - April 3 - 10:53 am

  At around 75,000 miles the 3.9L engine went from not using any oil and 29MPG gas usage on highway to using very excessive oil ie: 1 quart every 150 miles and fuel efficiency dropped to 23 MPG. Nothing could be found wrong with the engine, no exterior leakage, runs perfect, but oil disappears. GM finally admitted they had a problem, but would not pay for the fix for this engine.

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  Love this car! - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By hoagie - April 3 - 8:34 am

  Absolutely love the styling and comfort of this car. Classic good looks that wont get "old". Seats are comfortable and the ride is amazing. Also love all of the little niceties such as the bluetooth, heated seats, sunroof, Onstar etc. Had money down on a new Sonata...put them side by side and opted for the Malibu, havent been sorry. Its been a long time since Ive been this happy with a purchase!

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  Good, if it werent for the problems - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By frustrated owner - April 3 - 7:25 am

  Should have known when I picked up the 1 year old used car from the dealer with the check engine light on (throttle body). Then 6 months later, needed a new cylinder head (valve sealing issues causing misfires). Then timing belt tensioner problem (noisy), then drivebelt tensioner (noisy), then brakes (vibration), and now throttle body engine error codes again. All warranty except the brakes(free for me, apart from not having the car). Service is doing what they can, but the car has been in service for about 10% of the time I have owned it! Good thing I have a reliable 11 year old backup car. Problems seem to be focused in specific areas...

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  leak and shudder - 2010 Chevrolet Suburban
  By JEN - April 2 - 3:26 pm

  Have only owned suburban for 1.5 months and have been at the dealership 2 times with them having it for a week one of those times. Sunroof leaks--I get a wash when my truck gets a wash. Dealer put in a new piece of glass, no shower this time, but still leaks. So far drip pan handles water, but what about 2 years down the road--leaks only get worse. Dealer says they are "designed to leak". Funny--salesman didnt tell me that they were suppose to leak. I wouldnt have gotten one with a sunroof if they had told me that! Also runs rough--was told that again "they all do that--its how a Chevy idles".wow sounds like a miss to me.should have kept my ford diesel

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  The Good Cheap Car With Problems - 1996 Chevrolet Beretta
  By Bobbyz26420 - April 2 - 1:36 pm

  I owned my 1996 Beretta Z26 model for about 7 months. It was a great car, real sharp and it raced decently, (once beating a 2000 Camaro). She ran beautifully for the first three months, but after that I started having oil pressure problems. I ended up having to replace the radiator, ignition switch, engine timing chain set, water pump, belt tensioner, and an oil sending unit, totaling out to a whopping 1350 just for parts, not including labor. I finally decided to give up on her when the engine bearings and rods ended up wearing out to where the engine needed replacing, and the transmission was already slipping and a belt was rubbing off in the transmission oil. Great car, doesnt last long.

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  Car has issues - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Cal - April 2 - 9:52 am

  I must say the car drove and performed nice when new.I have the 2.2 4cyl. And must say this motor for the size out performs most V6 engines I have had. Chev made one powerful little engine with excellent fuel economy.

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  Low cost commute - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Texas Commuter - April 2 - 9:12 am

  I bought this car for $9k in 2005 with only 10k miles on it. I have a 20 mile commute, half highway half city. I get around 32 hwy and 30 average. It started missing in year 3 but new plugs fixed the problem. Also a sensor on the brake pedal broke and would not shift into gear. At 80k replaced the timing belt and water pump at the same time. Ran great. At 137k now it needs some engine repairs. Waiting to hear on cost.

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  Like a Rock - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Tyrone - April 1 - 9:18 pm

  Ive put 109,000 miles on this truck in 30 months only having to replace an evap sensor at about 65.00. The ride is superb. My family actually looks forward to trips in this vehicle. I always liked the Av, but didnt buy the earlier model because of the plastic body cladding. When we wear this one out will definitely by another.