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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  4X4 Blazer owners UNITE! - 1994 Chevrolet Blazer
  By bulabula - June 30 - 10:28 am

  Wow, simply an amazing truck. I have had mine for about a year now and its the best truck I have had yet. Although the 5.7 does use a bit too much gas, it still does great for what I need it to do. It has no problem pulling either. I haul 2000 square foot hardwood floors which are very heavy and it drives like theres nothing behind me. I also do some off roading with the addition of 285/75/R16 Goodyear tires it still gets the average to poor gas mileage but it does great off road or in the mud. All in all I would say this is by far the greatest truck I have owned. All it takes is care. Change the oil and check the engine regularly and this truck is good for 200,000 miles easy.

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  Disappointed - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Pedro - June 28 - 10:08 pm

  I live in South Florida and had a black 99 C5 which I traded for this silver coupe with paddle shift, onstar, heads up display navigation and the Z51 racing package. The car gets lots of looks and has great accelerating power. One of the reasons for trading my old C5 was the top which at times leaked during very strong thunderstorms but to my surprise driving my new 2006 vette on the Florida Turnpike at high speed my roof peeled off and I was very lucky the roof flew high and swerved right into a ditch without hurting any of the drivers behind me. It is a shame that in a 56k dollars automobile we find such a poor quality. I will trade this vehicle primarily for safety reasons.

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  I couldnt afford it. - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Rhonda W - June 28 - 8:59 pm

  I loved this car. It had enough room for my family of 5 plus a little more. In December 2002, the transmission went out for the first of three times. It was under warranty the first time, but not the other two times. The rear air conditioner had problems as well. On two different occasions it had to be repaired. After the third transmission failure in August 2005, I fixed it and traded it. I miss the car, but I had spent over $4,000 in repair and maintenance costs in the 15 mos following the expiration of my warranty. I just couldnt afford it anymore.

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  I love my little car - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By My Aveo rocks* - June 28 - 7:49 am

  I did quite a bit of reseach before buying this car. I test drove literally 13 different cars of all competitors. I found this car to be the best of them all. I am a 6 tall guy, and I felt the least cramped in this car of them all! A lot of my freinds ragged on me for buying such a small car, especially since I could afford a lot bigger car, but after I took them for a ride, they were believers! This car is huge on the inside, can fit a ton in the trunk. After driving it for a few months, I do have a couple of complaints, but just minor. 1) Needs a center arm rest 2) Can be a beast to handle in high winds. Overall this is a great car, and Ive driven a few, I reccomend!

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  Better than you think! - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By ss - June 28 - 5:19 am

  This car has been all over the US since bought. It has carried more than 25 cases of vegetables from a case sale without complaint and with minimal impact on its gas mileage, In Summer! It isnt the prettiest car. I call it "TC" which is short for Tin Can. But for solid, reliable, cheap transportation, you flat out cannot beat it!

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  Jonathons trooper - 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Jonathon - June 28 - 2:04 am

  The 93 cavalier RS convertible was my first car. I got this car when it had 193000 miles! For a car that has this many miles its been a good car! I have only put 3000 mile on it since Ive got it with only minor work done!

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  MPG, not what I expected - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Free4 - June 27 - 10:13 pm

  I bought this car for the gas mileage so far not what I expected 21 mpg, maybe after it breaks in it will improve. For some reason I find when hitting the brakes it will pulsate at times,( No ABS )will take back to dealer for check. The car rides very good otherwise.

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  Extremely Reliable - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Tim in SLC - June 27 - 5:42 pm

  I bought this car when it was one year old and had 10,000 miles on it. It now has 117,000 miles onit. It has been a real workhorse. Ive been extremely pleased with its performance and reliability. Ive had no major repairs -- only normal wear items like brakes, batteries, alternators and tires. I wish every car I bought was as dependable as this car has been. Unfortunately, the car was totaled yesterday when a pickup truck ran a red light and smashed the front end. Im in mourning for my great little red Cavalier.

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  Nice Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Steve - June 27 - 9:26 am

  This is a nice, quite functional vehicle with lots of 1st class features. I did have trouble with the tailgate lock that took 3 or 4 trips to the dealer to get properly repaired.

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  2004 tracker is a great little SUV - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By shming007 - June 25 - 12:51 pm

  The Chevy Tracker ZR2 is the best vehicle I have ever had. I have never slipped a tire in the snow and ice even when other vehicles around me are slidding everywhere. When I put my foot on the accelerator I can get out of any situation.