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:

• 

  Super fun to drive - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By scooter - January 31 - 1:17 pm

  This little car has definitely impressed me, its performance form acceleration to cornering to brake is incredible especially considering the rear axle is only a semi independent solid axle.I work on cars for a living and have done so for 20 years,the amount of power this engine produces for its size is amazing. Also amazing is the fuel economy, combined driving around 25mpg. I do not baby this car by any means and it still amazes me too get 33 mpg at 70mph on the highway. I highly recommend it,its not real cheap to own since tires are ultra hi performance and around $150 each and up.Its well worth it tho.

• 

  So Far, So Good - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Justin P - January 31 - 10:11 am

  This is my second Tahoe purchased new and it does exactly what I need it to do. I have had to use the stability control and it does work. LT w/ autoride is great. This SUV is now 5 years old and everything still works. It may not get 25+ mpg but look at the thing. Its a big SUV with a big engine. The transmission seems to know exactly when to shift and is holding up well with maintenance. I still love it.

• 

  15 years and still new - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Edgar - January 31 - 9:28 am

  I inherited my 1995 Lumina in 2001 with 4k to 5k on the odometer. The Good. No interior rattles, all power accessories work well, and now with 72,000 miles the engine still runs like new. Smooth ride and tranny. Feels safe. The Bad. It is not the most reliable of vehicles. At just 10000 miles or so i had a leaking intake gasket manifold that cost $800 to fix. minor things such as the power door locks breaking, the AC not working, brakes warping, needing a new ball joint, and fuel injectors needed cleaning. The seats are not very ergonomic and feels like i am sitting in an old catchers mitt. Overall...the engine has adequate performance for freeway merging and makes for a tolerable commute.

• 

  2004 Venture - 2004 Chevrolet Venture
  By Bob - January 30 - 10:55 pm

  Great reliability over the last 5 years. Handling is good for a minivan. Road noise is minimal.

• 

  You get what you pay for... - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By darren - January 30 - 6:51 pm

  I have had this car for about a year and I do highway commuting. I have already put 50000km on the car, 90% of which are highway. I am not a hard driver. I get up to speed set the curse and go. All the maintenance has been done by certified GM techs. In 50000km... I have have a knocking sound in my steering when I turn right. My transmission is slipping in and out of fourth. The HOLD mode turns on randomly The car randomly down shifts The seals around the door leak I have had time where the car will not start The radio always reset itself The rear wiper was not receive fluid The check engine light came on because it detected a issue with an O2 sensor..

• 

  Love my Cobalt - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Walt L - January 30 - 6:45 pm

  I bought it new and have 50,000 miles. I went from a Sierra Pickup to a Cobalt. Its not a truck but great gas mileage and no problems other than a noisy fan at low speed.

• 

  Never Again! Rather buy a Yugo - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By rather buy a YUGO - January 30 - 3:14 pm

  It was our first new car.So excited until a month later. lights flicker was told that it was due to a smaller than recommended alternator. Wasnt the case computer problem.Brakes replaced at 23,000 check engine,tie rods hubs@28000 automatic slider wouldnt close at times had to disable,o2 sensor which causes the check engine light still not replaced not paying $200 for extended warranty work to get it fixed.brakes still vibrating ignition problems.

• 

  Second S10 I Shouldnt Have Bought - 1996 Chevrolet S-10
  By nomad - January 30 - 2:29 pm

  This is my second s10 and both have had a SEVERE lack of power, to the point where your leg hurts after going up any little hill. The 4 cylinder is known for this, but these were the 4.3 v6 models! The problem is with the prehistoric overhead valve design the GM still puts in nearly all the vehicles even though every other manufacturer has moved to overhead cam design. If the previous owner didnt change their oil every 2000 miles or sooner, the lifters will mess up by 100,000 miles and the only fix will be to pump $500 into the engine, or buy a new engine altogether.

• 

  A great little SUV - 2000 Chevrolet Tracker
  By dan - January 30 - 2:07 pm

  I have had a few of these and the 4 CYL engine is the way to go. The v-6 seems to have timing belt noise issues and does not hold up any near as long as the 4 cyl. These have no real towing ability and seem to eat front brakes. The body panels dent easily. The power steering rack and pinion also is known to leak. All in all it will go about anywhere and has ample heat and AC. I have seen the 4 cyl models with well over 180K miles on them with no issues. A safe bet for a used vehicle. It it hard to buy them at the market prices... these hold their value quite well.

• 

  Sporty Drive - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Patti - January 30 - 12:46 pm

  This is my third Tahoe and had a GMC Yukon before this one. I love it!