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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  Good basic car = LS - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By swhite - January 29 - 10:20 am

  I drove my Impala LS for two years as company car before buying. It hasnt ever needed mechanical repair. At higher mileages, i do "hear rattling" or something. The tires do wear unevenly which may be the rattling. Otherwise its a great car and easy decision to purchase for my personal use after being company car.

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  New car - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By St Helens Matt - January 28 - 11:58 pm

  I am getting 35 MPG and the cabin is quite. Best of all, I got it brand new for $10,000.

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  Think Twice Before Buying - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By my 2nd malibu - January 28 - 7:52 pm

  I have owned my malibu for approx. three years. I was very disappointed at the fact that I have had my car in the shop for the same problem three times with service techs not knowing what was wrong with the car. I have also had to replace every single exterior light on my car, even the L.E.D. break light that was supposed to never go out. Its sad to say that the previous malibu I owned a 99 model has never had any problems and continues to run great.

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  10 pretty good years - 1995 Chevrolet Astro
  By dad_the_fixer - January 28 - 6:53 pm

  This has been the family truckster for the past 10 years and 90K miles, and has pulled a camper 1/2 across the country, and has hauled the family on many long (13 hour drive) trips. Only let us down twice - once for a fuel pump (managed to get it going, no tow needed) and once with a cooling system blowout. Now, at 200K miles, its got headgasket problems (maybe its had those for a while now) ready to retire it.

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  Great look sucky engine - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By sammy_jo08 - January 27 - 10:15 pm

  I bought my nox almost 8 months ago. How its not running at all. I bout it with 50k miles, I have never beat my car nor let the antifreeze go low, some how a headgasket is broke. That after it wouldnt start. We replaced the battery and the starter. The starter was smoking so we thought it would be that, nope. So the headgasket is supposedly broke. I hope we get that fixed and its perfect. Also the seats do stain really easy. I bought seat covers the first week I owned it

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  Try and top it! - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Randall - January 27 - 9:01 pm

  I purchased this Z71 4WD Avalanche new and have enjoyed excellent reliability. It has always run flawlessly. I usually trade every couple of years due to boredom or a more desirable rig, but I havent been able to find anything that compares to the ride, performance, and awesome design. People are amazed at how much room it has with the bed fully extended. More than a long bed pickup! I highly recommend the Avalanche to anyone looking for a great all around truck.

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  Electrical PROBLEM!!! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Ashmar - January 27 - 5:21 pm

  I bought a 2002 in February 2009, and by May I had to put 1,500 in it towards a whole new electrical system! It started doing strange electrical things and got to where I could turn the key over but it wouldnt start. It had nothing to do with the battery. We took it to a GM dealership to have it fixed. Well its been 7 mths and were back to where we started 1,500 dollars ago!This is ridiculous and unfair to the customers! Where is the customer loyalty???

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  NOT a Good Car - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By zer - January 27 - 4:07 pm

  On a quick test drive its difficult to see all the flaws, but, this car is an awful drive. Its difficult to stear and maneuver. There is no visibilty in the rear sides and front corners. Gas mileage is poor at best. My car is new and I average about 20 mpg with 80% highway driving. The trunk is the worst design! So anyone can break a front window and pop the trunk open with the drivers side button. The compartment design is also awful! Its a very large at first glance until you try to put luggage in there. The compartment is long and goes far back, but there is no depth to it, so, luggage gets stuck right near the opening.... All in all this car is very frustrating.. I feel very misled for the $

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  awesome lil 4 cyl car - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Eli - January 27 - 3:49 pm

  I absolutely love this car (2.2L) it has manual options,cloth seats,4 doors car is great on gas mileage, very comfortable, fun to drive... its got 138 *** miles i replaced the alternator-battery at 136000 which i think is not bad after owning this car for 9 years... and it can get 38 mpg on the Hwy

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  Typical GM: Solid, but under-rated. - 1996 Chevrolet Corsica
  By Olive - January 27 - 7:57 am

  Had this Corsi for 16 years now, and not once has it been to the shop for anything more than an alternator. Its a typical Chevy of the mid-eighties/nineties: an inexpensive vehicle for the masses with pretty solid build construction, marred by poor quality control. But considering how much more I would have paid for an equivalent Honda or Toyota, this was a good value. I spend pennies on repair, not hundreds. I agree with others that the paint is awful, but in my case, the clearcoat is whats messed up. It has swirls and water spots even when dry. Cheap ABS plastic knobs keep breaking and falling off. The interior fabric is also chintzy, but isnt that why they make seat covers...