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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  Best car Ive ever owned - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Larry - February 8 - 7:20 pm

  Im 78 an owned many cars in my lifetime. This is the best handling car ever. I love the tracking, all the mechanical and innovative features, especially the remote start in the winter and in the summer. It heats the car quickly in wintertime and cools it down in the hot summer days as well. The wide opening doors were helpful in the back to assist my wife (who had alzheimers) to get in the car. Just a great car!

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  I Love My Cavy! - 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By luvmycavy - February 8 - 6:52 pm

  Really fun to drive. Not very reliable though.Cramped with many people in the car but perfect just for me. Needs more horsepower. Perfect first car. LOVE IT!

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  Scared SS Owner - 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Scared Chevy Owner - February 7 - 10:00 am

  I loved the car when I drove it, but during the first month the HVAC head had to be replced for a light bulb out, the radio had to be replaced because it would not connect to the message center and the car alarm goes off if the trunk is opened with the key. Sometimes the doors lock automatically, sometimes they dont. All this at 32,000 miles. Whats next?

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  Chevy - 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Joel - February 7 - 12:59 am

  Its not fast but gas mileage is probably even better than it should be. Bought car private party from original owner. 36k original miles! A lot of plastic in the interior but its not supposed to be a luxury car. This Chevy handles well and I would recommend it for anyone with a piggybank and a drivers license.

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  Great Sportster - 2005 Chevrolet SSR
  By Dennis - February 6 - 10:43 pm

  I got mine in silver with all options. Has been simply great--the towing is great for a tandem waverunner combo. Wish it were quicker off the line. The weight plays a part--more power always a plus. Cant see what else would give me as much fun towing two waverunners down a two-lane road on the way to a lake!

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  Surprise! Great gas mileage - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By KimWithTwins - February 6 - 7:08 pm

  Everyone I talk to groans when they think of a Suburban and the gas it must use. Well, I want to set the record straight that I get 17-20 mpg, and most of the time 18mpg. Im an at- home Mom, and my driving is a combo of freeway and side streets. Its been super reliable, and my dealer threw in free oil changes for life, which I love.

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  Id buy another - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Chris - February 6 - 3:42 pm

  The only problems with the 01 LS were related to a set of bad tires. She runs nicely, adequate power even as she approaches 100K miles. Lots of room on the interior and big trunk make it a nice family vehicle. If I were going to buy another American car, I would definitely go with another Impala.

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  Worthless after 200,000 km - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By B MacAvelia - February 6 - 3:14 pm

  Not bad if you dont drive much. Lego kit used to put interior together. Leaking manifold gasket, coolant problems, gas gauge either full or low, poor lighting for night driving, electrical problems constant pwr.windows, pwr. door locks, oil light reset is difficult to reset, and when it reaches 200,000 km its scrap metal. AC/heater problems only worked on high. Removable seats are too heavy and are not that easy to remove or put back into place. Money pit in almost every way. Very poor value for the price.

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  Love her but hate her at times - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Bad Girl - February 6 - 4:00 am

  Bought my Monte new, and overall this has been a good car. It still looks great and can intimidate on the road, even though V6. Love the Monte Carlo distinct style, that is what sold my on it originally. Fun to drive but it has had more that its share of repair issues that were aggravating. Heated seats went 2 times, costly to repair, converter replaced 2 times, computer electrical issues, costly. The transmission had had to be replaced. Also issue with front wheel bearings and the traction system and ABS some type of wire connection issue with that, poor design. Steering column issue too. If it did not have so many mechanical issues I would have been a repeat buyer.

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  Good for the Price - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By K Chandler - February 6 - 3:46 am

  This is a nice, cheap alternative to a very small SUV. Good gas mileage, cheap insurance, and room to store stuff when you fold down the seat. I did have to take back to the dealer to get work done on brake rotors at only 5000 miles though, seems fine now. The gearing in the automatic is very high though, so it seems a bit sluggish unless you really punch the gas, but when you do the engine gets very noisy at high RPMs, much more so than many other 4 cylinder cars out there. This car woudl really benefit from a 5 speed automatic. Great car for the money though, as long as you dont expect the highest refinement or a silky smooth engine for the price.