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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  Great car, reliable as ever! - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Jeff Michaels - January 30 - 4:15 am

  I own a 1998 Lumina sedan and it has been in my family since it was brand new. It is holding up nicely! It now has 180,000 miles on it and still starts right up and drives smoothly! Exterior is still in great condition as well. No major problems have occured yet with it, this whole time! Just the minor, cheap routine repairs. This 3.1L V6 is awesome. Too bad Chevy quit assembling the 1995-2000 generation of Montes and Luminas.

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  Only one major problem - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By rtonon - January 30 - 12:02 am

  I had an F150 before the Avalanche. The Avalanches ride and quietness rivals that of a quality sedan. Bose stereo is incredible. Love the midgate and what it allows you to do. No other truck can do what this truck does. Ive used this feature several times and am glad I had this vehicle. A negative would be having to move the fronts seats foward to allow the rear seat to fold down to fully lower the midgate. A removable rear seat headrest would solve the problem. I now have 71000 miles and have yet to do anything but normal oil changes. Brakes are original still. Still love the truck

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  Gonna keep it! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By madrileno - January 29 - 4:15 pm

  So far so good. I average 5000 miles a year. Only one safety recall for the seat belt clip. I thought the mileage would be better for a small car but the automatic transmission has held mine back. This is a great car for getting around town and for training my teenager. She will get it one day since based on edmunds value of this car I owe more than it is worth but with no down payment thats OK.

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  Thinks its a muscle care! - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By JohnTrips - January 29 - 4:09 am

  I found this car as a trade on a backlot, with 80k miles. It was cherry, and has treated me very well. Like any car, you better take care of it though (fluids, oil) if you want it to last. Does tend to run hot by design but you can add an electric thermostat to fan relay to turn on fan earlyer. A little common sense will keep the v6 running perfect to 200k miles no sweat! competitve gas mileage,well built powertrain, INCREDIBLE handling, plus enjoyable power (and exhaust rumble) Get the 5 speed! This makes a great first car for your teenager, good to work on at mome plus with a few performance mods will make this a REAL head turner. Great crash ratings too

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  Enjoyable - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By imp8020 - January 29 - 2:00 am

  My Impala is a pleasure to drive. Ive had 5 people in the LS w/ plenty of room. It has a decent ride, but could be a lil softer w/ those nice expansion joints on highways. It has nice "get up and go" power, as well as ample passing power. I have taken the car on trips to Ohio from MD, and get great gas mileage. And very little discomfort after a 3-4hr drive. Overall, Im very satisfied w/ the vehicle. With the price, you cant kick all the extras you get.

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  poor mpg - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By fjvargas - January 29 - 2:00 am

  My truck says the estimated mileage is 15 city / 21 hwy I drive normal and my mpg highway is 16 mpg and city 12 this has been my worst truck in fuel consumption, you can even see a dirty black tailpipe, dealer says, if it does not show codes it is fine it drives great and I like it except the mpg and no dic switch for a Lt I guess as not to scare us for the estimated mileage it was going to show honestly, if I had known of this poor mpg I would still be buying ford trucks, they always gave about 19 to 23 mpg my wife love it and at the same time hate it because it didnt came with running boards like all my other Fords other than that it is a great truck with poor mpg

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  Nice truck - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jpb - January 29 - 12:56 am

  Purchased TB to replace an 02 Explorer (first and absolutely last Ford). Pleasure to drive, good performance, good reliability. Lots of wind noise. Not much storage up front. Seats could fold down easier with more room (they hit the front seats). Seat belts arent the most comfortable, and hard to reach. Love the heated leather, stereo, sunroof, driver info center. Gas mileage could be better. Cup holder locations arent very convenient. Great ride, though, and Chevy reliability is the best, especially after owning a Ford.

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  Reliable! - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By P Fields - January 28 - 10:25 pm

  We purchased this vechile new and now have 80,000+ miles on it. Very reliable. Only repairs have been replacing bulbs (seems often). Expect to get another 100,000 out of it. Great to tow with.

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  Found my vehicle - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By John - January 27 - 11:53 pm

  Traveling down the road in an all- wheel drive Honda Pilot, I was amazed at how poorly it handled in 6 inches of snow. After I got stuck on a hill, I put the Pilot in low gear, pushed a button to lock the rear differential, and again I amazed. But this time it was how easily the Pilot freed itself and was able to move down the road. Living in the mountains of Colorado, this little test proved that I needed something better than all-wheel drive. One of the things that sold me on the 2006 Chevy Trailblazer was its automatic locking rear differential.

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  Just bought it! - 1999 Chevrolet Metro
  By TiJon - January 27 - 11:18 pm

  I just purchased a 1999 Chevy Metro LSi 2-dr hatchback, it had 97400 miles on it at purchase. I got it because I needed a car that gets good gas mileage. So far, I am averaging 32.5 mpg. I have had to put in some work into it (i.e. tune up). For the mileage it has on it, the body & interior are in good shape no rust & a few dings. I got what I expected to buy for $3000 USD. I will keep track and update this site.