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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  TRAILBLAZER 101 - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Kemp Morris - January 27 - 6:46 pm

  I have put 60K on this truck.. it has never been in the shop for anything except the scheduled recalls. I have been off road 4x4 worked fine. This has been a great truck dependable. The key to these 4x4s is proper maitenence you must change your fluids.. I change all the fluids in the entire vehicle every 30k example rear diffs, transfer case, trans. etc (oil every 3500)and have used synthetic since day one. This has been a great vehicle. In comparison to everything in its class it has the best ride (smooth) of any of the SUV with solid rear axles

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  Not getting close to the mpg rating - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By poormpg - January 26 - 10:59 pm

  I have almost 3K miles on the car. I get between 24 and 28mpg. I do 85% highway driving. I am calculating this based on the amount of fuel used not the on board computer. This car will never see mpg in the 30s. I am taking it back a second time to the dealer for this issue. Either something is wrong with it or they need to be sued for lying about the mpg this car supposedly gets. I drive 100miles per day and the mpg is the only thing I care about in a car. I exchanged this for an Audi A4 quatrro which is much more fun to drive and gets better mpg... I got 28mpg with it doing the same commute. I owned the Jetta TDI before and may go back to it if I cant at least get into the 30s....

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  06 Chevy Aveo LS 5 Door...a must buy! - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Soul2Move - January 25 - 5:18 am

  I was looking for an econo car that would be priced right and perform like a champ I must confess I found it in my 06 Aveo LS...5sp man w/ 5doors..very roomy...very nice and quiet ride @75mph :) A lot better than the 93 Swift and 95 Honda Civic EX 2Door. I got it 1/22 and so far been shocked at what value this ride has been...in 5 years I hope to tell you more...but so far....a top notch car at a top notch price....I would recommend this car to anyone on a budget or anyone looking for a point A to point B w/o the stress of a Geo or a Suzuki on the freeway!!

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  Going strong... - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By boivinl - January 25 - 2:00 am

  12 000 miles. No problem at all! Fuel economy is rising...even in winter (very cold in Canada). Very cheap car (price) and lot of quality for it. Better handling, seats, interior and driving than my Toy Tercel 97 (some problems with this one...strange for a toyota) Lots of accessories from the dealer...go see it! mine is a Suzuki Swift+S... same thing in Canada (AVEO=SWIFT+)

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  04CLUNKER - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By pavermanter - January 25 - 2:00 am

  overall i really like this truck, i am alongtime ford man. the only thing keeping this truck from being a "10" is the "CLUNKING" shifts that is so popular GM trys to say this is normal, but we all know that is bologna!! They really should stand behind their 29,000 dollar vehicles!

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  Good car - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Ed - January 24 - 5:00 pm

  Only problems are door grip rattle, defroster noise, terrible tires Great on gas, fun to drive, more roomy than you would think, very comfortable for a small car, large trunk

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  Real world... - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By john1428 - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Havent owned it long enough for eval, but had one for 10 years and 140,000 trouble free miles, and this one is much better in initial quality. This is a great day-to-day commuter car, does a better job of providing real-world transportation than my last car, which cost $10,000 more. Outstanding deal with rebate, lots of car for the money, great looks.

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  Great engine - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By dmclem - January 24 - 10:00 am

  So far so good. Weve put 6,000 miles on it with no problems. Steering is a little soft leaving the driver wanting more road feedback. Build quality is good and frame is solid. The engine is powerful and responsive - it blows away the competition.

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  10 year slump - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By jax1202 - January 22 - 5:22 pm

  Well, the Blazer is now 10 years old, I have only had it for 2 of them, but with in the last year I have had to get : All new tires ($500.00) a new radiator system ($1,400.00). I also have put in new shocks,The piece to move the seat back and forward was broke long ago, ... I need a new brake system, as well as a intake manifold gauge. The gas mileage isnt as bad as I expected for having a SUV though.

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  My Impala SS Experience - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jeannette Yackel - January 21 - 11:05 pm

  I love my Impala SS. Ive had it for almost 2 years and it still runs like a charm. Ive had no problems whatsoever with it. It drives great in rain, sleet or snow. I feel safe driving it in any weather. My three children ages 7, 11, and 12 all fit comfortably in the back seat. My son is 56 and has plenty of leg room in the back. They dont even touch elbows! I especially like driving on the highway. This car sure has some "get up and go"! I never worry about playing "chicken" to pass a "Sunday driver". That engine kicks in and I always have plenty of time to pass when needed. Out of the 5 vehicles Ive owned in my life, my Impala SS is definitely my favorite!