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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  255,000 miles and still going - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Bren - November 21 - 12:40 am

  Would you believe I have 255,000 miles on my Camaro with no major mechanical problems so far? Always thought that would be a volvo or saab, not a chevy. Ive been very pleased with my cars longevity just goes to show you what consistent oil changes do for you and good workmanship.

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  brand new - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By east - November 19 - 10:00 am

  Great styling, satisfactory handling

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  Needs Updating - 2001 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Jay - November 19 - 6:39 am

  Live in Upstate NY. Travel a lot for work. Vehicle handles great, good power, parks easy in the city, rides comfortable on long trips. Engine and transmission are flawless. Awesome offroad and towing. Heres the problem...I have had to replace numerous accessory items at high parts prices. Recent parts only expenses: Lower steering arm $400, AC compressor $520, Radiator hoses $38 each, calipers $530 per set. This all happened between 46k and 52k miles. Im not getting scammed by repair men, I am a DIY type guy, and these items DID fail. For its size it could get better mileage, 18-20 with minimal passengers or cargo. Id like to keep it but am afraid of what will break next and at what cost.

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  I like it! - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By T Bear - November 18 - 9:36 pm

  My Venture is a very good van. Except for the power side door I have NO complaints. I have 85,000 miles and it just passed smog with flying colors. It has never broken down. The power sliding door does not work anymore even thou about $2500 of work has gone into it. I have replaced the belt, brakes and battery and 1 relay to the driver door. And one hose to the AC. But most of it was under warranty. I even was hit by a school bus to the front of the van. And nothing happened! I bought a new Mazda MPV 04 and it performs better but lacks alot of features the Chevy has.

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  A decent if not ordinary vehicle - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Josh Lymon - November 17 - 7:38 pm

  After putting about 2000 mi on this model, I am generally very pleased with it. The high speed handling is competent, and it feels good behind the wheel. on a recent 600 mi trip on the interstate, I got 34 mpg. Around town I am getting 26-28. It has all the room I need, takes washboard and bumpy roads with grace, and has an overall decent feel. I come from a Toyota/Honda history, so I was very pleasantly surprised the Aveo was so nice. I dont like the fact I cant see the end of the hood or even behind. Im a lousy parallel parker, and these factors dont help. Im disappointed the rear has a blind spot. I would recommend this model to anybody interested in economy without investing a lot

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  Its The Best "C" car out there - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Matthew - November 16 - 11:26 pm

  Totally average, it looks like a Honda or a Toyota but for half the cost. Drives very well, cornering with stock tires is excellent, and getting in and out of the vehicle is a snap. The problem is in the false fuel economy reports for this car. The average is nowhere near 30 miles per gallon, its about 24. In the city, the computer constantly showed about 16.5 miles per gallon. For a four cylinder???? How is this possible! I didnt get on it very much, just your average driver, and I could not get above 17 miles per gallon. The EPA fuel economy estimates are WAY off. On the freeway, its advertised as getting 36 MPG or better, but in REALITY (theres that word again), I was getting about 28 miles per gallon. For a four cylinder car, this is supposed to be an economy car, it is totally inexcusable. What I really disliked about my Cruze was the rapid devaluation; the value was going down by the week much faster than my payments, so that if I would have kept it, I would have paid $32,000 for a car that would be worth only $3,500 at the end of the payments. Totally unacceptable. I had to get rid of it. And being as this is a first car for many new, young car buyers, the insurance costs were much higher than normal--right up there with the Camaro and Ford Mustang. Ownership costs for this average car are ridiculous. But it was fun to drive and had a very quiet ride with a great stereo system.

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  1994 Z24 Convertible - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By mike hrabovsky - November 16 - 6:33 pm

  When I first saw the Z24 convertibles in the late 80s I wanted one but did not get one. Bought a beautiful 94 teal z24 convertible in summer of 96. I just love the style and looks of this car. Looks like a muscle car. Hood scoops, rear spoiler, and sporty looking wheels. Car has "guts" can get up to 80-90 mph in a hurry and holds the road real well. Have had now for 8 years and not too much trouble except for a goofy knack for blowing fuses on the power top, horn and door luck fuse (one fuse). Had the car checked by two mechanics and they had no explanation, but recommended I put in a circuit breaker fuse instead of a regular one and it has worked fine since. New top after 7 yrs old.

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  Nice Car - 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
  By ShawnInWA - November 16 - 5:09 am

  I bought this car in Sept. 05, nice clean car good on reliability. Had to replace rotors, brakes, water pump, accelorator sensor soo far...Over all car drives nice and handles great. Bad idea on cup holder position! But it works....Car currently has 155,400 miles.

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  Love a Chevy Blazer - 2005 Chevrolet Blazer
  By James - November 16 - 5:05 am

  I traded a brand new 500 mile Toyota Celica on a used Blazer... its the xtreme package, I havent ever regreted it, comfortable... very reliable, and honestly very safe. I have been rear ended twice once at around 10 mph the second time at around 25 mph, not significant damage to my Blazer. The motor like all of Chevys are easily fixed, and most people can do it themselves with a good manual (unlike Toyota)... Overall they are not the fastest SUVs but they ride nice, few problems, no recalls on them! I think they are good vehicles for young adults who need something safe that looks nice, and they can dabble with... worked for me!

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  Very Pleased! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Dave - November 15 - 9:50 pm

  We have three children 6, 16, and 17 yrs old, two of which have long legs! We searched over for something to accomodate our family with size, price,and a great look without feeling like we were driving around in a bus! Equinox was the answer, and we are considering buying a second. Very pleased with our choice.