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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  AK - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By ak - October 6 - 10:47 am

  When I first looked at it and drove it at the dealership I thought it would be perfect for my first car. Then I took it home and started driving it and find that my fuel guage doesnt work, I have a computer problem, and my sway bar is going out!

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  not that bad - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Ryan - October 5 - 8:07 am

  We have had a lot of little things go wrong with the Blazer, but overall we have been pleased. The side mirrors shake a lot on the highway. The fuel consumption is heavy. It is a fun ride though.

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  Aveo = Affordability, Economy. - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Spikeymikey - October 4 - 11:54 am

  Not a great looking ride, nothing to show off or be proud of. But if you want a new car with payments that are easy to make, great gas mileage, and not a fortune to insure, this car is great. No complaints

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  Really Good Basic Transport - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By analyzerlx - October 3 - 11:39 pm

  Ive driven this Cavalier from Vegas to Baltimore, MD. back to Vegas and then to Georgia. Its been everywhere in-between. Ive used it as a pizza delivery car! I think GM did right with this engine and body style. I wish the fit-and-finish were up to Asian and Euro standards, but you get what you pay for I guess. I like the Cobalt, but think the Cavalier has a better look. Cavalier may have been a checkered ast, but it still is one of Chevys best selling cars ever! Cobalt should be renamed Cavalier to keep the legacy alive. I bought my car as a standard 4-door sedan w/o all the bells and whistles inside. Ive had to replace the trunk latch. Overall a great American car!

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  Uplander LT - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By John S - September 30 - 7:03 pm

  Wasnt too thrilled with roof rail, thought it was like roofrack where you could put things on roof. Also do not like not having key lock tailgate. Am also not happy with advertised fuel economy, advertised 24/18, more like 19/15 ordered trailering package, only received wiring harness, no trailer hitch installed

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  Mr Beach - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Douglas Beach - September 29 - 7:23 pm

  Comfort and interior appointments are great. Mileage was excellent and approached advertised rate for the first 40 to 50,000 miles but have dropped to around 15 around town and 26 on the road. Very satisfied with overall performance. No trouble and only been back to the dealer for minor callbacks.

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  Cute, cute, cute!! - 2001 Chevrolet Metro
  By kamoten - September 29 - 3:28 pm

  We bought this little car used for our son who goes to college 45 miles from home (90 miles daily in our van was killing us on gas!). It gets between 32 and 38 mpg, so we are very happy with it. It is compact enough to park anywhere (great advantage on a college campus), it is cute enough that our son is not embarassed to drive it, and it has enough safety features to please us as parents (dual airbags!). We changed the factory cassette player/stereo for a CD changer stereo and our son is very happy. I comment on how cute the car is every time he pulls out of the driveway! Were very happy with our purchase. The dealer gave us top dollar for our van and we got a great little car in return.

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  Almost Perfection - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By John Barth - September 29 - 1:21 pm

  I got my Z71 Tahoe in December of 2004 and I love it. I wanted that car for several years and I finally talked my parents into getting it for me before I left for college. Before my Tahoe I had a Jeep Wrangler, which was fun, but I wanted a better car. Since Ive gotten it I receive at least one compliment a day on my car. I love it. The only other thing I want to say is I wish it had better fuel economy and I hope you try to keep the tradition Tahoe look in the new 2007 models, I wouldnt want Tahoes to become futuristic looking like most cars do today.

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  Great Deal - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Dan - September 27 - 11:52 pm

  Purchased this vehicle in March of 2005 as new with full warrenty. Dealer sold for $14,000 with sticker of $23,000. Unfortunately we had to accept it with only the std options that it came with. After 10,000 miles no problems. Cant wait to try out the 4x4 in Michigan winters.

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  2005 Chevy Aveo LS Hatch - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Steve - September 27 - 5:37 pm

  Small size, price, and fuel economy were driving factors as a replacement commuter pod with versatile storage. The 5-speed transmission has a little slack in shifting. The engine delivers 70-mph at 3000rpm in 5th gear. Mileage did not clear 31MPG after 5K miles. The passenger compartment is roomy and the console intuitive. The radio/CD runs surprisingly hot - I wouldnt leave a CD in for more than 90 minutes. The hatch area (manual independent lock) is not deep but can accomodate storage in laundry basket modules. The rear seat fold-down space works easily but the seats do not recess and they cause a 6" step up for the storage floor. Nice profile.