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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  Car is Junk - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Shawn - July 6 - 2:44 pm

  Bought car second hand, still under warranty.It refuses to start (wont turn over) about twice per month (passlock issue). Very very annoying. Have to wait 15 minutes, flick door locks, and car will start. Head gaskets failed at 40,000 miles. Rocker arm stud pulled out of head a year ago, just happened again last week. GM used weak aluminum heads. The steering clunks, another GM defect. Body control module has been replaced twice. Lots of other problems as well. Last GM car for me.

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  Like it but I dont love it - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Daphne - July 6 - 2:16 pm

  I recently purchased my certified 2009 Traverse. I am already thinking its time to unload the truck. I think I need to purchase a 2010. The truck is making a whining noise that sounds like the power steering. I also noticed that the brakes tried to lock up this weekend. Last but not least, the dealership has inspected my car 2xs already. Today, will be the third time. This is costing me time and money. I havent received my tags yet and the 30 day tags they issued expire tomorrow. I think its time to stop being nice. I do like the ride, the room and Im proud to drive and American made vehicle.

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  Hater - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Hate it - July 3 - 3:23 pm

  This van is the biggest piece of junk. At 77,000 the ABS light is ALWAYS on. The transmission now feels like it is slipping. The suspension is always making a bunch of noises. The van is constantly rattling inside too. Cant trade it in..owe too much money on it!

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  Nice but - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Silver - July 2 - 11:53 pm

  I like the suburban, but the newly designed 4/8 cylinder gets worse mileage than my 2003 -HUH? The FACT that is drinks oil (but not enough for GM to care is rather disappointing to say the least. The tailgate does NOT open when the temps dip to sub zero (Minnesota)

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  Nice at first - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By fast driver - July 1 - 5:43 pm

  Bought the car brand new in 2008, drove great up until now. Check engine light wont go off, it jerks for no reason, cd player stopped working yesterday. It is very light so if its windy you wont be going over 60 while listening to whistling on the highway. It makes a popping sound when warming up and the trade in value is horrible. If youre looking for something thats NOT your only means of transportation then this is it. When i start to get the letters in I will be trading mine.

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  It is what it is - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By That guy - July 1 - 9:23 am

  I have a 90 mile a day round trip commute and bought this when gas was over$4 a gal. This is an economy car. They only thing I like about it is that I am 62" 300 lbs and I fit into it fine. Otherwise this is a cheap car with cheap features. The factory alarm get buggy and goes off for no reason at times. Ive had no major problems but the tires are so small that there can be big problems when potholes are everywhere.

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  A headache - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Sal - June 30 - 4:19 pm

  Good for the first three years. Trouble w/ engine light . Will not pass inspection when light is on. Cant find out what the problem is. Tires keep needing air. Had two tires sealed twice. Now a third tire is going soft every month. Do not like the gas cap.

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  Uses Excessive Oil and Gas - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By CMcFarland - June 30 - 11:32 am

  I have had 3 other suburbans, but this is my last. First of all they misrepresented this car when they first started advertising it as better fuel economy with a new engine that went between 4-8 cylinders as it needed around 17 MPG town and 22 on HWY. Big LIE! The best I have ever gotten is 16 MPG on Highway. Normally get 12-14 in town. My 2002 Suburban did 17-19 at all times. When I took it back in to dealership for this, I was told they really didnt get any better than mine was getting. Also, around 50,000 miles it started burning oil, 1 quart per oil change. I now have 100,000 mile on it and it burns 1 quart for every 1000 miles. Big problems with this vehicle. Save your money

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  Too much road noise - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By sugar12 - June 28 - 9:56 am

  Too much road noise and the ride is not all that smooth. Not enough get up and go power.

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  Problems with steering - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Floyd Cassell - June 27 - 6:00 pm

  We bought our van used with 58000 km. Now it has about 94,000 km. It had a few little annoyances but nothing compared to now. As many of you have said, your steering is noisy and so is mine. I have a strange problem. It seems when it rains and the van is wet I cant even turn!! If Im holding down the brake and try to turn the van left it seizes up. I wait a second and slowly it loosens up and lets me steer? I also have a terrible grinding noise that comes from the rear. The brakes were just done and again when wet this noise comes back. Maybe we should try and trade it in? Any advice would be appreciated.