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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  It works well - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By yasth - May 9 - 11:23 pm

  Rather nice car really, there are some glaring if rarely dealt with design problems (the rear sunscreen system is scary, as are a few areas fingers rarely go. Lots of pickup all things considered, if you floor it you will find all the acceleration you need. The automatic isnt great at times, sometimes sticking to too low a gear. I get consistently better then the EPA gas mileage as long as A/C is off. Explaining how to work the back seats fold down/recline function is comical, but it is more that people dont expect such a "front seat" thing then anything wrong. Overall, I am happy so far, it rides, and handles well (though new tires are boon). On smooth roads it is shockingly quiet.

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  a real mom-mobile - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Steve McFerron - May 9 - 2:00 am

  What a disappointment. Its like driving grannies Sunday to church wagon. Sounds like a diesel at idle. My 85 and 91 will run circles around it. I think most buyers rave about it because they are too embarrased to admit that the new Corvette is a mere shadow of its former self. We have been brainwashed by the tight squishy plastic Japanese cars. Give me the Corvette roar and rattles. Its like moving from a Harley to a Honda. Im depressed.

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  A great car - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Mattiez - May 8 - 10:56 pm

  i bought one and its a pretty good car. Gets great gas mileage and has plenty of torque for a 4cylinder. The radio is not that great, but its really easy to install one. Any of the parts Ive had to have replaced on it werent that expensive. Overall its a great car and if you come across one with low miles, get it. I bought mine and it only had 50,000 miles on it and now it has 80,000 and it has held together well.

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  LS AWD EQUINOX - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By k.r. - May 8 - 5:06 am

  This is my first SUV and Ive done extensive research prior to buying. I love this SUV. It handles like a car. I can see clearly in the front and the back. The front seat does amazing things, and with my children its perfect. Chevy definitely hit it right on target with this truck. The only thing I dont like is the gas mileage.

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  $13500 Extended Cab, Best deal ever! - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By taohk - May 8 - 1:13 am

  I purchased the truck on Jan 5th, 09. Last day of the Red tag price. It has the heavy duty chrome grille with chrome mesh, chrome mirror caps, wheels, door and tailgate handles, carpet with all weather floor mat, cargo management system, window and bug deflector, plus deep tinted glasses and a color matched OEM hard Tonneau cover which made by fiberglass. All the chrome makes the truck looks really sharp. The manager accepted my $15000 offer, then I used $1500 GM cash to bring the price down to $13500. The MSRP was over $26000 included Tonneau cover. The truck is nice, but it would nicer if it has a V8. My co-workers didnt believe the price until they see the receipt. Overall, I am satisfied

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  Good first model, needs some tweaking - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Surgecows - May 7 - 2:36 am

  I didnt know much about the Cobalt before looking at it, but I read up on reviews and such. Basically it sounded like a reliable car because its an updated version of the Cavalier, so it didnt seem like a gamble of a first model car since its an update on another model. Overall I really like the Cobalt LS coupe. Its reliable and seems like its going to last for a good amount of time. The design is nice but could use a little updating to compete better with foreign cars. Only general complaints are the bad blind spots due to small rear windows and poor interior lighting and the fairly cheap plastic interior.

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  1998 ZR2 - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By jbl_forever - May 5 - 2:21 pm

  This vehicle is very fun to drive and the look of it is very appealing. I have owned this vehicle for one year and have put over $2500 in repairs. The guy before me must have not taken care of it. I didnt go more than two months without something going wrong. I was at the repair shop frequently. Although it caused me some headaches, I would defintely own another ZR2 and they are worth the money, as long as you take care of it.

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  Love this car! - 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
  By MakeMineGM - May 5 - 12:13 am

  I bought this car to drive in the winter. It had 106K on it. Look around - these cars are everywhere! It gets good mileage (about 25 mpg on my last trip traveling an average of 75 mph). Its not a sports car but the suspension is firm enough for a full size sedan. Problems: The A/C is not working, I have a bad sensor for the ABS and the front seat is worn out (heavy previous owner?) - nothing major. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives this car the highest rating in the offset crash test. How could I go wrong for $1550?

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  2004 Chevy Aveo LS Hatchback - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Jody Lee - May 4 - 10:00 am

  really fun car to drive. interior controls are layed out exceptionally well. very easy to see out of. would make a great car for a young driver.

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  2002 SS - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By David - May 2 - 6:55 pm

  This car is an absolute blast to drive. People dont believe it runs 13.3 sec 1/4 mi stock. There still isnt a car available with this kind of power for less than $30K. It isnt for the faint of heart. The stock brake rotors warp every 10K miles. The build quality was low and it showed in several trips to the dealership to replace cracked/warped interior pieces. The glass and paint are soft and chip easily. The unibody flexes causing several rattles and squeaks. The right catalytic converter sits just in front of the passenger seat making it quite uncomfortable for some riders. Take a test ride as well as a drive. It has never failed to get me where Im going however.