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:

• 

  Used 2008-5 - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Steve - September 26 - 11:30 am

  Just bought a used Aveo 5 with 5speed. I earlier had bought a new intro Aveo in 2004. I was never quite happy with the mileage. I aso found the shifter really mushy and it really needed an armrest. Those issues are fixed in the 2008. I get 37+ on the highway (70-75mph) and the old one would only get 33 if you babied it at <65mph. The shifter is much improved, it now has an armrest an the handling is much tighter. I gave up A/C to get a cheap purchase price but havent missed A/C so far. I still am concerned about the reported troublesome timing belt but will just plan on 50K replacement. All-in-all I find the Aveo 5 very fine for my needs- inexpensive-fun to drive- efficient.

• 

  Major Disappointment - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
  By jenniferreeves - September 26 - 5:26 am

  My hybrid stinks - Gas mileage is 16 MPG - Intermittent noise under hood that GM says cannot be fixed - been in shop over 45 days now. GM District Service Manager basically called me a liar & told me the cars simply not broke in yet & Im buying cheap gas at Shell. GM refuses to repurchase the vehicle & refuses to fix the problem because the noise is intermittent. Factory couldnt even test Hybrid Component to see if thats the problem! After being bullied by GM probably wont buy another GM vehicle! New technology not always great!

• 

  ha ive had problems - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By sheep - September 25 - 6:38 pm

  i bought the car in march with only 66000 miles one it for 1500$ cash. but got ripped off cuz the next week the tranny dropped, got a new one for 2000$ and it drove fine with plenty of power for a 2.2 liter. breaks went out a couple weeks ago got new ones.. mechanic ripped us off 700$ but they work fine now. this week blew a tire and the tranny dropped while driving to jensen tire .. but its on a warranty so im getting a new one for free. engine still runs strong though. but its a death trap for me

• 

  165,000 miles and still running strong - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By RICK C - September 25 - 4:54 pm

  Bought the car for a 100 bucks 2 yrs ago. It sat in grass for 2 yrs before I bought it so the under-carriage and lower rocker panels are shot. I spent 700 in new brakes, tires, gas tank, wheel bearing, fuel filter and a tune-up and it has ran great since. The 2.2 engine did have a head-gasket leak (weeping coolant outside the block) I added a bottle of hapco head-gasket sealant into the coolant a yr and a 1/2 ago and that fixed it. Gas mileage average is 28mpgs. Overall Im pleased with my purchase and hear that these engines can go well into the 200k range easy.

• 

  Absolutely no problems - 2005 Chevrolet Venture
  By ric - September 25 - 4:08 pm

  Bought from a rental company with 50 K on it. Have put about 90 K on the vehicle myself. Not a single problem! The most reliable vehicle Ive ever owned.

• 

  Traverse LTZ! - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Bigboy - September 25 - 10:49 am

  Bought the Traverse after a lot of research considering primarily import SUVs. Poor experience with Nissan Pathfinder and support lead me back to a NA product. Dealer was very attentive and worked with me to get the right vehicle at the right price.

• 

  Exceptional Vehicle - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Paul - September 25 - 10:01 am

  Very impressed with this vehicle. Still own a 1998 Malibu and traded in our 2002 Venture. If I could only own 1 vehicle, this would be it. It does it all - it really shines on the highway. Good riding height and has a substantial presence on the road which helps with the big truck traffic. Around town is is very nimble and my average fuel economy is 20.1 at the moment which I think is pretty good for a 4700 pound 281 HP vehicle. The exterior styling is really one of the coolest crossovers made. I get a lot of comments about it and it makes most other vehicles look like antiques. Overall, very pleased with this purchase and hope to keep it for a long long time.

• 

  Constant problems - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Lynda Baxter - September 25 - 8:02 am

  I purchased my impala in October 08,and I have not yet had it a year and there is water flying from the car,the engine light keeps coming on, I had the top hose replaced, the oil light keeps saying change oil. it is not time for a change yet, I am truly disappointed in this car.I have made sure that maintenance has been kept up and now I am being hit with problems on top of problems. Where do you go from here?

• 

  I LOVE MY TRACKER!!! - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Angela - September 25 - 1:40 am

  I have owned my tracker for just over a year, and has put over 20,000 kms on it so far...its a great road trip car...lots of space with the seats down.. however not much room for adults with long legs in the back.. It turns great and handles well... havent had any problems mechanically..."knock on wood".. very quiet... and reliable. Can anyone tell me what that power button is actually for??

• 

  K5 Forever - 1990 Chevrolet Blazer
  By 90K5 - September 24 - 10:54 pm

  I have had my full size for over 8 years. I do not treat it well at all when I drive. I do give it serious maintenance though like oil and drive lube. Living in the north east has rotted the body beyond repair but I choose to keep driving it :). Hard to explain, but the way a short wheel base truck drives is like a car. But with a truck attitude. :) I never want to stop driving this truck. I plan on giving it to my daughter even in another 10 years :). Plz GMC build this one new again. I have near 250000 miles on mine now and the engine wont quit. Way too much to type, but trust me if you drive one you will like it.