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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  Happy with my truck - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By vince427 - January 21 - 7:43 pm

  Ive owned this vehicle since October 2000 and am very happy with it. I purchased it with the OEM towing package, but havent needed to use it. The 4x4 works well in the Long Island winter (as well as in Westchester!) The only problem I encountered was needing to replace the rotors after 25K miles (but Im in a lot of stop and go traffic)

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  Another TrailBlazer? Just maybe - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Robie - January 21 - 12:44 pm

  53,000 trouble free miles. Economical to drive, comfortable. Leather, CD, wished I had a sunroof. Will probably get a Tahoe next cause I need the vehicle to be a little larger for long trips that I take.

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  Go Go Speed Racer - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Melissa - January 20 - 5:14 pm

  I bought this car because I needed something cheap since Im starting a new job and going back to school. I had very low hopes for the Cavalier but just needed something to get me from point A to B. When I first got the car I dubbed it the "Go-kart" because it was so small. I had no idea this car would be so much fun to drive.

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  Most roomy car since the 55 chevy - 2014 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mark - January 19 - 5:46 pm

  The seats are ok...I wished I would have upgraded to the suede version. The car is very roomy. I recently went to trade in the car and the same Chevy dealer where I purchased it, low balled me on the value. Other then that, it was a great car while we owned it.

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  Good basic transportation - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By PublicTrans-no more - January 18 - 10:00 am

  This car seems to have been designed to be basic transportation with a few extra features to make you forget that. While the Cavalier may be a bit higher priced than its rivals in the same catagory, you cant find a better mode of basic transportation. The automatic transmission is a charm, seemlessly gliding through gears, and the 140HP engine pops when you need it to. The ECOTEC engine also sips fuel, my highway mileage is easily 38-40 MPG. How we ever got by without 60/40 fold down seats Ill never know, this feature is the bridge in utility that hatchbacks always had, and traditional coupes could only dream of...until now.

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  Solid Family Choice--Excellent Economy - 1997 Chevrolet Venture
  By Bob - January 17 - 8:32 am

  Very reliable. Only minor maintenance. Excellent mileage for the size. 19 City, 26 Hwy. Tows 2000# well.

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  2000 Impala LS - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By steve peacock - January 16 - 3:37 pm

  This has been a good car, the only problems I have had are the air bag light would come on and off, still dont know why. I have had to replace the battery, and three fuel injectors {which I thought was odd} Good thing I had bought an extended warranty, other than that I have been happy with it.

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  Cavaliers are a great car - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By kirby - January 15 - 11:48 pm

  This is now my 6th Cavalier. No matter how you cut it they are reliable and low maintenance. In the past 18 months of owning the 2000 cavalier I have now, it has cost me less than $200.00 in total repairs(regular oil changes included). My only complaint is the suspension is a little weak. All Cavaliers have been known to hit hard over bumps leaving the comfort of driving being sacrificed. However if you can sacrifice the comfortable drive for a cheap, reliable, low maintenance, gas miser. Then a Cavalier is right for you.

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  My Venture - 2005 Chevrolet Venture
  By Arlene Sirotko - January 15 - 5:50 pm

  I find the Venture very roomy and comfortable. It is a good vehicle to transport small children and still have room for adults. The trunk space is fairly large considering the third seat can be put down and that does increase the trunk area. There are many little places in the vehicle for storage of items. This vehicle is easy to drive and handles well.

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  Head Gaskets-Bad - 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Sandy - January 13 - 3:13 pm

  This car went trough its first set of head gaskets under 12,000 miles, then again in the 20,000s. These first two times it was under warrenty. But it went again, this time I had to pay. It is not cheap. You think Chevy would have recalled or taken care of this problem. I was not the only one. So can you guess what this car needs now again for the 4th time? Yes, head gaskets again... So you know that this time I will not buy a Chevy again. They just dont take care of their customers. Time to buy a Honda Civic.