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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  Great Car! - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CarolA - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I previously owned a 93 Cavalier. I had great luck with the car. I owned it for 6 years and the worst thing that went wrong was the head gasket... but hey it was ten years old. I found it to be a reliable dependable car so I decided to purchase a newer model.

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  Very much improved!!! - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By BobnSue - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I had a 95 Cavalier coupe. When my parents took me out car shopping for a new car I chose the much improved 2003 LS Coupe with an automatic transmission. I dont know why they say its not improved because everything from the seats and controls to the engine and transmission including traction control are much better than my (also a first year design) 95 Cavalier. Its much peppier than my 95 and gets great gas mileage, better than rated. Ive owned it 6 months and love it! The only problem Ive had was it was delivered with a wobbly drivers side power mirror. Why not buy American!

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  Surprisingly Great Van - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By Dad in Michigan - January 12 - 12:13 pm

  We have had our Venture for almost 3 years now, without even a hint of a problem. It gets exceptional fuel economy for a vehicle this size. We have exceeded 26mpg on trips over 500 miles regularly. Its also very comfortable, even on 12-hour rides across the country. Visibility is great, too, and driving one requires little adjustment from other vehicles (cars or trucks), unlike many SUVs which have turning-radius issues that make parking lots an adventure.

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  Cruze is nice, but real mpg very disappointing - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By chevy68 - January 11 - 10:24 am

  The Cruze LS 1.8L with 6-speed auto trans is a solid car. Nice styling, interior, features, ride and handling. However, highway mpg is not as advertised. I am only getting 28-29 mpg on 98% highway driving. By comparison, I always get the EPA mpg on my other vehicles. 6-7 mpg below the sticker value does not cut it. I made a decision to buy the Cruze over the Civic because of the great styling and features along with an advertised 35 mpg highway. I am now second guessing my decision based on the poor numbers.

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  Outstanding Concept - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Bob - January 10 - 5:47 pm

  Owned a 2004 for a month. Pleasure to drive. Excellent ride. As a custom home builder need to pick up supplies very often. Avalanche converts to "truck" within 15 seconds and can easily put 9 long pieces of wood in it which are protected from the weather. Smartest vehicle buy I have ever made!

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  Very nice car. - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By td - January 10 - 5:00 am

  Very nice car for the money. Fast comfortable and better fuel economy than I would have expected. Combined fuel economy has been 19mpg..have gotten as high as 28.9mpg on the highway. Wanted to buy a Chrysler 300C but decided to keep the $10k in the bank. I have not had any problems with the car and would recommend an Impala to anyone. High praise from a Mopar buyer. For a front driver with a V8 the torque steer is not all that objectionable. I wanted to buy an American car and after 31000+ miles I am happy with my decision.

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  Surprisingly Good Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Cori Martin - January 10 - 2:33 am

  I got this truck almost 2 years ago and am still in love with it. I normally wouldnt buy a Chevy, but was taken by a black Trailblazer with chrome rims, on the car lot. I thought I was going to end up with it, but it drove like a station wagon (yuk)and was very uncomfortable. I took the Blazer ZR2 out and knew instantly it was the truck for me. This is a TOUGH truck! It is an absolute beast in the snow/rain. Its one of the pricier vehicles Ive had, at $32,000. Sometimes Im even shocked at the price when I think about this little American made truck, but its definitely been well worth it.

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  Pretty Good Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By johnnyelcamino - January 9 - 4:36 pm

  Had two Tundras prior to this purchase, but we had a 1997 Chevy one ton prior to that we called MONSTRO. Toyota has lost their mind on haggling, we loved the Tundra but no deal, we walked out mad. We stopped by the Chevy dealer and got a heck of a deal with the employee pricing.(20k paided on a 29k truck.) So far its a good truck, and it gets better mileage than my old V6 Tundra, 17 and 22.

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  Not Bad for the Price - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CheesyEagle - January 7 - 9:06 am

  Sharp exterior styling, responsive handling, and a strong engine make this an enjoyable car to drive. The poor build quality, ugly interior (especially the steering wheel) and relatively low level of refinement always leave you wanting more. Overall the bargain basement price makes this package worthwhile, but Chevy still has a long way to go in order to compete with the "imports" (loosely termed).

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  Better then I thought - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Thomas - January 7 - 4:30 am

  I set out to by a f-150 crew cab or a nissan crew cab. Chevy was last on my list because of its physical appearance. However, after driving all three the chevy felt smoother and more comfortable. Ill take comfort and handling over exterior appearance any day.