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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  my aveo-o-o - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By lescor - November 29 - 6:18 pm

  The small exterior is misleading. This car has lots of head & leg room, my 66" son has more room than in our Honda. Even the snall hatch back is deceptive, it is actually pretty roomy. It goes pretty good on the highway, I am just a little nervous to take it out when winds are really strong, as the car is so light. We have been pleasantly surprised!

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  my aveo-o-o - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By lescor - November 29 - 6:17 pm

  The small exterior is misleading. This car has lots of head & leg room, my 66" son has more room than in our Honda. Even the snall hatch back is deceptive, it is actually pretty roomy. It goes pretty good on the highway, I am just a little nervous to take it out when winds are really strong, as the car is so light. We have been pleasantly surprised!

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  No Probs So Far...knock on wood. - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By CrowneRoyal - November 29 - 3:07 pm

  I have only had my Tahoe for 8 weeks, but I must say that it is a better vehicle so far than any of my past cars. I love the way that the TV folds down at the punch of a button, therefore the kids can watch TV or play a game without my having to pull over to turn it on. The gas mileage had a lot to improve on, however, I was told that 12-15 mpg was normal for a truck of this size. I look forward to having my truck for many years to come.

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  Great Value - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By MicroBeta - November 29 - 8:25 am

  Compared all the minivans and for what we wanted determined the Venture was the best fit. The price was right and the 0% financing was great. It is everything we had hoped for. The power sliding doors are great and backup sensors keeps my wife from bumping into things. The backup sensors actually work better than I had expected. In two years and 30k miles we have not had a single problem. The rear audio controls solve alot of problems with our teenager.

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  Perfect For Me - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Lorrie99415 - November 29 - 12:49 am

  Got this car used, and was a little worried about some things I had heard. So far so good though. Being in college it gets me where I need to go in comfort and style, has plenty of pep, feels nice and sturdy to drive and doesnt cost much in gas at all. Could use an extra cup holder, but other than that I have no complaints. Would definately recommend this as a first car for anyone who is not sure what to get.

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  Better than expected - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jhIII - November 28 - 3:48 pm

  I spent several months looking at toyota pathfinder and nissan sentra. I am over six feet and found in both cars the seats bottoms too small and did not support me comfortably. The nissan requires premium fuel to get maximum horsepower. I just about quit looking for a comfortable suv 4x4. In desperation I decided to look at Chevy Trailblazer. Did not really want to given history of Chevy reliability for many of its cars. Bought it at Performance Chevy(great dealer and price). Mileage: 13-15 in city and 19-24 highway with reg gas. I get 16 mpg with mix.No problems except one sequeak. Torque on low speeds is somewhat weak but great pickup at higher speeds.

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  small problems big money - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Alex - November 28 - 7:13 am

  I have owned my 2500HD for 2 and a half years now and it has been a great truck with great power but it has nickel and dimed me to death with little repairs here and there. It gets used and now has 92,000 miles on it. The 6.0 is awesome but I think Ill go with something else next go around

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  Chevy for show - Ford for go - 1995 Chevrolet Corvette
  By oulenz - November 28 - 6:38 am

  Great performance and looks. Poor quality and reliability. Had to replace alternator, timing belt, and battery just days after the warranty expired. While under warranty, had to have oil leak repaired, weather stripping replaced, drivers window scratches when open and closed. Five years later it again needed the same things fixed. Replaced all tires after only 26000 miles (about $370.00 each)! I had to buy a new battery eight years after buying my 1991 Ford... thats the only thing that has failed on it!

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  7 yrs of good exper. w/ 97 Chev Vent Ext - 1997 Chevrolet Venture
  By Chevowner - November 27 - 10:00 pm

  We bought our 97 Chev Venture Ext LS minivan (2 sliding doors) new and have had an overall very good experience. The 2 problems so far are a check engine light at 75K miles that the dealer reset for $80 (has not come back on yet), and the drivers window switch went out recently & cost $65 to replace. We have 88K miles. It was the quietest and best driving vehicle I have owned so far.

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  Catchy Title - 2017 Chevrolet Sonic
  By Mack - November 27 - 8:08 am

  Nice car for an "inexpensive" car. Would not want to drive it long distances on the expressway but is a reliable car;