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:

• 

  I love my Venture - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By pandama - September 7 - 2:00 am

  Original owner who will cry when it drives away with new owner. Touring suspension added and well worth the extra $. Good gas mileage for a minivan. Very reliable engine, power train. Minor complaints for electrical components, but I would definitely buy again if in the market for minivan (like when I have grandkids maybe?). Selling only because of long commute and high gas prices in Calif. Bought a Toyota Corolla and hope I love it as much as I love my Venture!

• 

  *Big Bang* for the Buck - 1998 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Sick LS1 - September 7 - 2:00 am

  If you want a car that will be faster than most porsches, run with many supercars, brake in the same distance as a race prepped porsche gt3 (famous for brakes), but are on a budget, this is the car. Do some some basic mods to unleash this cars true potential. And by the way, a Z28 has the same engine as a Corvette (exact same), and Z28s will dyno at least as much hp as a C5, if not more. The engine was seirously underrated, so dont beleive the stats. Throw on some mods, and youll be showing up vipers, corvettes, porsches, other german supercars, and possibly even a ferrari 360, or lambo gallardo. Handling could be better though.

• 

  new cavalier - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By NicciDeorio - September 6 - 2:00 am

  i just bought a brand new chevy cavalier.its a great car. very dependable drives great. and nice looking as well

• 

  If I Had it to do over, would I? - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Tim Kennedy - September 5 - 2:00 am

  Bought the car new. Have had my share of warped rotors. Also problem with steering shaft. Also the security light came on one day. The next day the car would not start. After about 15 minutes it finally started. Ended up being the ignition switch. Had it replaced for a hefty $500.00. Then after that the bypass tube cracked and all of the anti freeze leaked out. That was close to $300.00. I am seriously thinking about buying a Hyundai. The quality has really improved in the last several years. Come on America, build a quality car for a change. Oh not to mention that all of the top surfaces had to be repainted at least 5 times.

• 

  C5 Heaven - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By vette50yr - September 5 - 2:00 am

  Its incredible the transformation that takes place when you sit behind the wheel and start the engine. What a rush! The price cant be beat when compared to comparable higher priced sports cars. The ease of storage for the removable roof panel makes open air driving a snap! My previous Corvette was a 62. Chevrolet has come a long way and has reached near perfection in the final year of the C5 generation.

• 

  A Great Second-Hand Car - 1995 Chevrolet Corsica
  By LMC - September 4 - 2:00 am

  I purchased the Corsica in Nov. 97 and have driven it 280000 km with only routine mtnc and very few repairs. This is the second Corsica I have own the first was a 4 cyl, I much prefer the 6cyl. The 6 provides lots of power and a nice hwy ride. If I find a low mileage Corsica, Im going to get #3. Its not luxury, just a plain and simple good used car.

• 

  I Still Love It - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Normierich - September 4 - 2:00 am

  Even though Ive had to change the fuel pump (a 900 dollar job) and paid over 400 dollars to repair the passive alarm system, and now am in need of a major brake job, Im stll in love with this car. It drives very smoothly, performs well and has an excellent stereo system.

• 

  2000 Blazer LT Hi-Mile - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By mjvaca - September 4 - 2:00 am

  Reliable as they get, 90K miles and the factory brakes are still 50%. Rides a little rough but the suspension seems longlasting. Heating cooling electrical are all trouble free. LT model has power everything and leather. Maintance is minimal and I do it myself.The price was right and I think it will last a while longer

• 

  cavaliers are good - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By blo1170 - September 4 - 2:00 am

  the car is fun to drive. it handles surprisingly good with minimal body roll it feels glued to the ground, accelleration is peppy but not a traffic light warrior. the exterior looks great the interior is cheap looking but ok.all in all the best cavalier ever made.

• 

  Good Little Car - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By dynomatastic - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I bought my used Cavalier in 2001 with 38,000 and since then have driven it to hell and back (average 22,000/year Total: 102,000 to-date). Hasent died on me yet! Only major problems was with the ABS which was still covered under warranty. But this car has taken a lickin and has kept on tickin (been in 2 fender benders and backed into by SUVs about 4 times). This has been a great second car (not as fun as my 89 Tracer Hatchback :), gets great gas milage, and I hope it will last me another 22,000 miles! *knocks on wood*