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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  Best car for the Money Period! - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Clark - May 22 - 12:26 pm

  Truly a car that will last if you know how to perform routine maintenance. I love this car! At 210,000 I redid the Intake Manifold gasket, water pump, and havent had any leaks since. The only other problems I have had have been electrical from the wire rotting out. These are simple fixes, just hard to trace where sometimes. I run Valvoline Max Life Full Synthetic oil. In town mileage is okay, highway is better than most cars get today. Add an HHO system and you will get over 35+mpg highway.

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  A Real Work Truck - 1996 Chevrolet S-10
  By David French - May 22 - 11:57 am

  I love my truck. It is not much more than a vehicle to get me to and from work but it is fun to drive and very dependable. The few major repairs I have had have been expensive but thankfully they have been few and far between. To just have a truck that you can use to haul furniture, lawn care stuff, or just about anything, this little S-10 is about as good as it gets.

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  Needs just a little work... - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By P Walker - May 22 - 11:04 am

  I bought my impala with 40,000 mile on it and I have not had much trouble out of it. I have had the water pump go bad, that has been replaced under extended warrenty. However, the tire sensor is broken and the temperature sensor is broken as well. My husband is 65" and he fits comfortably in the car with me. We have been in an accident where some one hit us in the back with a Ford F150 and it did more damage to him than to us. It it a safe car. My next vehicle will not be a car but if it was I would get another used impala. (no point in getting a new car, they depreciate so quickly). If dealers stand behind their product a slightly used car is just as good if not better (lower payments).

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  2009 2door WT long box with 4.3 - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By thatguy - May 22 - 10:03 am

  I have my own business and to be honest looking at all the other trucks i would buy the same truck again. No matter what i do to it it keeps on going, whether its in a farmers field or hauling a trailer. No matter what it is it will do it with ease and comfort and that is what a work truck should be. I have a 2009 F250 and a 2008 dodge 2500 and even with the 4.3L I still take it over my 6.0L powerstroke diesel and 6.7L cummins because it is just so nice to drive no matter what is in the back or what you are pulling. That i what a work truck should do.

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  best car - 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Ryopan - May 22 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 2000 Monte Carlo LS new in 2000. This is the best car Ive ever owned. I put a lot of miles on it each year simply beacuse I love to drive it. It has been on two Cross Country trips from Texas to New York. The Monte Carlo is comfortable, reliable, fun to drive and just excellent all around. It is the best!

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  No quality for the money. - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Iwant reliabl brakes - May 22 - 10:00 am

  My 95 corola has 100% more quality than the malibu. after 60,000 kms, on 4th set of rotors. Ac is querky as well. Good: Interior is roomy and engine is great for passing. Bad: Brakes, overall quality is bad, poor gas milage. The corola interior looks like a $23,500 car and the malibu interior looks like a $17,500 car. Some of the inside molding wont fit/stay together.

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  Loving it - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Ted_Derth - May 22 - 10:00 am

  I have been driving a coupe for about 2 weeks now. It is simply outstanding and a joy. It is nearly broken in, so I am starting to push it. This car FLIES. Very comfortable, and the the car has been flawless. Handles great, accelerates great, and has awesome stopping power. I have the 6-speed manual, and it is higly recommended (this review wouldnt let select that option for some reason).

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  Watch Out - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Dash - May 22 - 10:00 am

  Would not recomend my worst enemy. The truck now needs its 3rd ABS sensing module. GM knows but dont care about the problem. I traded today and took a loss just to rid myself of the problem. You cant find the part in a salvage yard because if you keep a 1999 silverado you will need one and GM dealer gets $700-$1000 .

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  Power to spare with 25 MPG - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By glen - May 21 - 10:10 pm

  I am sixty years old and this is the fastest car I have ever owned. Nice styling, class, economy etc.

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  Good 1st time car - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By N - May 21 - 7:06 pm

  I bought my 2010 Chevrolet Aveo hatchback April 2015, I have now owned it for a year. This was my first vehicle so I was super excited about it, it only had 2800 miles on it and two previous owners. So it was still a pretty new car to be a used car (if that makes sense). Its a really nice car for a first time buyer, the only cons I would say I have is that it isnt really powerful and if its windy outside it seems like the car "moves with the wind". That may have something to do with how small the car is, also I feel like if you have the AC on it feels like the car takes a little longer to accelerate. Other then those few cons Im very grateful for the car Ive been blessed with, and plus I will still have some trade in value for it. So thats awesome!