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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  At first this was a great car... - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Ashley - May 17 - 10:48 pm

  I absolutely loved this car at first. It was the first car I had ever bought in which I picked it out and everything. It was the perfect color-- blue my favorite! And great gas mileage, I got 35 mpgs which was great for commuting to school... But within 5 days I had to take it back to the dealer for the sensors coming on and the gas gauge not working. I also have had two problems with the "shift-lock release" first the solenoid was replaced then, last week, the whole shifting column! I have had the car less than a year! Before this, I owned a Toyota and a Ford and I was never disappointed and now I know I never should have gotten a Chevy aveo.

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  Very Angry at Chevy - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By boinjax - May 17 - 10:47 pm

  As a long time domestic car fan, especially GM, this has sealed the deal for me... NEVER AGAIN, in addition to 3 thermostats, a water pump, radiator and 5 sets of brakes, not to mention a common electrical problem linked to the pass key, now the transmission went out.. the car only has 105k, other INTERNET sources found identical problems from 100-130k miles, the car was bought new, female driven and meticulously maintained, but this car isnt reliable, just decides to run hot and arbitrarily wont start, dealers want a fortune to fix even though they are aware of these problems as common, no wonder the police wont drive them, used to love GM, now, HATE THEM wont even rent a GM car...too bad

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  Would only change one thing so far - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By swt_h - May 17 - 10:06 pm

  Owned for a little over a month. Love almost everything about it, except - the seat hugs me, love the heat options in the seats and I havent been able to all the station preprogram radio options. it seems that my legs are too long for the design of the seat and the height of the steering wheel. Getting in is not as comfy and quick. I have to sit and swing in. I have tried to adjust everything every which way. Also its a little tight for car seat behind me.

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  Sad To Let Her Go! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Maria - May 17 - 4:47 pm

  I have had my cavalier for 8 years now it is my sec. My 1st one I was in a very bad crash with and rolled the car and I am still alive that is why I had gotten the sec one. It has been a great car for the past 8 years but after haveing 88,500 miles on her she is ready to die! I only wish gm made them last a lil longer I am sad to let her go and its very hard to find another car like this

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  Good looking car - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By puffrooster - May 17 - 4:44 pm

  Originally I set out to buy an loaded LTZ with a bench seat, BOSE sound system and sunroof in mocha brown. But after taking the SS model for a spin, just to see what it could do, I was sold. Before purchasing this car I did test drive other sport sedans, all of them costing much more $$, and nothing was funner to drive than the Impala SS! The Jewel (dark cherry) monochromatic, red compliments the car and is worth the extra cost. I added low profile tires & wheels and tinted the windows all around. Its a good looking car and inexpensive to decorate.

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  Best Ive owned - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By dssynapse - May 17 - 12:11 pm

  My 2007 Tahoe is a joy to drive! Its extremely comfortable for both the driver and passengers. Lots of cargo space and the flexibility of adding the 3rd row seats. Its a big SUV -- not purchased for its fuel economy -- but I still beat the 16mpg rating even with most of my driving in town for less than 8 miles per trip.

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  Id rather have my 1972 Ford Pinto Back!!! - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Timothy Keller - May 17 - 4:17 am

  Where to start??? $140.00 to change a headlight at dealership. No access without taking the whole front clip off. Designer certainly doesnt have this car. Engine light comes on if the wind blows the wrong way. Ive had a number of recall notices. Most of which tell me not to do anything until I experience the problem listed in the recall, steering, electrical, fogged up front glass. All of which may be too late by the time the problem happens. Traction is good if I never get any rain or snow. I almost got rear ended by a dump truck because my brake light didnt light up. luckily there I was watching in the rear view mirror and quickly pulled off the road to avoid that collision. Oh, and I was now able to to have that fix under the recall. Without going on and on, about the problems Ive had with this car, Id just like to say GM should buy everyone of these death traps back from the people who spend their money on them. Con, who did GM have to payoff to allow these vehicles to be sold to the public. They knowingly put the drivers and everyone else on the roads in danger. Ill never own another GM vehicle!!!

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  Absolutely the best! - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By JPK - May 17 - 1:43 am

  This is our third Chevy Tahoe and this is by far the best! The new cylinder deactivation (V8 to V4 on hwy) gets great mileage, 20.5 on hwy. Better than the 18 our Honday Odyssey minivan gets! Just in for the first service at 5,500 miles and everything is perfect. Excellent vehicle!

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  very good car - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By augie - May 17 - 12:03 am

  We picked the car out for my mother - in- law in 1999 with 15001 miles on it. She wanted a 6 passenger car so she could drive her bridge playing pals around. Out of about 10 of them she and the Lumina are the only ones still around. She doesnt drive anymore so its now the #4 vehicle in a 3 driver family. Im going to put on its first new set of tires and probably keep it for another 10 years.

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  It is what it is. - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By William - May 16 - 5:04 pm

  The uplander is different than other vans. It sits up higher on the 17" wheels and has more ground clearance. You can open the engine bay and see an engine because of the long hood. The engine is descent with good power. This van is not the nicest to drive, the most dependable, nor does it have the best interior, but if you want to tow a camper or leave pavement or like to ride a bit higher with all the room of a van, I recommend you take it for a drive. Dont be afraid to spend a couple bucks and get a 4 wheel alignment, upgraded shocks and you have most problems handled.