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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  2004 Aveo are Junk - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By LS - January 13 - 8:36 am

  The 2004 Aevo are Junk the timing belt goes bad and you have to buy a new Engine or spend as much as you have in the car to replace it . The belt comes off while driving and there goe you valves and head.only 3500.00 to get it fixed oh what a deal GM has going with this one . I will tell everybody who reads this not to buy this car or any one like it with a timing belt made of rubber.

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  GM junk - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By looker - January 12 - 8:54 am

  I love the fact that the van gets great gas mileage for a large vehicle 28.5 mpg on avg. Now for the bad it stays in the shop more than on the road, in 8 months I have had to have a new trany, new head gaskets. I have also had to have numerous other small things fixed.

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  Shame about the style. - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Charles - January 11 - 5:06 pm

  So, one of the most boring faceless cars on the US roads has a hidden heart. its fun to drive, Cheap to own and a good value.I own a 08 Mini, an 08 F150 and find the Manual version of this car nearly as much fun as the Mini and more so than the Ford. BUT drive with care.mine has 29000 miles and is already falling to pieces. its back at the dealers again where they are replacing more of the steering assembly. the chrome has dropped of the interior handle and the door locks are sticking.. ALL IN ALL... its still a good cheap car. the discounts are great.

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  ready for an upgrade - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Nanni - January 8 - 1:52 pm

  I bought my tahoe because i fell in love with the looks of it. It is very easy to keep clean due to the dark colors but had to replace a cracked head and $1600 in other engine repair work in less than two months of purchasing. Now it needs an O2 sensor, tie rods, ball joints, the oil gauges drops to 0 when stopped and its not the oil pump. Its been an ongoing money pit.

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  Sporty look, but not fun to drive - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mel - January 8 - 10:38 am

  Bought this in Dec. 06. I have always had this knocking sound. Cannot figure out what it is. For the past 6 months, I have had a hesitation when I try to start it. On several occasions I didnt know if I was going to be stranded or not. Took it to a mechanic, he acted like nothing was wrong because no lights were on. Also, cd player quit working about 1 year after I bought it. Finally, there is a problem with the gears shifting. Almost seems like the transmission is going out.

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  Very Disapointed - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Courtb86 - January 8 - 9:37 am

  I bought this used - 1 owner before me. Drove great at first - loved the car - then this year everything just crapped the bed at once. The transmission went. I love Chevy but I will never own another impala again, my cavalier was more reliable than this car.

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  Say It Aint So - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Kate - January 6 - 2:39 pm

  My first car was a 97 chevy cavalier. I absolutely adored this car, except for the fact she was a piece of junk. The interior was close to awful. The insulation, those plastic black things that line the doors and windows, were falling apart before I pulled out of the car lot. I only had the car for a year and I had to have the coolant tank replaced, the brakes completely overhauled and after over a thousand dollars in repairs, the car died on the highway. No one would tell me what was wrong with it, so I had to ditch the car. My Mom bought a Chevy Malibu 1 yr older and has had the EXACT same problems. Dont forget about the fuel pump that never got fixed. Do yourself a favor - steer clear!

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  Last GM - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Nate - January 4 - 2:47 pm

  List of what has been replaced between 32k and 46k since I have owned this car. Fuel injectors, sunroof track (stuck open), oem tires with high wear, the clutch (with normal driving and already was replaced once by previous owner), E-brake twice and still doesnt hold on a hill. I have driven GM for 9 years and this is the last GM I will ever own. I am currently having the clutch replaced and it drives exactly the same as it did when i drove it off the lot and it was GM certified used vehicle it just makes noise in the cold.

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  Should not have gotten - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Pete - January 3 - 4:44 pm

  The car is terrible in the wind at highway speeds and even worse in the snow. Ride is very noisy. I wish they had offered a buy back within 60 days of when I bought.

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  Uplander is Junk - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Unhappy Uplander - January 1 - 10:30 pm

  We purchased this Uplander in June and the first door issue was in July. We had just bought the van so we thought it was something we did. In Nov. we started having lots of problems. We had it in the shop 10 times for the doors before they fixed them. The traction control went out and was replaced. We had to have it aligned around 29,000 miles after ruining the tires. This van is a piece of junk. I dont think Chevy cares. This is probably my last Chevy.