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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  Pretty great - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Cavalier owner - November 4 - 2:00 am

  its a very reliable car and fairly comfotable. i like the cd player and the a/c is great. allaround i think its a very good car.

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  The Refrigerator - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By berne1 - November 4 - 2:00 am

  Got the 03 knowing full well the 04 would be all-new. Couldnt pass up the lease, however, at $193/mo. GM was basically giving them away at the end, and I moved from a Focus lease to save $50/mo. Hey, its not like I had a Lexus! Plainest car Ive ever had. Does the job and doesnt get noticed (a refrigerator), and a great A-B car. Getting just 21 MPG, but all city driving. Performance and handling are merely adequate. I had to search high and low for a Tan interior. Why does GM love Gray so much? Car rated #1 in JD Power quality survey, and so far I have had zero issues.

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  Another Good Car That GM Never Marketed - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Paul - November 2 - 10:33 am

  We needed to replace a 1993 VW Passat wagon. I found an off-lease 2005 Malibu Maxx V6 with only 20,000 miles, and was able to get it for only $12,000. We have had it for 1,000 miles, and so far, very impressive. Huge cargo capacity with seats down. 33-34 mpg on highway with AC on; 30 mpg in mixed driving, with odometer validated on a measured mile! Easy to drive, very spacious, great stereo, easy to use controls. For the price, it is quite a package. Its a real shame that GM never marketed the car, and now is changing it to another overpriced sedan with complex OHC engine and worse mpgs, and also forcing you to buy an SUV even if you only occasionally need a hatchback.

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  Good Vechile - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Sheet Shaker - November 1 - 2:00 am

  I would buy a brand new one!!

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  Met the need - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Happy one - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Very happy. Reliable, with very few problems. Transmission had a problem within first 2 years, but was under warranty. Tires lasted over 53,000 miles. Rear window washer feeder line has been a pain... keeps coming loose. Starting to hear a few annoying rattles inside cabin, coming from doors. Love the 4.3 L engine, had it in previous GMC Jimmy. Overall, it met my needs just fine.

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  Whats up with the brake lights - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Brian&Ashley - November 1 - 2:00 am

  I love this car to death, the only things I wish they would change are similar to most peoples complaints. I wish they would hide the change compartment, I had my window broken out for 1 dollar. The only other thing I would like to see fixed is the brake lights....my right brake light burns out within 20 minutes of replacing it. Ive put 10 bulbs in there, and have attempted to trace the problem back to the source, and am not finding anything. Everything else has been good with this car. Very reliable, and very nice. Ive only had 1 breakdown, and that was the alternator at 60000 miles, not too bad in my opinion

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  Not so much as a tick: Its Great! - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Ghrankenstein - November 1 - 2:00 am

  My 2002 Sunset Orange Metallic Z-28 has been nothing short of awesome. Ive had absolutely zero problems with it, and I get compliments on it almost every time I pull in to the station for a fill-up. The LS-1 truly makes this rumbling beast a "poor-mans Corvette." Ill probably have to get my speakers replaced, but thats this metalheads fault, not Chevys. The materials are cheap-looking, but the ergonomics are great.

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  Excellent 97 Lumina - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By ldg - October 31 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car used with 32,000 miles on it. It now has 114,000 miles and has been a great car. Only the alternator has been replaced. Normal brake work on Luminas - no surprise. I am very satisfied with this car - very few problems and now has 114,000 miles!

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  fun - 1994 Chevrolet Corvette
  By pelach - October 31 - 2:00 am

  Lots of bang for the buck and one of the best looking convertibles ever.

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  Good fun car - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By DaveZ28 - October 30 - 2:00 am

  Its fast, its fun. The bad part is that the interior looks and feels cheap, it doesnt handle that good (yeah I had higher expectations) and its had its problems. Dont buy this if youre worried about fuel economy. I dont drive it hard and it gets worse mileage than what GM stated it would get.