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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  Good truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By chris - April 20 - 7:23 pm

  Bought the truck used with 37000 on it. It has been very reliable up to this point, I now have 60000 miles. I recently purchased a 29ft camping trailer and the truck did fine towing it. Maintaining highway speed was not a problem with the 6000lbs in tow. My only complaint is the brake system. Ive tried new rotors and three different types of brake pads, but the brakes dont give you confidence. I wish I had the Hydro-boost system, the vaccum assist brakes are terrible.

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  Really needs an upgrade. - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By TJDasen1 - April 20 - 6:58 pm

  Handsome car on the exterior, but the interior is just not up to snuff. The Impala is supposed to be Chevys top family car and it falls flat by not offering options offered by other "lesser" cars. NO auto climate control, NO reversing sensors, NO HID headlamps! Come on! Even Hyundai offers these. And the handhold for the trunk pulldown is a joke. You can only lower the (dirty) lid with it and then you have to grab the outside of the trunk to push it the rest of the way down. Very bad design flaw. True, this is my 82 yr old mothers car and not mine, but I have to drive her in it. Whats nice is that Chevy still offers a column mounted gearshift option. Thats what sold the car. Grade C

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  enjoying the ride - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By ics - April 20 - 12:33 pm

  I purchased my aveo5 after my brother in law let me drive his. I test drove the nissan versa and honda fit but like the aveo the best. The only problem I had with it was after driving a suv for 10 years I drove the aveo like a suv. The front of the aveo is too low and now I have damage to the front of the car. I now am more cautious.

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  Solid car - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By confused - April 20 - 8:38 am

  Had 100K on it when i bought it. I have had some minor issues with it but nothing major. It was the spare car for friends and family until i sold it to a friend. It now has 270K miles on it and still going strong. For 2 years it had no maintenance and was drove to hell and back. It has needed tires and spark plugs the typical. I had to replace the EGR valve (my dad did, if you do it correctly which most dont there are no more issues), the ac motor, and 4wd switch. Common it is 270K no suprise. I have spent maybe 750 for repairs in its life time. Never left me stranded even when it died from the egr valve started back up and got me home. I would buy another one and might actually.

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  Impala LS - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By David Renfroe - April 19 - 11:06 pm

  After driving BMWs for years (11 cars), I was pleasantly surprised at the drivability of this car. While not quite up to the BMW, it is very close. The two big differences are the build quality and the price. Dollar for dollar the Impala is a much better value as the comparable BMW costs 2&1/2 times as much.

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  The best one yet - 2009 Chevrolet Corvette
  By isgt - April 19 - 3:14 pm

  3rd Corvette I had a 2002, an electronics nightmare. 2006 fast not a lot of built quality, 2009 what a great car quiet as any car faster then most great gas mileage, The base Corvette is the best value on the sports car market, Nothing makes me happier than racing a Porsche costing 2x as much and getting 20+ miles to the gallon. I drive in the snow rain and have never been stuck in this car.

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  My Favorite Truck!!! - 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Steve Waddell - April 19 - 2:39 pm

  I traded in a 2003 Dodge Ram QuadCab- Laramie edition, that I purchased new for a Chevy Avalanche LTZ, with Rocky Ridge customization package. I had visited several dealers in Hampton Roads, VA, and none had anything that met my needs. I found exactly what I wanted on eBay. My son and I drove over 400 miles Friday April 16, 2009 and traded in our old Dodge and bought the new Chevy Avalanche LTZ. The truck in white diamond (pearl white) with customization package makes it look just like the Escalade.

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  Needs a recall notice - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By darrell - April 19 - 1:39 pm

  Ever since Ive had the vehicle I have had nothing but problems. The traction control light come on all the time and the check engine light. Ive had it tested for the traction control lights and they said the computer chip needed reset and they did that. However, the lights still come on all the time. Now we are experiencing a very bad miss in the engine and it wont hardly run. I will never own another Chevrolet because Ive had nothing but trouble ever since Ive purchased this vehicle.

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  GOT BLAZER? - 2005 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Artemus - April 19 - 1:28 pm

  I love it. Great in snow, like how it looks, rides well. Acceleration is lacking, heavy vehicle, needs chip, and exhaust, [aftermarket], for 40+ horsepower gain. Mines red, waxed, and ready.

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  Thought GM is always bad - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By YM - April 19 - 12:43 pm

  Im a student a got this Lumina for $1500. It has high mileage 180000+ but runs great. A lot of power, very reliable, with reasonable gas mileage. I bought it Sep 2008 used for more than 10 years. Bought for winter and thought that Ill have to leave for parts after that. It still runs great and I decided to keep it, nothing changes except battery.