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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  2 DOOR REG.CAB 5.3 WT,I PICK IT UP MON. - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By WAYDO71 - April 17 - 2:00 am

  THE DEALER LET ME BRING IT HOME OVERNITE,AND I LOVED IT,HAD TAKE SOME ABUSE FROM MY WIFE SENCE WE HAD A NISSAN TRUCK THAT WAS ONLY 6MOS OLD.TOOK A BIG LOST BUT I THINK WE WILL BE HAPPIER WITH THE CHVEY [I HOPE ].

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  Poor quality car... - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By jeremy - April 16 - 8:04 pm

  My mom bought this car new in 2004 for a really good price. Its a sturdy, good running, reliable car. However, the quality over the years has been terrible. The gas gauge went, the speedometer went, and the temperature gauge went. These I never got fixed because it would cost 450 dollars each to fix. Also, a security sensor went bad, and the car wouldnt start. That I had to pay for. It cost 450 dollars to fix. Also the dim switch went bad on the headlights. Had to get that fixed. Another 450 dollars!! This all happened by 80,000 miles. The gauges went bad at about 40,000 miles. This car was the worst in quality I have ever owned! Other than those things, the car is fine. It runs good.

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  Great Used Car! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Ronny - April 16 - 7:47 pm

  I have had this car for 4 months and love it. The body styling and wheels, along with tinted windows, give it a sporty look that I appreciate. The ride is smooth, quiet, and the engine cruises at 70 without thinking. Watch your speed as you have plenty of power with the 6 cylinder. Heated leather seats are worth the money. Get them! Averaging 24 mpg on urban commute (40 miles round trip). Sound system is only downside as it sounds like a stock radio, while rest of car says "premium." Small antenna also often cant keep weak FM signals. Have also noticed transmission hesitates for split second if step on it to merge. Takes getting used to, but then you are traveling 70 mph.

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  Not too bad, not too great - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jimmy - April 16 - 10:02 am

  I like the car overall. My car is fire engine red, but not gaudy looking. Its very classy, comfortable and I get lots of compliments. As I read the reviews, I noticed several others with the same problems Ive had. Drivers door leaks in the rain (very minor), door moldings have peeled up twice, and the tire sensors had to be replaced. Overall, it has been a good car, but there are just a few fairly simple design features that could use some improvements. It is a pretty classy car though!

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  junk - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By David - April 16 - 8:34 am

  Had a 78 and a 90 burb, loved them both. Very surprised to see the good reviews for this truck. Mechanically speaking this truck was junk. Constant problems, most very expensive to fix. Door lock acuaters, two fuel pumps, door handles, a/c, two flywheels, oxygen sensors, both batteries, abs braking system, wiper motor. When I finally got rid of it it still ran like crap, the transmission was slipping and the gm service center could not figure out why it ran so bad. I would love to have another burb but I will be very diligent about my research of model years before I buy another one. My father has a 99 with the same opinion of his. I just looked at a used 99 for sale, ran like crap, engine light on.

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  Good Car Made by Cheap Manufacturer - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By thom - April 15 - 11:16 pm

  This is a good, basic car that I now regret purchasing. Be aware that even the upgraded "LT" does not include ABS brakes. I didnt even think about this until I got it home. It simply did not occur to me that in 2008 a large family sedan would ship without basic safety features. GM should be ashamed of themselves for this kind of reckless penny pinching. Additional penny- pinching becomes more evident as you drive the car more. Features that most people consider standard in every car, such as a folding back seat, are optional in the Impala. If purchasing, make sure you verify what is included, down to the most basic safety and convenience features that you probably take for granted.

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  2007 impala - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By 07honey - April 15 - 9:44 pm

  window wind noisy. loud road noise, shifting is not smooth, very uncomfortable, small things seem to always go wrong.

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  Great Car - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Dale - April 15 - 6:48 pm

  I love my impala. Ride is great. Very quiet. Excellent gas mileage. Going to Boston on time kept a steady speed of 62, and very light on gas and averaged 39 miles to the gallon. Average back and forth to work, which is 40% city 60% highway average 25.2 my daughter cobalt only averages 27.5 in same type of driving.

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  Company Car with 65000 miles in 2 years - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Denise - April 15 - 4:26 pm

  I have had my company car since January 2005 and absolutely loved driving it. I put on 65,000 miles and just replaced the tires. Had an initial clunk from the front at 15,000 miles which was replaced. No further issues to date.

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  Built Cheap 05 Colorado - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By jsken - April 15 - 4:26 pm

  This truck is cheaply built. I have had to replace the tires on it at 30K miles. Now they tell me I need to spend $1500-2000 on new brakes, shocks, struts, and tie rods. I have had the front end aligned once and it needs it again at 50K miles. The interior molding in the windshield was ruined after 1 year. Numerous rattles and squeaks. I would be ashamed as a manufacturer to sell this vehicle.