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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  great car! - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By luvu2_much - March 31 - 5:00 am

  I bought this car new in Oct. of 02. I have since given this car to my son with over 120K miles. Other than normal maintenance I have not spent a dime on this car. Great ride, excellent in the Ohio winters, and 30+ mpg at 70mph on the interstate. Solid feel to the car, nice stock stereo, and it handles very nice for a large coupe. I would definitely buy another one of the same year if I could find it with lower mileage. A great car for the money!

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  disappointed - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Tony - March 30 - 10:59 pm

  I enjoyed my Aveo 5 at first. A few months into owning it, it died on me on a winters night. Vehicle was towed to dealership. Computer was reprogrammed. Before this happened I was getting 35 mpg. Afterward, Im getting 23 mpg. Have contacted GM and they will do nothing about it. Purchased car for good gas mileage so am very disappointed. My mid size, V6, Saturn Aura gets better mileage than Aveo,a 4 cyl. econo car. Also lots of rattles. Will probably get rid of it at a loss. Sad!

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  Just OK - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By H .Todd - March 30 - 10:16 am

  traded a 2003 for this one,should have kept the 2003. The 2006 gas pedal pushes very hard makes your leg cramp up after a hour or so of driving. Ddealer says its in spec. Passenger seat sits forward slopeing too much, very uncomfortable.Cruise control not stable in holding set speed varies 3 to 4 mph then shifts in and out of overdrive constantly when in cruse. Engine kept dying all of the time after starts dealer says it has something to do with the E85 fuel, but has failed to fix the problem. Gas mileage could be better, 2003 impl got on average 28 to 29 mpg. 2006 gets on average 21 to 23 mpg.

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  I am so disappointed - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By Stacey - March 30 - 7:00 am

  We bought this van brand new at the dealership nine years ago. The first three years went great. Then the warranty expired and the wiper motor is shot and they stay in the up position all the time, the gas gauge doesnt work because the float is stuck ($500), the head gasket is shot ($500), the air conditioning is broke, and it is rusting apart in the driveway as I write this message!!! It has 80,000 miles on it. This car is a piece of junk! I know 9 years is a long time for a vehicle but this stuff went bust after the first three years. I keep driving it because after having a 5 year loan to pay for it I am broke and can not afford to buy another vehicle. :(

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  Cannot Beat This - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Hank - March 29 - 9:35 pm

  For the price I paid for this car, you cannot beat it. Ive put well over 230,000 miles on this car since 2000, and it still has plenty of power, excellent on gas. Well better than most new cars today!!!! You just need to know how to take care of your car. For it to last as long as you want it to.

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  Follow up review at 15K miles - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Tomster - March 29 - 9:33 pm

  I have already reviewed my 2008 Cobalt LS sedan once, but I thought folks might appreciate an update. I have now owned the car almost ten months, and I have 15,150 miles on it. The car has performed flawlessly, and I have not had a single issue with it. I am getting about 27 or 28 MPG overall average, which is not too bad in my opinion for an automatic. I live in a rural area, and my driving is mostly on hilly, curvy, two lane country roads and in town. I am still amazed by how that little Cobalt will scoot! That 2.2L engine is amazingly powerful. I am extremely happy with the car.

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  5ft tall - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By deeply sadden - March 29 - 7:32 pm

  Ive had my Malibu about 7 months, unable to see past the passenger side mirror and door frame (with a Pillow). I knew I would have this problem when I bought it just thought I needed a pillow. Well after forcing my self to drive the car (all of the 9 times that I have), I almost hit some one every time. I do love the car I just cannot see. Because of this safety hazard, I am unsatisfied with this car. My husband is the only person that drives it, unless I have to run around the corner or something and it’s blocking my truck. I drive my old XL7. I cannot trade the car, I will be upside down $8000.00 just stuck with a cute car that’s just Cute to me. Do not buy if your 54 and under

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  Favorite ride - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Chris - March 29 - 7:07 pm

  I think Chevy should have kept this truck in production. The Atlas 4.2 inline six has lots of power 291 HP.It pulls our 24 travel trailer with ease. It is so smooth running the factory set up the ignition so that you can not engage the starter while the engine is running.Not that you would want to! The leather 8 way PWR heated seats are great.As is the rest of the toys this truck has.I think the average fuel consumption at 9.0L/100km is good. Best I have got was 8.2L/100km.I had a 1996 GMC SLT AWD Jimmy that had a 4.3 V6 and 190 HP.This is by far a better truck in all areas. I would buy another Trailblazer LT but maybe if fuel cost was not a concern I,d jump at the SS Trailblazer.

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  First Chevy Owned! 04 Tahoe LT - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Ricky - March 29 - 7:07 pm

  This is my first Chevy vehicle ever! The previous owners bought it new and had all the service records for it.The truck had 52K miles when I purchased it and has 59K now. No major problems yet, my local chevy dealer said though I needed a new a/c belt, and something in my steering column needed to be replaced, cost was about $250 with labor to repair both. My rear brake light went out, now that was expensive... the part itself was $250, and you cant buy it at any part store cause its a LED light. Great smooth ride and great pick-up. Love the space. The truck is not to big nor to small for a single guy with no kids

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  Amazing Car - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Vilkacis - March 29 - 7:03 pm

  I absolutly love my 08 Cobalt LS, I know its the cheap version, not the sport but its a very nice and fun car, especially since mine is a 5 speed manaul. Also very easy to work on and to mod.