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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  2001 chevy cavalier - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By gross - July 16 - 2:32 am

  bought the car for my daughter whos in college. had 92k miles when purchased. her school is a 3 hr drive away. car has been very good for months and then problems with radio. radio was killing the battery even after the car was turned off. After a new battery, altenator, and starter, it took months before a vehicle electrician found the problem. 2 dealerships couldnt even find the problem. cars is running great but no radio but my daughter doesnt mind, says she can listen to music on her phone. lol She loves the car and it seems to be a very good car.

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  Overall good value - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By ultrabingo - July 16 - 2:00 am

  The straight coupe with a manual transmission is fun to drive with rack and pinion steering, like a little sports car. Interior is cheaply make though. Lots of plastic and generic cloth. Overall a good value for the price.

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  Great Little Car - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Sealy - July 15 - 10:00 am

  We purchased this car to run around town as it is small and gets good gas mileage. So far I have approx 1800 miles on it and figure i get 34 miles to the gallon (combined city and freeway driving). Didnt need all the extras so we bought the econo package. I LOVE my little "Orange Blossom" (got the orange one. I think it is a neat little car and it handles just great NO PROBLEM finding parking spaces. So far, I have found no faults with the car. Big bang for the bucks!!!!!!!!!

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  Mediocre at best - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By John Anders - July 15 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car with the intention of putting alot of miles on it. Its looks are great and i never fail to get stares. However the build quality is not good. I have sveral dash rattles and my air conditioning occasionally quits working. My shifter is loose and rattles over the smallest potholes. The gas mileage is great. I have no problems hanging with mustang gts.

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  Nice sports car...dispicable interior - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By BarbiePrincessM - July 15 - 2:00 am

  While my 01 camaro is quick and gets me attention, the interior is dispicable...at best. Everything from the seats to the cupholders are poorly designed and made of cheap, breakable plastic. My 99 chrysler sebring convertible interior was far superior to my camaros inside. I am considering downtrading to a 2000 sebring convertible because of the less-than-acceptable interior design

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  watch the engine - 1997 Chevrolet Venture
  By daddy d - July 14 - 2:00 am

  After owning the car for five months and it being at 70000 miles the engine blew a head gasket. I was told it was caused by the dexcool system not being properly taking care of before I bought.

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  02 Malibu LS - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mhj - July 14 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Malibu as my first car out of college, So far I am very pleased. My only additions are window vents and XM radio

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  The coolest mommy vehicle on the block! - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Tiger Mom - July 14 - 2:00 am

  Its a great car for carpooling kids to school, shopping for grocercies and mulch, and road-tripping to Disney World. The leather is comfortable and sporty, and the third row seat allows room for 8 passengers. But this sporty mommy vehicle is no pushover its tough enough for dad and 4 or 5 golf buddies as well! If youre looking for quality, durability, and style under $40,000 this is your truck!

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  Nice car for the $$$$$ - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Kwin57 - July 13 - 2:00 am

  Good all around car for the money. It has a nice sporty look and with the V6 is peppy enough for city and highway driving. As stated in so many reviews the brakes are a nightmare. The roters has to be replaced right after delivery. We had 3 sets of rotors and front brake pads replaced before 25K. The rotors were replaced under warranty but it was still a hassle. Other problems were a coolant leak and the back power window has a problem. They were both fixed under warranty. The heater/AC fan had a problem also. It did not function on speeds 1 and 2.

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  2001 Tahoe - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By kendall221 - July 13 - 2:00 am

  Overall very good.