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 Basic Car - 1994 Chevrolet Corsica
  By bby2ks2k - April 9 - 2:00 am

  This is my first car, but as an ex- rental in 1995. I still have it and it has proven to be pretty reliable except for the last 14 months. I have had to replace the alternator, the intake manifold gasket as well as the rear brake cylinders as they were leaking fluid. But to the cars credit, it did survive being a rental car and my teenage years and all the repairs were inexpensive (except for the manifold problem.) The car has just under 90k miles and shows no sign of quitting.

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  210,000 miles! - 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Logan - April 8 - 11:53 pm

  At 210,000 miles this thing is still driving great. God bless the 3.8! I have repaired a waterpump, replaced one battery and a starter. The most expensive repair was around 75 dollars and a couple hours of labor. Ill change the oil every 4 to 6 thousand miles and keep an eye on my brakes for maintanence and change out my air filter every 15,000 miles. If you rode in this car you would never guess that it has driven over 200 thousand miles and eaten through 3 sets of tires. Anyway, great car and better motor!

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  Fantastic car for my money. - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By RMcoolX - April 6 - 10:00 am

  I got this car new (8 mi.) for only $7295 plus a $600 dealer add-on package. No-trade in and no extended warranty. Needless to say, its a FANTASTIC car for the money! Great performance for a 4-cyl. Build quality is lacking a bit, however. Thanks to the manual tranny and strong engine, the car is very fun to drive. Also, the car is surprisingly smooth at highway speed.

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  Chevy Malabu LTZ V6- Many Positives - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By LTZ V6 - April 5 - 6:03 pm

  I would consider myself a car man; this is the first US car I have purchased. I was attracted to GMs incentives and the relatively low priceof $22K for V6 with a trade incentive. Car is heavy and quiet. Seats are above average. Handling is a little heavy, but a serene ride prevails. Not really a sports sedan, but a refined cruiser with a firm, but Cadillac firm feel. Rear window is small and rear headrests block the view. Side mirrors provide good side/ rear vision to compensate. Engine is smooth and powerful, but a bit slow from 0-20mph. Then the car takes off. Be careful or you will really pay at the pump. I get 17mph in city (non stop-and-go traffic). Mixed hwy/c- 19mph.

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  None - 2001 Chevrolet Astro
  By gimil - April 5 - 2:00 am

  Great van, beside the VW Eurovan the only one of its size. Quality disappointing.

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  LOTS OF OPTIONS, BUT LACKS DETAIL - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By PRUDGRL - April 5 - 2:00 am

  LOVE MY VAN, BUT GM COULD IMPROVE THE SECOND ROW BY MAKING THE MIDDLE SEAT EASIER TO FLIP FORWARD WITH A LATCH SIMILAR TO THE SIDE SEATS AND BY MAKING THE WINDOWS OPEN IN THE REAR TO WHERE YOU ACTUALLY GET AIR. THE ENGINE START UP SEEMS WEAK. TURNS OVER A LOT THEN FINALLY STARTS. DVD PLAYER SOULD WORK WITH OUT NEEDING THE REMOTE AND SHOULD BE LOCATED IN THE REAR SO THE KIDS CAN INSERT DISC IN STEAD OF THE DRIVER.

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  Sweet Ride! - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By hanley - April 4 - 1:06 pm

  I love my Victory Red Impala. The ride is super, with awesome acceleration, and loads of room for the youngins. We test drove all the the imports, and came back to good old Chevy.

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  My Equinox LS FWD - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Betz68 - April 4 - 9:00 am

  I love my New SUV. I have driven it back and forth to Florida 3 times since purchasing 3 months ago (1000 miles round trip) It does well on interstate. Only Problem I have had, is I went from a small sports car to this and I am not used to feeling the wind move me on the street.

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  Big Blue - 1990 Chevrolet Lumina
  By steve malroy - April 4 - 2:00 am

  I have enjoyed my 1990 Lumina from the start. It always starts and runs like a champ. It gets me to where I need to go with a little sportiness and responsive, powerful 3.1. Now with 124,600, its not as good as it was new, but still will put you into your seat when you want to get up and go.

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  Blazer is on fire! - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Garth36 - April 4 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Blazer ZR-2 for 2 years. It performs extrememly well and I love driving it! I have been through some rough weather, travel extensively and have never had a problem with the car itself. The tire on the back takes a little getting used to. The seats are comfortable and when the back seats fold down, the cargo space comes in handy! I would recommend this car to anyone interested in buying it.