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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  The reason well never buy GM again - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Dissatisfied Owner - October 5 - 2:30 pm

  This has got to be the worst car Ive ever owned. The air conditioner wont stay in recirculation (coldest) mode. Weve had it serviced six times in five years (after warranty expired $400 a pop). It works for a few months, then breaks again. Local Chevy dealer kept it for over a week last time to figure out what is going wrong. Still cant figure it out. Living in North Central Texas, cold a/c in summer (and sometimes spring and fall) isnt an option -- its a necessity. Our next car will definitely not be a GM product -- from two people who bought exclusively GM for our entire driving lives.

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  2009 Chevy Lemon - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By pavehwk - October 5 - 11:38 am

  I purchased this truck new with 500 miles on it. Now I have 19500 miles on the truck and I am having the engine pulled out due to a bad design. I went in for some minor body work (2nd bow tie) and the check engine light came on. The oil pressure was all over the board. I had 1000 miles before it need it next oil change. So while i was in there i had them do a oild change. I was told that there was a 1 1/2 quarts of oil left in the block. I was then told that they need to put a baffel in the bottom of the pan. This was after taking the truck in 4 times to do an oil consuption check (it failed). I had to wait to get fixed due to having 5 other trucks getting the samething done.

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  Never buy GM again - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Sean - October 3 - 10:04 am

  Owned this vehicle for two years and had starting problems from day one. Dealership told me "theres no codes coming up so theres nothing wrong with it". The front tires were replaced (Oh they only make one type of tire for this van and it there $140 a piece). The front stabilizer was replaced. The ABS sensors were replaced. The battery was replaced three times. The fuel sending unit was replaced. Went on vacation for a week and came back to a completely dead van. Dealership tells me now my warranty is up and the DVD player is drawing on the battery. Recently traded this in for a 2009 Toyota Camry and couldnt be happier. Dont waste your money on this vehicle.

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  Dont Buy An Uplander - Big Mistake - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Bill - October 2 - 10:39 pm

  To start with..The interior design is the worst ever.The seats in the second row are very poorly designed,you cannot recline fully because the seats hit against the interior side walls,they are too narrow and uncomfortable and lack knee space,they should also have been made to swivel.The side sliding doors should have sliding windows on them,not fixed windows.The cruise control is totally in the wrong location, and when in use is not smooth at all.The cigarette lighter or auxiliary outlet is in a very dumb and dangerous location (almost on the floor)makes it nearly impossible to use.The rear door is dangerous when opening,it will slam you in the face if you are not careful.

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  Absolute Lemon - 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Al S - September 22 - 1:17 pm

  This has got to be the worst car experience ever. We bought this car which was a cream puff. Low original miles on what was verified a local use car or "grocery getter" The car had about 35000 miles and looked and sounded smooth as silk. The first week of our owning the car showed what a disaster this car was. In that time we spent $900 for wheel bearing, directional switch, ignition lock cylinder failure. Two years later, intake manifold gasket failure ($400). That led to the cam shaft bearing failure which meant new engine ($3000). Now after all said and done, a P1870 transmission component slip (possible new trans?) Just one bad design after another! Goodbye American cars!

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  Dont believe the hype - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Z - September 14 - 11:04 am

  My neighbor and I bought vehicles at the same time. I bought the Tahoe and he bought the Expedition. We constantly rib each other about whose is better! Upon first drives, they both were very good vehicles. The Tahoe softer, and the Ford more nimble. Nearly a year later, I rode with him last week. His is still quiet. Mine squeaks, rattles, has highway wind noise. I never thought Id say this, but I did not want to get back in my Chevy after riding in his year old Ford. Sorry, GM, its good on test drives and initial quality, but just doesnt hold together as well as your competitor.

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  GM Junk - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Rod - September 14 - 5:13 am

  The problems on this Silverado are numerous. The biggest are the brakes. You need to push the pedal to the floor in order to get the truck to stop and sometimes that doesnt do it. In less than 30,000 miles I have had the steering column greased, then replaced. Heater replaced, and power window motor replaced. These are annoying, but the brakes are dangerous.

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  Unfortunate Mistake - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By Rick - September 12 - 8:08 pm

  Reluctantly I have been driving mini vans since 1989. I purchased this used in 04. I jumped ship from Chrysler products and now wish I had never jumped. The price was right (dealer was going out of business and dumping inventory cheap) but I have been disappointed since driving it away. I feel like I am in an aluminum can. Road noise is the worst in this vehicle. I cant have a conversation with someone in the rear seat without yelling. I replaced the AC condenser at 42,000 due to a faulty mount. I have 55,000 on it presently and feel like I should get rid of it before it becomes afflicted with the issues I read about (i.e. manifold gasket and head gasket).

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  In the Shop - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By stbone - September 8 - 11:10 am

  6,500 miles - in for repair 4 times. 1 - bad light relay 2 - would not accelerate, bad throttle body 3 - overheating and no air conditioner, told it was low on anti-freeze. 4 - engine is bad. Knocked loudly from cam shaft. We are still waiting for a short block and head. This averages out to less than 2,000 miles per repair. The dealer has been Nice and Chevy is paying for a rental, but what a pain for a new car. And we bought a new so we wouldnt have to deal with this sort of thing. We are highly disappointed.

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  Disappointed - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Disappointed - September 8 - 9:26 am

  I purchased this car to drive to work and school. Bought it brand new. Previously owned a Chevy Lumina for many years. I think the best indicator in do you really like your car is, Would you buy it again? My answer to this one is an absolute NO. I disliked this car so much that after two months of owning and 3000 miles later, I traded it in on a used Subaru. The Cobalt is just another version of the Yugo. At least thats how I felt when driving. Everything in the Cobalt looks and feels cheap, like it wasnt very well thought out. My new line is "I would rather drive a used Subaru than a brand new Cobalt."