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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  Love it! - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Bethie - December 30 - 12:24 pm

  I love this car but have to agree with a few of the earlier reviews about the tire sensor system. It is very touchy and the light goes on all of the time. Now that I just rotated my tires, it doesnt happen quite so often, but it is annoying. On top of that, in the MN cold weather, the radio doesnt turn on when starting the car - just makes a static sound so I have to turn it off until the engine warms up. Havent brought that to the attention of my dealer yet. Otherwise, this is a smooth ride and I get lots of compliments on how it looks. I feel very safe in it, too!

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  $50k piece of junk - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Dissapointed - December 30 - 11:08 am

  Considering all the good reviews I must have gotten the car built on a Friday before a holiday. This is the worst car I have ever owned. Worst paint job I have ever seen. Silver body doesn’t match the gray front. Visible drips in the paint. Car was purchased new but I took it to a body shop to see if it was ever hit and repainted. Seams dont line up, door doesnt close flush. Worst stereo I have ever heard. Cheap interior. Center console was put on incorrectly. Window indexing mechanism was defective. Brakes continued to squeak even after service addressed issue. Loud and embarrassing buzzing/humming sound coming from the dash when car goes over 70mph. Too many other problems to list.

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  SPARK-A GOOD VALUE FOR THE MONEY - 2017 Chevrolet Spark
  By Don Eustace - December 30 - 5:54 am

  Four stars. Great gas mileage at 35 miles per gallon highway. Good value for the money.

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  Roll Over - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Hetfield - December 30 - 4:06 am

  Had the truck for 4 years and never had any problems. Got good gas mileage and enough towing power to pull a fishing boat. Wrecked/totaled it this winter in icy weather, rolled once landing on its wheels - with the engine still running. Tough truck that was built well, definitely got my moneys worth and am looking to buy another.

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  No car better! - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Conrad - December 29 - 10:58 pm

  Im a mechanical engineer and I love this car, my first Corvette! Acceleration, fuel economy, fun to drive. Its much more than I thought a Corvette could be. The engineers who worked on this car should be very proud. I test drove what I thought was my dream car, a BMW Z coupe, M series (my daily driver is a 5 series) and it did not compare. Only two options Z51 and dual mode exhaust. I removed the fuse from the exhaust so its open all the time. At 58 years old, this car makes me feel the same way I did when I was 23. I drive it on day long trips through the Ozark mountains, simply wonderful. A pure expression of freedom and individuality. Its magic!

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  Good cheap car - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Matt - December 29 - 2:43 pm

  Bought this 03 Cavalier used, 125000km on it, it has 175,000 on it 2 years later. This car was my hero in bad times once I was finished school looking for a job. It is so cheap to maintain and repair. Somebody hit my car and ran, I bought a new bumper for 40 bucks from somebody and put it on. Nothing has gone wrong with this car, except a fuel pump, because all I could afford was to put 5 bucks of gas in it and ran it on the light the whole time (my own fault). You will dust standard Civics and Corollas in this thing, not any Japanese cars give you 155lb feet at mid range. Fuel economy is excellent. Car gets a bit rattly with age, but so does any car. Buy it!

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  Lower Intake Manifold Gasket - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Dion - December 29 - 2:09 pm

  We bought this car new in November of 2002 as we needed a roomy family sedan and the Impala was the greatest value at that time. I never was a Chevy guy but with our financial situation at the time, the car was too good to ignore. It has the 3.4L motor. Later I found out that these motors have a design flaw which can cause major engine damage if not addressed right away. The repair cost for the lower intake is $850 but GM covered it as the car was under warranty. Boy in hindsight I should have questioned the oily slime under my fathers radiator cap in his Grand Am which also had the problem. But I didnt and he paid the $850. If it lasts to 200k miles, still a great deal and comfortable.

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  Best car ever! - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By mikeyy - December 29 - 1:27 am

  This car is the best. i can pass anyone out in it. lots of power. very comfy seats, feels like my couch at home. radio is awesome really loud and lots of bass. ac works great. engine noise is really quite around 1,000-2,000 rpm but once you get past 3,500 rpm the beast comes out. Just a great car

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  Junk - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By DaddyHines - December 28 - 10:05 pm

  I bought my Cavalier brand new in 2003. In October of 2008 I had to replace the engine because my oil pump was not working. None of the dashboard lights lit up or anything. It just died one day. My Cavalier has less than 75000 miles and got oil changes regularly. The mechanic says it was a manufacturer defect but of course, Chevy offers no help. My heat only comes out the passenger side vent and my rear defroster stopped working like a year after I had the car. Other than that, its great.

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  Good truck, but bad mechanically - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By 10tca01 - December 28 - 9:20 pm

  My S-10 is my first vehicle ever owned. I was very excited to get it, on accounts of I had heard S-10s were great. I bought it used with 39,000 miles on it, and yes, it was a 98. The first month I had it, the transmission went out. 39,000 miles! I was very frustrated, it was an expensive repair. Hoping it would be the last thing, I went on. But its just been one thing after another. The trans, the A/C, the water pump, and the shocks. I should have gotten rid of it after the trans, but kept it because I liked it. The truck looks great though, good design inside and out, and very little cosmetic problems. Good chassis and ride. I would buy another S-10, even with the problems I had.